Coffeyville (Kan.) junior college linebacker Martrell Spaight made a pledge to the Kansas State Wildcats last week, but now he's faced with another big decision after Arkansas head coach Bret Bielema extended a late scholarship over the weekend.
Spaight, 6-0, 220, graduated from North Little Rock High in 2011 but was passed on by the Razorbacks' former staff. He went on to Coffeyville College, where in the last two years combined he recorded over 230 tackles including 22.5 tackles for loss on his way to becoming a first-team All-American and Defensive Player of the Year in the Jayhawk Conference.
Spaight has another big decision to make
With those type of accolades, it didn't take long for Bielema to realize he needed the Arkansas native in Fayetteville next semester.
"It feels good to know that your hometown offered you a scholarship," Spaight said on Monday. "Just growing up as an Arkansas fan, it just makes you feel special knowing they want you in your hometown. It's a great feeling."
But Spaight hasn't always felt great about the Razorbacks. There was a time when he carried a chip on his shoulder due to the previous staff's decision to go with other junior college linebackers over him, but a recent talk with his father changed the way he views the program.
"For a good while there I always had this big fire about me," Spaight said. "Here I am a hometown kid, went on to a junior college and did the best I could do to make it work out for me. I was hoping Arkansas would give me a scholarship because I participated in their football camp when I was in high school. The coach told me to just keep doing what I'm doing and they'd keep in touch with me about a scholarship.
"For a while there I did have a little grudge, but I talked to my dad about it and he pretty much told me, 'Hey, that was the last coaching staff and this is a brand new staff. They didn't have anything to do with that.' When the new coach (Bielema) came and offered me a scholarship I saw where my dad was coming from. I had to let the grudge go."
The sophomore has several options at this point, but he'll have to move fast because he's a midterm graduate. He could stick with his initial pledge to the Wildcats and sign with them as early as tomorrow. He could sign with Arkansas and visit after the Dead Period ends next month, or he could just wait it out a few more weeks and make a final decision in early January.
Spaight won't know for sure what he's going to do until he and his dad are done weighing the positives and negatives of both offers.
"As of right now me and my dad are breaking down the pros and cons," Spaight said. "How it'd feel to play in the Big 12, what I would get out of it, or what I would get out of the SEC - so we're just breaking down the pros and cons, the good and bad of each school. Right now that's where we are, decision-wise.
"As for the timeline, I talked to Coach Bielema Saturday night when he came down and he pretty much told me that if I chose Arkansas, I wouldn't have to sign on signing day. He told me I'd be able to come either on the 4th or 5th of January, get up there and see everything. But he told me if I wanted to (sign with Arkansas on Wednesday) I could."
In addition to Arkansas and Kansas State, Spaight had other offers from Arkansas State, Indiana, Memphis, Minnesota, Rutgers, South Florida and South Carolina.
He had 130 tackles, 13.5 TFLs, two fumble recoveries and a forced fumble as a sophomore this past season. Spaight will have three years to play two at his next stop.
The Razorbacks have a huge need for linebackers in this year's class. They already have one junior college linebacker commit in Myke Tavarres, who plans to decide between Arkansas and Boise State on Wednesday, but it looks as though the Hogs are set on signing two linebackers from the JUCO ranks regardless of what Tavarres decides.
