FAYETTEVILLE -- Sophomore running back Cam Settles was impressive on Saturday at the Arkansas Red-White game.

Unofficially, Settles led all rushes with seven carries for 57 yards and a touchdown. In addition, Settles caught two passes for 15 yards. Ryan Silverfield liked what he saw from the young running back.

"“I’ve been really, really pleased with Cam," Silverfield said. "He's a young man that I had recruited hard at our last stop, and I just think he's a dynamic back. I think he's one of those guys, you hate to sit there [and single him out] because I think all of our running backs have the ability to catch the football, but he's really good catching routes. He runs great wheel routes. He's good on the screen game. And then he's learned to run north and south.

"When I remember Cam, I used to sit there and think of a, ‘Hey, he's a lighter back.’ No, he's 208 pounds. I mean, he's going to be 215 pounds before we know it. He runs hard. He's got great vision. And so I think he's one of those guys that we got to see those gradual steps as he understood this offense. ‘Hey, where's this ball supposed to hit on the inside zone? Where it should have hit on the pin-and-pull scheme.’ And he continues to understand that, so I’ve been quite proud of him. He's taken a lot of pride in pass protection as well. Cam certainly has an arrow going up.”

Arkansas has several running backs in what is considered a deep room. In addition to Settles, Arkansas has junior Braylen Russell, redshirt senior Sutton Smith, sophomore Jasper Parker and true freshman TJ Hodges. Silverfield has no doubt this team can have success on the ground this fall.

"Well, I think first, I do," Silverfield said. "I like our group of running backs. It's one of those positions that you feel pretty comfortable with a lot of those guys getting in there, right? A guy like Jasper, we got to see him do some things as well. We talked about Cam and Sutton and obviously Braylen running really hard today. And then even TJ Hodges, the young freshman. I think he does some really good things as well. But I was kind of pleased with the direction of the running back room all spring.

"But yeah, it's going to start up front with the O-line. Listen, I want them to be a confident group, but they've got work to do, and a lot of it is now which are the five, six guys are going to be rotating in there and going and playing ball at a high level. We understand that the trenches are real in the SEC and so our guys have got to step up day in and day out. They've got to have great off seasons. I want them to continue to help out. I know you asked about the run game, but their communication in pass pro as well moving forward. But listen, I think we'll be okay, and it's our job to scheme it up the right way, to put our guys in the best position. But confidence in the O-line, the running backs and even the tight ends that we'll be able to get it done."

Settles scored on a 7-yard touchdown run Saturday. He credited others for his ability to get the touchdown.

"It was mainly the O-line," Settles said. "We got it in the red zone, low line. They've got to be automatic for us. Then our O-line did what they had to do. I'm going to do what I have to do behind my O-line. Got to be 100% in that red zone on the goal line.

"I just feel like I'm a very balanced back. I can do it all. So that's just what I base my game off of. I want to be able to catch the ball in the backfield, be able to run through the tackles and be able to run outside the tackles as well. So I just wanted to allude that to my game, and I just had the juice today. I just had it. so."

Arkansas will open the 2026 season at home against North Alabama on Saturday, Sept. 5.