Sam Pittman details the progression he's seen from backups in Arkansas quarterback room

There is a battle going on in the Arkansas quarterback room. Not for the starting job, which KJ Jefferson already has locked up, but for the No. 2 spot on the depth chart.

The Razorbacks are attempting to decide between redshirt sophomore Malik Hornsby and South Florida transfer Cade Fortin to serve as the backup for Jefferson. This past weekend after the first fall scrimmage, coach Sam Pittman provided an update on how that competition is playing out.

“It’s a good battle,” Pittman said. “Obviously, Malik has so much to offer in speed and all those things. Malik actually got several reps at wide receiver today as well, which allowed us to rest him a little bit and put Fortin in there a little bit. Fortin played with the twos some, not all. He didn’t start with the twos, but he played with the twos some today and did a nice job. I like Fortin. So there’s a battle there at that spot as well. Like I said before, he allows us to do what we’ve been doing with Malik.”

Hornsby joined Arkansas in 2020 as the No. 12 quarterback in the class according to On3 Consensus, a complete and equally weighted industry-generated average. After redshirting as a true freshman, he played in seven games this past season to finish 5-of-12 passing for 46 yards. He also added 136 yards rushing and a touchdown on 24 attempts.

That speed stood out to Pittman and the offensive staff, who are trying to devise a way to get Hornsby more involved in 2022. Although that could still come at quarterback, the most likely spot for Hornsby to make an impact seems to be at receiver, where Arkansas lost three of its top four players from a year ago.

“I’ve told him that we need him on the field,” Pittman said. “He has to earn the right to get on the field, but we need him on the field. We’ve got a plan for it. I hope it works and I feel like it will. We think he’s an excellent football player, so we are obviously going to give him the opportunity to win the job, but at the same time give him the opportunity to win the wide receivers spot, too.”

Fortin started two games at USF this past season, throwing for a season-high 91 yards in Week 2 against Florida. A three-star recruit in the 2018 class, he ranked as the No. 47 quarterback according to On3 Consensus.

Arkansas has a little more than two weeks to figure out its backup quarterback situation, as the Razorbacks open the season on Sept. 3 against the Cincinnati Bearcats.