Thor Nystrom tracks players opting out of upcoming bowl games as well as the coaching changes around the college football landscape. Thor will update the article through the remainder of the season to keep you updated on bowl games, college prospects, and the 2023 NFL Draft.

And below we’ll take a closer look at the upcoming bowl game: Liberty Bowl.

Check out Thor’s projections for all college football bowl games

Liberty Bowl: College Football News, Player Opt-Out Tracker & Game Preview (Arkansas vs. Kansas)

• Wednesday, December 28 | 4:30 PM
• Arkansas (-3) vs. Kansas | Total: 68.5
• ATL: Kansas -2.1 | ATT: 73.5

Arkansas

• QB Malik Hornsby (Transfer portal)
• QB Kade Renfro (Injury)
• RB ​​James Jointer (Transfer portal)
• WR Jadon Haselwood (Opt-out)
• WR Ketron Jackson (Transfer portal)
• WR Warren Thompson (Transfer portal)
• TE Trey Knox (Transfer portal)
• C Ricky Stromberg (Opt-out)
• DT Isaiah Nichols (Transfer portal)
• EDGE Eric Thomas Jr. (Transfer portal)
• LB Drew Sanders (Opt-out)
• LB Bumper Pool (Opt-out)
• CB Keuan Parker (Transfer portal)
• S Myles Slusher (Transfer portal)
• S Jalen Catalon (Injury)
• S Khari Johnson (Transfer Portal)

QB KJ Jefferson announced he’s returning to school next season. WR Haselwood had 59 catches this fall. WR Jackson was also a starter – he’s off to Baylor. WR Thompson was a highly-used rotational receiver. In conjunction with TE Knox’s defection – to South Carolina – Jefferson will be light on weapons in the bowl.

OC Stromberg and LB Sanders were both first-team All-SEC performers and impact starters. DT Nichols and LB Pool were also starters.

S Slusher quit the team after not seeing eye-to-eye with the staff about an incident that occurred in the fall. Slusher has committed to Louisville. S Catalon, the other starting safety, underwent season-ending shoulder surgery in September. Nickel defender Johnson, who played in 10 games this season while starting three, transferred to Boston College.

This is a lot of vacated snaps for a team that was extremely inconsistent this fall as was.

Kansas

• RB Daniel Hishaw (Injury)
• WR Steven McBride (Transfer portal)
• WR Lawrence Arnold (Injury)
• TE Will Huggins (Injury)
• OG James Livingston (Injury)
• LB Eriq Gilyard (Transfer portal)
• LB Gavin Potter (Transfer portal)
• DB Jarrett Paul (Transfer portal)
• K Jacob Borcila (Injury)

RB Hishaw suffered a season-ending injury in October. WR Arnold hurt his leg in the finale against Kansas State – his status is unclear. K Borcila is questionable with an unknown injury.

LB Gilyard was a rotational linebacker who didn’t pan out as the team had hoped after transferring in from UCF – he’s now off to UConn. OG Livingston, TE Huggins, and LB Potter barely played this fall and likely won’t play in the bowl. WR McBride and DB Paul, also reserves, have transferred to Hawaii and Appy State, respectively.

Coaching News

Arkansas DC Barry Odom took the UNLV head coaching job. Not only did HC Sam Pittman fire strength and conditioning coach Jamil Walker after the Missouri loss, but Pittman promised more staff changes were coming. Former Arkansas strength and conditioning coach Jamil Walker was fired.

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