Razorback Hodge Podge: 1/19/12

* Multi-Talented. Razorback back-up quarterback Brandon Mitchell has joined the basketball team. Mitchell, who received a basketball scholarship offer from LSU and who played briefly for John Pelphrey's 2009-10 Arkansas squad, has been practicing with the team for less than a week, but he is reportedly working rather feverishly to get up to speed. If nothing else, he'll be a much-needed warm body on a team that dresses only nine scholarship players.

Still, given Mitchell's success as a high-school hoopster, color me intrigued about what he could offer Mike Anderson's squad. The move also makes me wonder how enthused about his football career Mitchell is - it would certainly stand to reason that Brandon was one of the few Arkansans not jazzed about Tyler Wilson's decision to return for his senior year. Mitchell told AS 360's Chris Bahn that he was still "a scholarship football player" when Bahn asked him if he was considering becoming a full-time basketballer. According to Bahn, Brandon will juggle both sports this spring.

This is somewhat random, but whenever a Razorback dabbles in both football and basketball - Matt Jones and Marcus Monk are two others who have done so during the past decade - I am reminded of Robert Reed, a highly touted football recruit who served as quarterback Barry Lunney Jr.'s back-up and was also a benchwarmer for Nolan Richardson's 1995 national runner-up team. Reed had an oh-so-brief moment in the spotlight when he blocked a potential game-winning shot in a mid-season basketball game against the Memphis Tigers, but that's not the reason he still crosses my mind from time to time all these years later. No, the reason Reed's still memorable to me is that a college acquaintance of John and I's who happened to spend a weekend in the Razorback athletic dorm - he was visiting some obscure Arkansas football player that he went to high school with - during Reed's time in Fayetteville declared Robert "the scariest individual I've ever met."

* What Was Your Favorite Moment of the Nurideen Lindsey Era? That's a tough question to answer, as there were so many wonderful, memorable moments to choose from. That's right: one week after announcing that he was transferring to Arkansas from St. John's, the talented but seemingly troubled point guard has decided to transfer to Rider instead.

* Speaking of Talented but Troubled Points Guards. Our old friend Courtney Fortson has signed with the Los Angeles Clippers.