Utah signee threw for 3,530 yards and rushed for 1,314 more to help Bulldogs reach another Class 6A title game
By Buck Ringgold
Though he didn’t get the expected storybook ending, Greenwood quarterback Kane Archer continued to dazzle in his final season with the Bulldogs.
And it wasn’t necessarily with his arm.
Archer, a four-year starter, threw for 3,530 yards and 34 touchdowns while completing 281 of his 375 pass attempts in his senior season of 2025, recording six games in which he threw for at least 300 yards. That included a season-high 345 yards and, five-touchdown performance in an October win against Lake Hamilton.
But what really stood out about Archer as a senior, unlike his previous three seasons with the Bulldogs, was his ability to produce strong rushing numbers.
Archer nearly doubled his rushing total from his junior season, as he ended up tallying 1,314 yards on 157 carries. His touchdown numbers also dramatically increased, as Archer found the end zone 28 times, compared to scoring 30 total touchdowns over his first three seasons.
Due to his elevated rushing numbers, Archer became the first quarterback in either Class 6A or 7A to throw for at least 3,000 yards and 20 touchdowns while rushing for more than 1,000 yards and 20 scores in a single season.
He finished his career at Greenwood, having thrown for 10,518 yards and 133 touchdowns along with rushing for 2,897 yards and 58 scores.
Archer, who was a much-hyped player even before putting on a Greenwood jersey, also became the only player in Arkansas high school football history to throw for at least 100 touchdowns and rush for at least 50 more.
“With the unreal expectations he had at age 13 and 14, and for him to do what he’s done, it’s just unbelievable,” Greenwood coach Chris Young said. “I think the most special thing about Kane is that he’s not satisfied. He wants just as good a year as he had last year.
“He has a unique ability that if we call a bad play offensively, he gets us out of it and can make something special happen. He’s prepared by grace, he’s faster, he’s stronger, and his arm strength has improved. Obviously, he has a great understanding of our offense, so he looks pretty special.”
Archer also led the Bulldogs to Class 6A state titles in his sophomore and junior seasons, and helped get Greenwood to another championship game as a freshman. He did his best to help push Greenwood to a third straight 6A title, but after entering the 6A championship game at 12-0, the Bulldogs were upended by conference rival Shiloh Christian, which lost to Greenwood in the regular season as well as last season’s 6A title contest.
However, even in that loss – Archer’s first as a starter after having gone 38-0 in his career entering that game – he may have had his finest all-around performance on the season. Archer threw for 318 yards and four touchdowns, along with rushing for 157 yards on 26 carries and a pair of scores.
Now, Archer attempts to replicate his high school success at the next level, as he signed to play at the University of Utah. He is currently in Salt Lake City, preparing for his first season with the Utes.
Photo by George “Clay” Mitchell, Times Record
