Recruiting Guy

Nana's love for Hogs special to Cabot safety

Pine Bluff receiver Isiah Mays (16) is tackled by Cabot safety Zhane Harper during a game Friday, Aug. 31, 2018, at Panther stadium in Cabot.
Pine Bluff receiver Isiah Mays (16) is tackled by Cabot safety Zhane Harper during a game Friday, Aug. 31, 2018, at Panther stadium in Cabot.

Cabot safety Zhane Harper, who received a preferred walk-on offer from the University of Arkansas on Thursday, was taught the game of football and the love for the Hogs from his late grandmother.

"I mean she taught me the history of the Hogs, like how they got their name, where Fayetteville was," Harper said. "I'm pretty sure it was my first year of football that year so she taught me the basics of football."

Harper, 6-0,172 pounds, 4.42 seconds in the 40-yard dash, currently has scholarship offers from East Central (Okla.) University, Northwestern Oklahoma State, Missouri Baptist along with a preferred walk-on offer from Arkansas State. He has 80 tackles and 7 interceptions this season.

Razorback cornerbacks coach Mark Smith told Harper of the offer.

"He said he liked the coach I played for and the school I played for, and he said he liked my style of play and thinks I play physical," Harper said.

Harper said he and his grandmother, Suzan Holman, would watch the Razorbacks together.

"My nana was a die-hard fan and I used to watch the games with her," Harper said. "I've been a fan since I was young, plus my family lives here and they all love the U of A."

He said his grandmother wasn't afraid to express her feelings.

"She was the loudest cheerleader in the house," Harper said. "When they did great, when they lost, she wasn't afraid to yell at the TV and give her opinion."

Holzman would often tell Harper that he would wear the Razorbacks uniform at some point.

"She used to tell me when I was a little boy how I was gonna play for the Hogs one day," he said.

He can't recall the year but said his fondest memory with his grandmother was watching the Hogs battle LSU.

"Easily when Arkansas played LSU, but I was very young, but watching it with her was the best thing ever," Harper said. "She taught me a lot about the Hogs and the game of football when we watched it."

Bright, Stepp connect

Junior receiver Chancellor Bright was one of about 40 prospects who attended the University of Arkansas' game against Tulsa on Saturday, and a lot of that had to do with Razorbacks receivers coach Justin Stepp

Bright, 6-2, 175, 4.45, of Franklin, Tenn., received a scholarship offer from the Hogs in early August and has other offers from Louisville and Memphis. He said he felt a connection with Stepp.

"He's a nice man," Bright said. "He's one of the first coaches I've talked to after I got my offer, so he's ready for me to come up there."

Bright, who has 22 receptions for 393 yards and 7 touchdowns in 9 games this season, said the trip to Fayetteville was in the plans early.

"They were one of the first schools to offer me and they show a lot of love," Bright said.

When he announced his offer from the Hogs, Bright said he instantly noticed Razorbacks fans on social media.

"As soon as they offered me, a whole lot of people followed me on Twitter and a lot of people where I live like Arkansas, too," he said. "The fan base is real good, so I like that."

E-mail Richard Davenport at [email protected]

Sports on 10/21/2018

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