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Arkansas Football: Ricky Town Picks Coach Bielema, Razorbacks After Leaving USC

Former four-star quarterback Ricky Town didn’t take long to decide on a new home, pulling a reverse Mitch Mustain by choosing Arkansas less than a week after announcing he was leaving USC.

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“Coach (Bret) Bielema is a great person”, Town told ESPN. “Really just tried to spend as much time as I could with him and his dad and his mom. But ultimately my family and friends supported my decision, and that’s what’s important to me”.

Town practiced with the Razorbacks on Thursday and told ESPN he fits into the Arkansas system.

Town, a four-star recruit from Ventura, Calif., enrolled early at USC but found himself competing for the third-string spot behind Cody Kessler and Max Browne. Given that there isn’t a current frontrunner to earn the position once Allen graduates, Town may have chosen Arkansas in part with the knowledge that he could potentially be starting next season.

Ricky Town didn’t waste any time making up his mind.

He was the No. 5 rated pro-style quarterback by Rivals and No. 6 pro-style quarterback by 247 Sports in the class of 2015. When he jumped into that same scenario with the Trojans, he slipped down the depth chart and made a decision to leave town. Town enrolled at USC in January and went through spring camp and summer drills with the Trojans.

Bielema said he was contacted last week by Town after the quarterback was given his release to transfer from Southern California.

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Town will be eligible to play for the Razorbacks during the 2016 season and will have four years of eligibility. He joins a program that is looking for the best players to lead them after winning just two SEC games over the last two seasons with a system and a coaching staff he feels comfortable with.

Bret Bielema and Brandon Allen