FAYETTEVILLE — Austin Ledbetter’s college career has been anything but ordinary. He came to Arkansas as a freshman right-handed pitcher for the Razorback baseball team in 2022. Two years later, he decided to give up baseball and join the football team as a quarterback.
Now, Ledbetter has transferred to play football at Henderson State, where he plans to spend his final two years of eligibility.
Ledbetter has kept his future in mind every step of the way.
A three-time state champion quarterback at Bryant High School and a top-100 right-handed pitcher prospect in the class of 2021, Ledbetter chose to play baseball at Arkansas out of high school. His cousins, Blake and DJ Baxendale, had played for the Razorbacks and were support staff members during Ledbetter’s freshman year. DJ remains on the staff today.
“Baseball had always been my sport,” Ledbetter said. “In high school that kind of did change, but I wanted to keep my commitment. I honestly wanted to be a Hog, and I wanted to graduate from the University of Arkansas, so I couldn’t pass up that opportunity…. I had talked to Coach [Sam] Pittman in high school a little bit. I talked to other schools, but I think my heart was telling me I needed to go play baseball.”
Ledbetter made 22 appearances with two starts on the mound in his two seasons with the baseball team. He pitched in the College World Series twice in 2022, throwing a combined 2 2/3 scoreless innings in games against Ole Miss and Auburn.
In the fall of 2023, Ledbetter began considering going back to football. He had been battling some minor injuries as being a full-time pitcher took its toll. In high school, he had played shortstop and third base in addition to pitching.
He had loved playing multiple spots in high school, and the grind of pitcher-only work wasn’t the same.
With the support of his baseball coaches, Ledbetter decided to give up his baseball scholarship and walk on to the football team [in December 2023]. He saw an opportunity to achieve his childhood dreams of playing both college football and baseball, as well as to help him toward his next goal: Becoming a coach.
“I’m getting my sports admin masters here at Henderson,” Ledbetter said. “Going into coaching, I think having both of those backgrounds of playing with [Dave Van Horn], coach [Matt] Hobbs and [Bobby] Petrino and Pittman is just going to help me in the future.”
Ledbetter said he is open to coaching baseball or football one day, but his time spent on the football team helped him rediscover a passion for the sport and a desire to pursue coaching. He credits Petrino with helping grow his knowledge of the game as he spent a season as a quarterback under his tutelage.
“He really implemented an NFL offense in my head and what it would look like,” Ledbetter said. “He painted a picture for every play. There was always something else you could do if the defense did this.
“Being around coaches all my life, I feel like I’m already a motivator and a leader as it is. All I needed is the blueprints for the whole game of football. I feel like I already have that leadership where I can connect with guys, connect with kids, and be able to teach them things and be a great coach.”
After a year learning from Pittman, Petrino and more, Ledbetter decided to enter the transfer portal this spring. He said more than 20 schools reached out to him, and he talked with the likes of Arkansas State and Tulane.
Ultimately, he chose Henderson State in Arkadelphia. His grandparents are from Arkadelphia, and his family in Bryant is less than an hour away. His visit to campus made him feel “at home,” and he has a good relationship with Reddies coach Greg Holsworth.
Ledbetter said he has had people reach out about playing baseball again, but his plan for now is to focus on football.
He plans to get his masters degree in sports administration, and he is working in addition to playing football to help support his daughter, Sloane, who was born in May.
“It’s definitely changed a lot,” he said of becoming a father. “As soon as I get out of workouts, I go to a job…. I know a lot of people down here, so I can get a job pretty easy, just doing any small jobs just trying to take care of her and take care of my business. I feel like I’ve grown up as a person a lot within the last year.”