Recapping Process of Sategna's Switch to Hogs
A couple of days ago there was a low rumble coming out of Fayetteville about 4-star wide receiver Isaiah Sategna.
By Wednesday night that rumble became a single clear message: “Please respect my decision. ALL HOG.”
With a single tweet, the top football player in Arkansas ended the curiosity over whether the commitment to go so far away would hold.
Never mind Oregon has an extra 30 passing yards per game to go around. Ignore the fact the Ducks have a legitimate shot to make the playoffs.
The four-month relationship was over, and, if Sategna is good on his word, it all came down to simply being closer to family.
“Unfortunately, after talking to my family, we have decided to decommit and go to a school closer to home,” Sategna posted in a statement on his Twitter account. “I want to thank the University of Arkansas for believing in my talents and for being the first school to offer me during my sophomore season.”
It Wasn't About Football
The 5-11 receiver began skyrocketing up the recruiting rankings following the conclusion of Sategna’s junior season, which eventually earned him an offer from the Ducks.
He initially committed to Texas A&M back in March, but by summer, he had cracked the Top 200 of all recruits at any position and caught West Coast fever.
Before long, the Aggies were a thing of the past, and Sategna found himself racking his brain over whether USC or Oregon would provide the best opportunity for his future.
Then, a week after 4th of July festivities concluded, Sategna took to Instagram to let the world know he would spend his falls wearing every combination of green and yellow the world would stomach, along with the best pair of Nikes Phil Knight could donate.
In late September, Sategna joined the “Talkin’ Ducks Podcast” to explain that it wasn’t necessarily football that led to his commitment.
Arkansas wide receivers coach Kenny Guiton was the lead recruiter for Isaiah Sategna.
Andy Hodges
“The thing that was highest on my list was a team that was not only good in football, but good in track,” Sategna said. “I wanted them to be Top 10 in track because I still consider that my main sport.”
He went on to say that prior to committing to Oregon, he created a checklist that included things such as quality education, a good offense, and the track requirement. Sategna also mentioned the need for a good quarterback.
He then compared the schools to see which had the most check marks to make his final decision.
With question marks at the time surrounding how successful Arkansas quarterback K.J. Jefferson would be at adjusting to the starting role, coupled by the strange timing of No. 2 receiver Mike Woods’ abrupt departure, it’s a sure bet Sategna will eventually be asked whether Jefferson’s development added an additional check mark that might have tipped the scales back toward Arkansas by November.
So What Will Arkansas Be Getting?
As indicated by his preference for track over football, Sategna brings amazing speed. In his sophomore year alone, he won five state championships in sprints, hurdles and long jump.
When watching film, it’s easy to see how quickly he blows by defenders and pulls away.
At first, it’s easy to think he’s playing against a single team that’s just weak in the secondary, but then it happens again and again against team after team. It almost looks unfair.
Every highlight looks like it goes 80-90 yards whether the ball is thrown short or deep.
However, the most interesting aspect is the strength Sategna shows when he finally is challenged.
While he checks in at a 170 pounds, there are times it looks like you’re watching old Treylon Burks highlights. When passes are thrown short, he makes the catch, tucks the ball, and then destroys the defender with his free arm.
Andrew Hutchinson of HawgBeat.com had an interview with Sategna's high school coach, former Razorback quarterback Casey Dick:
They’re sent slamming to the ground or flying toward a bench. At times, he runs through defenders’ shoulders, sends them spinning and keeps going.
His highlight reel is filled with defensive backs going up for the interception, only to have the ball literally ripped from their hands and taken for a touchdown. The strength, especially in the hands, is definitely there.
Last, he appears to have great vision. It’s easy to see that Sategna is catching shifts in weight and momentum of the people covering him and adjusting his route or where he cuts with the ball in his mind well before he actually does it, leaving defensive backs helpless.
If Sategna’s commit can hold for just over a month longer to the Dec. 15 signing date, the film points to a chance to have something special if Sam Pittman’s coaching staff can pair him up with the right quarterback.
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