Baldwin to walk on as a Razorback

Daniel Baldwin, who has been invited to walk-on as a member of the Razorback football team next fall, poses with two of the coaches who have had a big influence on his career; Michael Harrell (left) and Dave Hendrix. (Times file photo/Tim Blair) [Click to enlarge]

The history of the Piggott Mohawk football program as it relates to the famed University of Arkansas Razorbacks is long and storied, and a new chapter was added last week as Daniel Baldwin signed to attend school at Fayetteville. Baldwin, a standout multi-sport athlete for the Mohawks, will be a "preferred walk-on" for the Hog football team this fall, and will be working hard to earn himself a spot on the team.

"It was pretty hard at first, I've always wanted to go to Arkansas and then ASU came around and showed quite a bit of interest," Baldwin said of his final decision. "ASU really wanted me to come there, but I finally made up my mind to attend the U of A and I'm happy with it."

Daniel made it official last week, as an assistant coach visited him at PHS and the proper paperwork was signed for him to walk-on for the Hogs.

Baldwin, the son of Suzie Morris and Danny Baldwin of Piggott, had a chance to visit the Razorback's facilities earlier this year, and liked what he saw. "I went there for the spring football game, and for the last full scrimmage before the spring game..it was a good practice and they've got a lot of good athletes," he noted, "I'm excited about the challenge."

Daniel also talked about the challenge of moving to the next level, "I'm ready for it, I'm already working out as much as I can getting in shape, and I'll be down there in June for the All-Star game so I'll get in a little action." Baldwin will represent the Mohawks, and the 3A-3 football conference, as this year's outstanding back in the annual All-Star game on Friday, June 26 at Bentonville High School.

"It's a big honor, Coach (Mohawk head football coach Dave) Hendrix told me after my first basketball game this year and I was speechless, I didn't know what to say," he said of the selection.

Baldwin, whose father and older brothers were all standout athletes in their own rights, talked about his time at Piggott, "it's been a positive experience, although I did have several coaches. Of course I had Coach (Ken) Shumate in junior high and I've had Coach Hendrix all the way through high school.. I learned a lot from both of them and I couldn't have asked for any better coaches." But Daniel added that he owes a lot of his success to longtime friend and coach Michael Harrell, who coached him in peewee football and later in high school, "Coach Harrell has been there my whole life, he's had a really big influence on my life and credit for a lot of this goes to him."

Daniel is scheduled to report July 6, and will look forward to earning a spot on the team this fall. The past three seasons he started at quarterback for the Mohawks, leading the Tribe to the first round of the state playoffs in the fall of 2007 as a junior despite knee problems. He was an All-Conference honorable mention pick as a sophomore, All-Conference as a junior and was both All-Conference and All-State this past season.

He was also a key member in the undefeated seventh grade Mohawk football and basketball teams, was conference MVP on the Mohawk junior boys District Champion basketball team as a freshman and was named to the All-NEA team his junior season for the Tribe.

As he competes to make the football team this fall, Daniel will be looking to add his name to the list of outstanding Mohawks that have gone on to become Razorbacks. Currently the names of former Mohawks Gary Adams and Tommy Dixon appear in the record book for the University of Arkansas football team, perhaps in a few years the name of Daniel Baldwin may be found there too.