1. Razorback senior offensive lineman Ty Clary (#66) from Fayetteville, AR celebrates senior day with Coach Sam Pittman before the Alabama game last December at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville, AR.

Nate Allen

FAYETTEVILLE -  Whether at center or guard, Ty Clary has started in Arkansas offensive lines since 2017 under four different Razorbacks head coaches.

He starts this season in perhaps his most valuable role ever even if it wasn’t end of last week certain that Clary would start in Saturday’s 1 p.m. season-opener against the Rice Owls at Reynolds Razorback Stadium.

Because 4-year letterman/fifth-year senior Clary spent so much preseason time at first-team center, when since returned starter Ricky Stromberg missed two practice weeks injured, and since then has also practiced at tackle to provide depth, third-year sophomore Beaux Limmer has capitalized on first-team right guard practice time. Limmer became a starting candidate with Clary like the seesaw left guard battle between third-year sophomore and 2020 starter Brady Latham and fourth-year junior former Notre Dame guard Luke Jones.

Regardless how it shakes out, expect former Fayetteville Bulldog Clary to leave a solid 2021 mark up and down the line.

Sam Pittman, Arkansas’ offensive line coach from 2013-2015 and about officially to start his second season head-coaching the Hogs, always deemed Clary a better guard than center.

In fact, upon arrival Pittman and former Arkansas offensive line coach Brad Davis swapped positions for Clary, the 2019 starting center and Stromberg, 2019 starting guard, in the Chad Morris regime.

However, since bulking up from the 280s that he played for Morris to his presently listed, 6-4, 315, Clary has become well worth his weight to Pittman wherever he might play.

“Ty Clary has a lot of value to us, whether it be center, we’ve also looked at him at right tackle.  I think we’re going to be fine at the tackle position, the guard position and center position, as well. Clary has a lot to do with that because I believe he would possibly be the backup at right tackle and center.”

And always contending to start at either guard.

Also knowing he would be comfortable with Jones at left guard, Pittman said he’s given Latham some snaps at backup tackle behind senior starters Myron Cunningham and Dalton Wagner.

Ty’Kieast Crawford, the 6-5, 350 transfer from the University of Charlotte ballyhooed in the spring until reporting in January in condition that “didn’t give him a chance,” Pittman said, apparently is living up to his billing this preseason and logged some first-team tackle time.

“Ty’Kieast Crawford has played a lot with the ones,” Pittman said. ‘Wags (Wagner) has been a little bit in and out with an injury.”

Clary not only plays for his fourth head coach, (Bret Bielema, Morris, closing 2019 interim coach Barry Lunney and Pittman) but his fourth offensive line coach.

Kurt Anderson, Dustin Fry, Baton Rouge Brad Davis and Cody Kennedy have coached him.

Kennedy initially joined Pittman’s staff last spring to coach tight ends. The former Tulane and Southern Mississippi offensive line coach after being former Georgia offensive line coach Pittman’s graduate assistant, took charge of Arkansas’ offensive line after Baton Rouge native Davis was called home post spring ball to coach LSU’s offensive line.

Clary and fellow senior Wagner acknowledge only the deaf can’t hear Kennedy’s instructions.

“I mean how can you be a coach if you’re not yelling at your guys, ya know?,” Clary said. “You’ve got five O-lineman on the field, one of them is bound to mess up eventually. He’s doing a great job. He came right in, fit in right away. Coach Kennedy is awesome.”

Wagner concurred.

“Yeah, he came in and the O-line didn’t miss a beat,” Wagner said. “He pushes us to get the best out of us and loves us even harder. The guys are rolling now under him. Like Ty said, everybody respects the hell out of him.”

• Razorback senior offensive lineman Ty Clary (#66) from Fayetteville, AR celebrates senior day with Coach Sam Pittman before the Alabama game last December at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville, AR.

• Razorback senior offensive lineman Dalton Wagner (#78) from Spring Grove, ILL pass blocks against Alabama last December at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville, AR.

• Razorback senior offensive lineman Ty Clary (#66) from Fayetteville, AR pass blocks against Alabama last December at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville, AR.

• Razorback senior offensive lineman Dalton Wagner (#78) from Spring Grove, ILL pass blocks against Alabama last December at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville, AR.

• Razorback senior offensive lineman Ty Clary (#66) from Fayetteville, AR pass blocks against Alabama last December at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville, AR.