Arkansas coach Sam Pittman's complete appearance on the main stage at SEC Media Days on Wednesday morning as the Razorbacks finally showed up.
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00:00 Good afternoon, everybody. Um,
00:03 so my dad,
00:08 I want that state championship in shop hood and my dad had a subtle way of
00:15 saying, Hey son, won't you stay down and watch the six a throw? I did. I
00:21 wouldn't have made the finals. You know what I mean? Parents sometimes have a
00:25 have a way of being nice to congratulations, but you're still not
00:29 very good. You know that type thing. But Greg, thank you so much for the
00:34 introduction. Uh,
00:36 the best of the best William King. Uh, when they added David Cutcliffe Cutcliffe
00:44 to this group, enormous benefit for us coaches. Dave's been through all that
00:50 and and a very, very, uh, great hire. Very proud to be a part of the state of
00:56 Arkansas University of Arkansas. Um, third consecutive top 15 finish in the
01:03 Director's Cup. A couple of indoor national championships with Bucky and
01:08 Lance. The basketball team went to sweet 16. Dave's team had a share of
01:13 the S. E. C. Baseball championship.
01:17 Today, um, we brought K. J. Jefferson, our quarterback, who's on the verge of
01:23 setting, Oh, at least 67 records. Uh, great leader for us. Wonderful kid. Very
01:31 proud of him. He is our leader. He's our leader, both on the offense and the
01:36 defense. Obviously, on one side of the ball, a lot of times you'll have
01:39 leaders that are on that side of the ball. K. J. Is our team leader, and
01:44 we're awful happy that he is. We brought Rocket Sanders are running back
01:48 rush for over 1400 yards last year. And the one thing I'll say about rocket is
01:52 he's never been in trouble. Uh, class wise, all his tutors, all the all the
01:58 teachers love him. We do to, uh, gained another £10 is running faster and
02:05 every has has had a great offseason. Then Landon Jackson, you'll see him. He
02:11 went from 2 36 at the end of last year to 2 80 running over 20 MPH. Um, by the
02:18 way, a nugget there, him and Grace, uh, his girl fiance just got engaged a week
02:26 or two ago. Last year, we were invited to our third consecutive postseason
02:34 bowl. Obviously, my first year we weren't able to play the Texas Bowl
02:39 because TCU had covert problems. We've won two straight in a row last year's
02:48 game against Kansas. Uh, it changed a lot for our program. Um, at the end of
02:57 the season last year, we had a lot of guys in the portal. Um, we, uh, had
03:05 coaches that left, uh, and for us to be go to Kansas with nine or go to the
03:12 Liberty Bowl, which was a great venue. Um, and when that game with nine
03:18 starters out, it showed a lot about, you know, people were concerned about
03:22 what's going on with the program. Well, what's the Liberty Bowl? We've got nine
03:26 guys that are out and we win the game against a very good opponent. We have to
03:33 get some things fixed. I think we've had a good offseason. Um, we lost four
03:38 games last year by nine points, ended up winning seven games. We've got a lot
03:44 of situational football to get fixed. We worked on it. I've worked on myself.
03:48 Um, we I won't go for it on fourth down very often, so I have to work on and
03:55 see if we can get it a little bit more in practice. At the same time, we're
03:58 helping the defense. Analytics certainly has changed football. I've
04:03 got to get in into it a little bit more than what I have in the past. Um, but
04:09 we have situational football, but our program is built on toughness,
04:12 physicality, the ability to be coached, the ability to be loyal to each other.
04:18 And I feel like our team is that way.
04:21 We have two new coordinators, and I'm proud of I was proud. I said it last
04:27 year. We had 1 of 3 1 of 8 schools that had had both coordinators back last
04:34 year. We lost Barry Odom, a great friend of mine. Got the head coaching
04:39 job at you and L. V. Will do an outstanding job there. We lost Kendall
04:45 Bryles. Kendall brows. We just came off a season of 6000 plus yards, one of
04:50 only three times that that's ever happened in the University of Arkansas
04:55 history to TCU. Very grateful. Very thankful of those two guys of what they
05:01 did for us. However, they left, and now we've got we we need to replace, which
05:08 we have. I want to talk to you about Danny knows her offensive coordinator.
