Hog Futures La'Michael Pettway

Growing expectations

Receiver eager to put play-making skills to use

Nashville receiver La'Michael Pettway is tackled by Fountain Lake defender Jacob Parker during a game Friday, Oct. 3, 2014 in Fountain Lake.
Nashville receiver La'Michael Pettway is tackled by Fountain Lake defender Jacob Parker during a game Friday, Oct. 3, 2014 in Fountain Lake.

Billy Dawson believes big things are ahead for La'Michael Pettway.

The Arkansas Razorbacks hope he's right.

La’Michael Pettway glance

CLASS Freshman

POSITION Wide receiver

HEIGHT/WEIGHT 6-2, 210 pounds

HOMETOWN Nashville

HIGH SCHOOL Nashville

NOTEWORTHY Committed to Arkansas over Mississippi, among others. … First-team Arkansas Democrat-Gazette All Arkansas Preps selection. … Caught 54 passes for 913 yards and 18 touchdowns last season while leading Nashville to a 7-4A Conference championship. … Finished his high school career with 123 receptions for 2,151 yards and 34 touchdowns. … Started at quarterback as a junior. … Had eight interceptions at safety as a senior.

Pettway, 6-2, 210 pounds, did plenty of big things the past two seasons as a play-making receiver and defensive back for the Nashville Scrappers, but his former coach said his best days are ahead of him.

"He's a big, physical kid who's only going to get bigger," said Dawson, who left Nashville during the offseason to take over as Russellville's head coach. "He has a body that can explode. He's skinny, but he's going to get big. He's a guy who's going to develop better route-running techniques.

"I think his body and size give him a chance."

Pettway was one of the top high school wide receivers in Arkansas over the past two seasons.

Despite playing 11 games at quarterback as a junior in 2013, Pettway still caught 56 passes for 1,056 yards and 15 touchdowns.

Pettway moved to receiver full time as a senior and caught 54 passes for 913 yards and 18 touchdowns. He also had 42 tackles, 32 unassisted, and 8 interceptions at safety as Nashville won its fourth conference title in the past seven years and advanced to the quarterfinals of the Class 4A state playoffs.

In three seasons at Nashville, Pettway finished with 123 receptions for 2,151 yards and 34 touchdowns.

Pettway wasn't sure when he signed his national letter of intent in February whether he would play offense or defense for the Razorbacks, but he said he has been told by the Arkansas coaching staff that he'll play wide receiver and possibly see time on special teams.

"I like making plays," said Pettway, a member of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette's All-Arkansas Preps football team last season. "I like the ball in my hands at all times."

Pettway was a three-sport athlete in high school, competing in football, basketball and track and field. He credited basketball and track for improving his football skills. He said basketball helped him with his jumping, while track and field helped him improve his stamina and flexibility.

Pettway has been in Fayetteville since the start of June and said he is progressing with offseason workouts.

"They're pretty intense," he said. "You get the hang of it."

Pettway orally committed to Ole Miss originally, but he eventually decided that staying home and playing for the Razorbacks would be a better fit for him.

"I would be put into a better position here," Pettway said.

Dawson said Pettway has matured over the past two years, and that maturity was evident last season.

"He started figuring out the game a bit," Dawson said. "He understood the game better. He'll continue to progress as it goes."

Pettway wore No. 2 at Nashville. It is a Scrappers tradition that dates back to the early 1990s that the number is given each season to a player who is considered a big-play threat.

Dawson said Pettway proved he was worthy of wearing the number.

"He's a good player," Dawson said. "We were fortunate at Nashville. We've had some good players through there. He's in that line of really good players."

Pettway is part of a signing class that is stocked with players from Arkansas, including quarterback Ty Storey of Charleston, tight end Will Gragg of Dumas, tight end C.J. O'Grady of Fayetteville, offensive lineman Colton Jackson of Conway, defensive end Daytrieon Dean of Fort Smith Northside, defensive end Jamario Bell of Junction City, receiver Deon Stewart of Highland and linebacker Dre Greenlaw of Fayetteville.

The class was ranked No. 21 nationally by ESPN.com, and Pettway said the group is eager to help Arkansas improve upon its success from last season. The Razorbacks are coming off a 7-6 season in which they snapped a 17-game SEC losing streak and beat Texas in the Texas Bowl.

"It's going to be special," Pettway said. "I hope everybody is taking notice of us."

Sports on 07/31/2015

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