One day after a disastrous 56-13 loss to Notre Dame, Arkansas fired coach Sam Pittman five games into his sixth season at the school, with his team sitting at 2-3.
That game against the Fighting Irish did more than cost Pittman his job. It knocked one of the Razorbacks’ top pass-catchers out for the rest of the season.
Arkansas wide receiver Jalen Brown will miss the remainder of the 2025 college football season after breaking his tibia and fibula in the loss to Notre Dame.
Prior to the injury, Brown had 12 catches for 167 yards and two touchdowns this season. The sophomore from Miami is in his first season with the program, having transferred over from Florida State in the spring.
Here’s the latest on Brown’s injury:
Jalen Brown injury update
Brown suffered his injury in the third quarter of the Razorbacks’ loss to Notre Dame, when he tried to haul in what would have been a touchdown catch in the corner of the end zone.
Brown rose up to try to make the catch, but was unable to bring it in and as he came to the turf, his left leg bent awkwardly, putting his lower leg perpendicular to his thigh.
His teammates immediately signaled to the sideline for medical attention. A cart came out to take Brown off the field, and he was sent to Arkansas Children’s Hospital Northwest in Springdale, Arkansas, for X-rays and further evaluation.
X-rays revealed a broken tibia and fibula, with no timetable for a return.
Prior to his injury, Brown had one catch for 11 yards against the Fighting Irish. He had a touchdown in each of Arkansas’ first two games, against Alabama A&M and Arkansas State.
Brown is the fourth-leading receiver for the Razorbacks this season, behind O’Mega Blake (399 yards), Rohan Jones (220) and Raylen Sharpe (173).
With Pittman ousted, Arkansas will play the rest of the season under interim head coach Bobby Petrino, who coached the Razorbacks for four successful seasons before being fired shortly after an infamous motorcycle accident in 2012.