05:12 We were together in 2015. One of those 36,000 plus seasons was when he was
05:18 with us at Arkansas. Then Travis Williams. We went to UCF to get him as
05:25 our new defensive coordinator. I interviewed 45 guys when I got done
05:29 with him called 100 year check and told him this. This is a guy in the portal
05:34 world and the coaching world is very aggressive, and I knew in the portal
05:38 world if we lost somebody, we could dang sure replace him. And Travis was
05:43 was very. He's a great man. Very positive guy. Really good coach. We
05:49 went to Florida State and got Marcus Woodson as our defensive backfield
05:54 coach, co defensive coordinator. Darren Wilson was an analyst at Florida
05:58 coaching our corners, and Morgan Turner has had 8 to 9 guys, uh, play in the
06:04 NFL when he was a tight end coach at Stanford, and we were able to get him
06:08 from Stanford. One of the key cogs to us was getting been Souders from
06:12 Louisville. Been been is our new strength coach. He's done outstanding
06:17 job with these kids, uh, holds them accountable. You'll see the three that
06:23 we brought. We got a whole bunch of guys that look like that, and that's
06:27 credit to Ben Souders and his staff. We obviously have a challenging schedule.
06:33 I think last year somebody told me we played seven teams in the top 25. Well,
06:37 that's the SEC, and, uh, we're excited about that. This year. A crossover
06:42 games. We go to Florida. I don't believe we've ever won at Florida. Um,
06:47 we have Missouri at home, and then we have a non conference schedule. We're
06:52 excited to get BYU again. Kalani Satake is an outstanding coach, and we're
06:58 excited to get BYU play in here as we played them down there last year. 14
07:03 returning starters, four on offense, seven on defense and our three
07:08 specialists. Um, Brady Latham, Bo Lemmer, both catalyst to our offensive
07:15 line. We're gonna need him. We've moved Bo Lemmer to center to help us in that
07:20 aspect. Eric Gregory, new to be Clark and Hudson Clark. Those guys have
07:25 played a lot of ball for us on defense. And, of course, Eli Stein and and and
07:30 Max Fletcher and Cam Little at the specialist roster additions. We had 21
07:36 high school scholarships edition 21 12 of that 21 came in in January. Nine of
07:44 them came in this late May 19 additions to from the portal. We
07:51 addressed every problem that we felt like we had, whether that be starting
07:57 or whether that be depth, depth wise, except the only position that we did
08:02 not replace in the portal was running back.
08:05 We're expecting all those guys to contribute to us. I'm looking forward
08:12 to year 2023 being the head coach of University of Arkansas. I'm looking
08:17 forward to my fourth year being the head coach at Arkansas. Congratulations
08:22 to the media. It's your day. Congratulations. I want to thank you all
08:28 nationally for the kind things you've done for our program. This is what it's
08:34 for for you guys to sell our and help us sell our story. And we appreciate you
08:40 so much. I'm really indebted to the guys from Arkansas and all the things
08:44 that you do for me and for the university and for the football program.
08:49 With that, I'll take questions. Thank you, Coach Pittman. If you have a
08:53 question, raise your hand. Pam, Aaron and Asher will have microphones will
08:57 start right in front of me. Coach second row right here in the middle
09:00 with Tom.
09:00 Hey, Tom Murphy, Arkansas Democrat Gazette. You just mentioned a number of
09:07 players you got out of the portal. A lot of them on defense. Yeah. And Brian
09:10 Kelly was here saying when you get that many guys from the portal, you really
09:14 don't know what you got. What gives you confidence that the guys you brought in
09:19 are gonna work and the defense will be better this season? Well, I think, uh,
09:25 first of all, the guys that we have on our team, I think, are better. You know,
09:30 they've improved. They've improved their strength and their speed and those
09:33 things. Um, some of those time we've seen in spring ball, you know, I think
09:39 nine of them are not, you know, they're new. New. Those I don't know. I'm not
09:44 speaking for coach, but I'm assuming that's what he's talking about a little
09:48 bit more. The brand new ones that came in in June and those things you really
09:52 don't know. You don't have a clue. Uh, but for that part of it, you're looking
09:58 for some depth and man, if somebody will come in and able to start from that
10:02 group, boy, you've really hit the jackpot. So I agree with coach on that,
10:07 um, how we're going to be better on defense. You know, I think we're gonna
10:10 be better on the D line, and I think that's gonna help us. We're gonna be
10:14 able to play a four man front. I think we'll be a little more aggressive. We've
10:18 always been trying to get man to man cover corners, and I think between
10:22 snacks and nudie and day day and Braxton and some of those guys, I think we're
10:27 gonna have an opportunity to play a little bit more man, which will allow
10:31 us to be a little more aggressive and move that front. Moving the front helps
10:35 you in the run game as much as it does in the past game. And I think, well,
10:39 we've got to do that a little bit more than what we have in the past. Coach
10:43 will stay in this middle section to your right, just on the aisle. Trey
10:46 coach. Trey Biddy Hog Sports 24 7 sports. Uh, kind of a similar question
10:53 about the portal. When you look back at when you were hired the 2020 class, you
10:56 had such a quick turnaround. You fast forward today. There's only two players
11:00 left from that class. Guys, it should be red shirt juniors and seniors. 2021.
