Pair of Arkansas players enter transfer portal

FAYETTEVILLE, Ar. (AF) — A wild Wednesday for the Arkansas basketball team saw the transferring of three different players, with the Mitchell twins transferring into the program from Rhode Island, and Connor Vanover transferring out.

The basketball team was not the only program at Arkansas affected by the portal, though, as quarterback Lucas Coley and defensive lineman Mataio Soli entered the transfer portal as well.

“First, I would like to say thank you to the University of Arkansas,” Coley said in a tweet. “Thank you to the coaching , nutrition, and academic staff, and especially the welcoming Razorback fan base. I am entering my name into the Transfer Portal within the next hour.”

Coley was a high three-star recruit out of San Antonio, Texas, in the class of 2021. The 6’2” freshman did not play in any games in his first season, finding himself behind KJ Jefferson and Malik Hornsby on the depth chart.

Soli joined the football program in the class of 2019, under then-head coach Chad Morris. He announced his decision to transfer on Wednesday via Twitter.

“I am in the transfer portal and my recruitment is open,” Soli wrote. “Better days ahead!”

Soli played in all 12 games for the Hogs in 2019, tallying 19 total tackles, nine solo and 10 assisted. In 2020, the Douglasville, Georgia native only tallied five total tackles all season, only one solo.

Last season, he recorded six tackles, all assisted. He did record four punt return yards, when he caught a blocked punt against Texas on September 11.

Soli will have up to two years of eligibility remaining.

Coley’s departure leaves Jefferson and Hornsby as the only two scholarship quarterbacks on the roster.

Arkansas is set to open the season against Cincinnati on September 4, 2022, inside Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium.