Hogs land QB Blake Boda

FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas has reached into the transfer portal to land Coastal Carolina quarterback Blake Boda.

Boda, 6-4, 210, committed to Arkansas on an official visit Monday and Tuesday. He was a key target of Bobby Petrino, Arkansas’ new offensive coordinator and quarterback coach. Boda talked about why he signed with Arkansas.

“The staff they have with Coach (Sam) Pittman and coach Petrino is special,” Boda said. “Coach Petrino for what he’s done in the past is just elite and top level. He’s one of the top coaches in the country. Just to play under him is just something special. Arkansas is SEC football so it’s big time and just the guys I met have been great.”

The visit obviously removed any doubt, if any, Boda had about Arkansas.

“I loved every moment of it,” Boda said. “Best visit I’ve been on for sure. Loved the whole coaching staff. My time here has just been amazing.”

Boda was offered by Petrino and talked about what the Hogs are getting with his addition.

“I believe I’m very accurate with the football,” Boda said. “I believe that when I go out there I play and make the game slow. I understand the game very well. I’m not the fastest guy or have the strongest arm but I feel like I play very smart to my game.”

Boda only attempted one pass in 2023 and it was a 14-yard completion. Boda was briefly committed to UNLV when Petrino was hired there as the offensive coordinator before leaving for Texas A&M. He was a three-star prospect in the Class of 2023 coming out of Cocoa (Fla.) High School.

As a senior in 2022, Boda helped lead his team to a state championship. He completed 270 of 414 passes for 4,028 yards, 49 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. In 2021, he passed for 2,021 yards, 18 touchdowns and four interceptions.

At Arkansas, Boda will enter a quarterback room that includes Taylen Green, Malachi Singleton and KJ Jackson as other scholarship signal callers. Austin Ledbetter is a preferred walk-on who came over from the baseball team where he was a pitcher.