11:04 You weren't able to face to face recruit had some miss evaluations there. I'm
11:08 curious if you ever thought like how much trouble you might be in now, if
11:12 not for the transfer portal and how thankful are you that it came along
11:16 kind of when it did with transfer portal and in aisle. Absolutely. And to
11:20 be honest with you, though, Trey, I think part of the transfer portal is
11:26 the guys. You know what I mean? We have to, but that's because some guys left
11:31 and this and now I tell you what I learned my lesson a couple years ago
11:35 because we were talking about who could we afford to lose? You know, if we if
11:39 we lost some guys and we need some scholarships, all that kind of stuff,
11:42 not running them out of the program. We talked about who and I learned my
11:47 lesson. I went this spring and I said, Hey, I don't want nobody to leave. I
11:51 don't want anybody on the team to leave. If you think about it, your worst
11:56 player might be friends with your best player and you're running his best
12:01 friend out. You've not only lost the worst player on the team, you lost the
12:04 best player on the team. So we're not trying to lose anybody off the team. But
12:09 to answer your question, I think the portal has benefited us. If that makes
12:14 sense. I do think the window is way too long. I think we're trying to address
12:19 that as coaches, as as N. C. Double A. As as an SEC group. Um, but I do think
12:26 it has benefited us. And the only way things are gonna benefit you is if you
12:31 look at the situation and go, Okay, this is the cards dealt. How can we have
12:35 the best results out of these? And I think our coaching staff has done a
12:40 nice job of replacing coach will go right down this middle aisle right here
12:45 on the near side.
12:46 Hi, Coach. Clark Brooks on three and SEC stack at Garth Brooks. Clark Brooks
12:53 C. L. A. R. K. I get it all the time. Get it all the time. No, I just thought
12:56 it was getting ready to get your autograph. Well, Coach Bryles has helped
13:02 lead your offense to lead the conference and explosive play rate. Each
13:06 the last two years, we have 40 more by volume than the next closest conference
13:11 offense. I wouldn't necessarily categorize Dan Enos is offenses at
13:15 Maryland as potent. Was that a sign that you're trying to trade a little
13:19 bit more consistency for potency? Or you still confident you could still be
13:22 the SEC's best at capturing big plays?
13:25 Mhm.
13:25 Was that a question? Yes, sir.
13:30 Um, well, I hired Dan Enos because I think he's a hell of a football coach.
13:36 So, um, and I get where you're talking about. But Dan wasn't dealt the same
13:43 players that we have on our team either. So that's yet to be yet to be seen. Uh,
13:49 I had I hired Dan Enos because I thought he was the best play caller
13:53 I've ever worked with. And I felt like that's what he what we need. But
13:58 you're right. Explosive plays score points. And so that would that be a
14:03 concern? Not necessarily concerned, but we're certainly think about that all
14:08 the time. Coach will go right in front of me in the front row. Theresa
14:12 to your left coach. Hi, Teresa Walker, the Associated Press. You mentioned
14:19 the portal having benefited from it, but be maybe a little bit too long. Are
14:23 there any other ways that maybe the transfer portal can be, you know, any
14:28 other ideas to tighten it, fix it, make it more effective to everybody? Well, I
14:34 believe that kids already know if they want to transfer. I think they know. I
14:38 mean, it's like a house coming soon for sale. Now on Twitter, it's I'm getting
14:44 ready to go in a transfer portal because the rules say you can't talk to
14:48 him all this. So they're letting the world know they're getting ready to. I
14:51 think they already know. I think a week is plenty of time. It's gonna be a lot
14:54 better for roster management is gonna allow us to if a guy goes in the portal
14:59 allow us to go back to high school and recruit right now. It's very, very hard
15:03 if you lose a guy in the portal not to go replace him with a portal guy. So I
15:06 think closing that window down somewhat if I'm a grad transfer and I've
15:13 transferred once as a grad transfer to me, that's that's plenty to me. You
15:19 can't go transfer again. Uh, some of those things I think would help roster
15:25 management. N I. L. S. Part of N I. L. Problem comes with the ability to
15:31 transfer. And if we close that window down, maybe some of the financial things
15:38 that you're hearing in N I. L. Uh, might be become more true than maybe just
15:44 words. Coach will go back over to this middle section on the right hand side
15:49 about four rows back.
