Arkansas offensive line takes another hit as Jalen Merrick retires with medical redshirt
By Keith Farner
Published:
Injuries have been a devastating story for Arkansas since the summer, and the news didn’t get any better on Monday.
Coach Chad Morris announced that Jalen Merrick would take a medical redshirt and has retired from football.
The news came after the team lost tackle Deion Malone to a season-ending knee injury, Colton Jackson to a back injury and Ryan Winkel with a pectoral injury. Jackson is expected to miss about half the season, but the Winkel is also expected to be finished for the season.
Malone was moved back from the defensive line to offensive line because the depth issues that saw Arkansas drop to just nine active scholarship linemen. Projected left tackle Dalton Wagner even had an appendectomy.
Merrick was initially pegged to be a backup guard, but Morris previously said he experienced headaches over the summer.
With the usual bumps and bruises and injuries typically experienced throughout the year, the Razorbacks are in serious depth trouble as the season moves along.
A former newspaper veteran, Keith Farner is a news manager for Saturday Down South.
