Razorbacks Score In Eight Different Events And Third-Place 4x00 Relay Finish Seals The Victory, It's First Outdoors Since 2003

By Doug Binder, DyeStat Editor

Tim Healy and Keith Webber Photos

RESULTS | INTERVIEWS

EUGENE -- It was far from perfect, but the Arkansas Razorbacks didn't need to be. 

With enough points in key moments on Friday, Arkansas won its first NCAA Outdoor men's title since 2003 and 11th overall and completed an indoor-outdoor sweep. 

First-year head coach Doug Case inherited a great program and it continued to flourish. Not since 1982 has a first-year head coach swept the indoor and outdoor team titles. 

And truthfully, the title may have been won in Fayetteville at the West Preliminary Round, when the Razorbacks qualified 20 entries for the finals at Hayward Field. 

"We're well-rounded," Case said. "We're good from the 100 to the 10k and you throw our field events in and it's a good team. We can score a lot of points in a lot of different areas and that's what we needed to do today." 

In a team battle that showcased SEC domination, the conference champion prevailed over rivals from Tennessee, Georgia and LSU. Five of the top six teams were from the SEC. 

Arkansas clinched it in the final event of the meet, the 4x400 relay, placing third to stay in front of the Bulldogs and Vols. 

The final tally: Arkansas 56, Georgia 49, Tennessee 46, LSU 42.

Arkansas was one of four teams to DNF in the first event on the track, the 4x100 relay. Jelani Watkins, a potential big-point threat in the 100 and 200, did not make it to the 200 final. Even the expected 1-2 in the men’s 800 meters, with Rivaldo Marshall and Tyrice Taylor, didn’t come pan out when Northern Arizona’s Colin Sahlman ran them both down in the homestretch. 

Still, even without an individual champion, Arkansas prevailed. 

One of the unexpectedly good things that happened for the team cause occurred Wednesday in the men's long jump. Juriad Hughes landed nearly a foot behind his personal best to take second place with 8.25m (27-0.50). Those eight points weren't on the DyeStat formchart that predicted Arkansas would win with 71 points. 

On Friday, after the rough start in the 4x100, Watkins took third in the 100 meters. Jordan Pierre then took fifth in the 400 meters. 

Arkansas took its first lead when Taylor finished second and Marshall third in the 800 for 14 points. At the same time, Scottie Vines was in a battle for the high jump title and he ultimately finished second with 2.25m (7-4.50). And in the 5,000 meters, Ernest Cheruiyot got fifth place for four more points. 

That left the Razorbacks leading Tennessee by six points heading into the 4x400 relay. 

Case met with the relay lineup and told them to "win it."

"Win it, that's literally all it is to it," he said. "The didn't win it, they got third, did a great job, though. They knew they had to beat Tennessee."