UA the first choice for Fayetteville's Broyles
Posted on Friday, November 21, 2008
The choice of where to matriculate was easy for Franco Broyles.
The grandson of former University of Arkansas head football coach and director of athletics, Frank Broyles, said playing baseball for the Razorbacks was almost a given.
“ There were some other schools, but Arkansas has always been No. 1 for me, ” Broyles said Thursday during his signing ceremony at the Fayetteville High indoor baseball complex. “ When they asked, I didn’t think twice about it. ”
The Fayetteville High senior played an instrumental role in the Bulldogs’ 2007 and 2008 7 A state championships. The center fielder batted. 347 during his junior year, finishing among the team’s top four in runs (38 ), hits (34 ), RBIs (24 ), doubles (8 ), walks (19 ) and total bases (52 ). He also led the team in stolen bases, pilfering 20 bags in 22 attempts.
“ On a lot of those steals with Franco, we’ve given him the green light, because he reads the pitcher so well and he’s so quick and he has great instincts, ” said Vance Arnold, Fayetteville High’s head baseball coach. “ The majority of his steals aren’t called. They’re just us giving him the green light to do what he does naturally. ”
Broyles cracked the starting lineup as a sophomore two weeks before the state tournament. His late-inning snag in left field helped Fayetteville advance past Cabot in the first round.
“ If Franco doesn’t catch it, they’re going to score three and retake the lead, ” Arnold said. “ That was a big play to get us into the next round. ”
In the finals, Broyles hit the game-winning home run against Conway in the bottom of the sixth inning.
“ I was thankful for the chance from Coach Arnold, ” Broyles said of his playing time as a sophomore. “ He just kept putting me in the lineup, and I got comfortable and was able to relax and play. As a sophomore, you’re kind of worried about disappointing your teammates. ”
This year Broyles and the Bulldogs will vie for a fourth consecutive state title. With his signing out of the way, Broyles said he can focus on the four-peat.
“ We have a lot of seniors coming back, so I think we have a good chance to repeat again, ” Broyles said. “ It’s kind of good getting the signing out of the way. Now I can look forward to the season and relax and get ready to play. ”
The signing also put his grandfather at ease. The family patriarch wouldn’t have begrudged his grandson playing baseball elsewhere, but Franco said his choice to attend Arkansas comforted the elder Broyles.
“ I don’t think it would’ve mattered, ” Franco said. “ He would’ve been happy either way, but I’m sure he feels much better that I decided to go here. ”
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