In 123 years of playing college football Arkansas has retired two numbers. It is time to add a third number to that list. Actually it is past time to add the No. 5 worn by Darren McFadden.

Darren McFadden is one of the greatest Razorbacks to ever play the game.

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They have retired No. 12 worn by Clyde "Smackover" Scott and No. 77 that was the number for Brandon Burlsworth. Scott played from 1946-49 and Burlsworth from 1994-98. This isn't meant to say either of those shouldn't have been retired. Just the opposite, both are very worthy of that honor. This is only to add that No. 5 needs to be retired as well.

One sidenote on Scott was that Frank Broyles went to him when recruiting Steve Little and asked for permission to allow the standout kicker to don the No. 12 as well. Scott graciously agreed and of course Steve Little went on to a great career as well as well as be a first-round draft pick in 1978. He went to the St. Louis Cardinals at No. 15. Little was an All-American from 1976-78.

McFadden is still active in the NFL as he set to begin his third year with the Dallas Cowboys. He was drafted in the first round by the Oakland Raiders in the 2008 NFL Draft. McFadden has some many honors it would take an hour to write about them all.

He won the Doak Walker Award in both 2006 and 2007 as well as being runner-up for the Heisman Trophy those two years as well. In 2007, he was named the Walter Camp Player of the Year as well as the Sporting News Player of Year. He was a consensus first-team All-American in 2006 and a unanimous pick in 2007. He and Texas' Ricky Williams are the only two-time winners of the Doak Walker Award.

Coming out of Pulaski Oak Grove High School in North Little Rock, McFadden had no drama around his recruiting. He committed early on to the Razorbacks and never looked back.

In three years at Arkansas in 38 games, McFadden started 34. He carried 785 times for 4,590 yards and 41 touchdowns. He also caught 46 passes for 365 yards and two touchdowns while also completing 14 of 22 passes for 205 yards and seven touchdowns with only one interception. McFadden also returned 38 kickoffs for 926 yards and a touchdown. The carries and rushing yards are the best in Arkansas' history as was his 22 games where he rushed for 100-or-more yards.

McFadden is one of only three running backs to top a 1,000-yards rushing their first years in the SEC. He joins only Georgia's Hershel Walker and Arkansas' Alex Collins accomplishing that honor. He owns the two highest rushing rushing totals in school history. In 2007, McFadden rushed for 1,830 yards and then in 2006 he had 1,647 yards.

As a freshman at Arkansas, he was named to various All-American and All-SEC Freshman teams. Several picked him as the SEC Freshman Newcomer of the Year.

While the coaches and administration that was in place when McFadden was at Arkansas are gone, it's now time to do the right thing and honor this former great putting his number there with Scott and Burlsworth.

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