15:51 Coach Travis Gailey with orangebloods dot com. I'm curious if you've heard
15:56 anything, what you're hearing from fans and boosters about the addition of
15:59 Texas bring coming back to the SEC and renewing this rivalry. Well, I think
16:04 obviously the state of Arkansas is ecstatic about, you know, have an
16:09 opportunity to play Texas and for that matter, Oklahoma proximity so good, you
16:16 know, it's so good for us. And, uh, you know, it's not gonna be this costly on
16:21 fans because they can drive back and forth to Norman and to Austin. But I
16:27 think they're relatively everybody's really excited about that. Obviously,
16:32 we're bringing two powerful story programs into the SEC, so we know
16:38 they're gonna be really great opponents. But I think everybody's excited. I'm
16:42 excited. You know, I'm from Oklahoma. Uh, uh, grew up a sooner fan till I
16:48 moved out to eastern Oklahoma became a hog fan. But, um, yeah, I think it would
16:53 be a great deal for the SEC and specifically Texas because of the old
16:58 Southwest Conference rivalry. Coach will go back over here to our left side on
17:03 the aisle. Trey Trey, Shabbaz Radio Network coach. How do you feel about
17:09 your offensive line, specifically the tackle position and then the depth now
17:14 that you have in the quarterback room?
17:15 Well, tackle, you know, we have very we have talented tackles. Uh, uh, uh,
17:23 Devin Manuel and Patrick Curtis. We like those guys. We like take he's
17:28 Crawford. We like Andrew Chambly. Marian Harris could could go out there
17:33 and play. They are not guys that's proven on a Saturday afternoon yet. Are
17:38 they talented? Yes. And, you know, I've been online coach forever. I've got one
17:42 of the best offensive line coaches out there in Cody Kennedy. But, uh, these
17:47 guys are really good players. I know they can play. They just haven't yet
17:51 because we've had the luxury of having older guys on the team and even six
17:57 year guys, super seniors, you know, that have kept him off the field. But I
18:01 think it's about time they go out there and show what they're gonna do. And I
18:04 have no doubt I feel really good about that. We'll go back down the center
18:08 aisle about halfway back.
18:10 Hey, Sam, it's Anthony Dash of UJ Sports dot com. Kind of go back to Ben
18:15 Sadler just a little bit. You guys were in Georgia together, obviously for a
18:18 few years. Was there anything during those that time that you kind of kind
18:23 of caught your eye with him? And the second question you had a James
18:26 single territory program as well. What do you expect him to bring this season?
18:30 James a little bit like what we talked about because we haven't had an
18:35 opportunity to see him as much. You know, we didn't have a spring ball with
18:39 him. Uh, but, uh, so we'll see. Obviously, we took him because we
18:45 thought he could be an outstanding player for us. What we've seen his work
18:49 ethic and all those things is heading that certainly that direction. Uh, Ben
18:54 Souders. I loved him. I liked him as a man. I like his work ethic. I like what
19:00 he's about. He's a Christian man. I like everything about him. And when
19:04 when we had to turn over there, he was the first and only call that I made
19:10 go back to this middle section to your right coach again over on the aisle.
19:15 Hey, Sam, Andy, which truth on three. We know there's alignment between
19:19 Arkansas and the Statehouse. You've one of the more advantageous state laws
19:23 nationally. The Knoxville News Sentinel reported that Tennessee actually had
19:27 their age. You step in and cite their N I O law to maybe prevent a bull band.
19:30 What is that like when the Statehouse is supporting the school and there's
19:34 that alignment legislatively
19:35 strong? I'll talk about the hog is strong. I must need to talk about the
19:41 state is strong, strong and, uh,
19:44 you know, we can't say much anything. We go one side another public publicly
19:51 for political or anything like we all, you know, we get we don't have a voice.
19:55 We get in trouble. Uh, but I'm very happy with our university and how they
20:01 tried to help us. And certainly Congress and the state. Excuse me, the
20:06 state representatives in University Arkansas or in the state Arkansas. Okay,
20:12 we'll stay in the middle aisle about halfway back. Hey, Sam, Colin Wilson
20:16 with the Action Network. Travis Williams had one of the most aggressive
20:20 defenses and finished top 10 and havoc down in central Florida, often
20:24 sometimes bring 678. Are we gonna see a more aggressive Arkansas defense this
20:27 year? Well, I imagine we'll see a more aggressive. Well, I don't be that
20:32 aggressive, man. They were covered zero lot and I'm watching it. And so when I
20:37 interviewed him, I said, Hey, man,
20:39 well, I want to go after people. But every now and then, can you leave a guy
20:45 in the middle of the field back there? You know? Uh, but, uh,
20:51 yeah, I think I mean, those type things have turnovers that come. You sometimes
20:57 you think about, well, what if your corner gets beaten? You know, they go
21:00 scoring all that. But I like his thinking. I think his corners. Well,
21:04 what happens? We hit the quarterback and and the ball goes up there and we we
21:08 get it and go score a touchdown, too. So I like that. I have a lot of
21:14 confidence in him, and we will certainly be more aggressive. That's
21:19 just his his nature and his style.
21:21 Coach will go over here to our left on the far side near the coach. Eric Bailey
21:27 with the Tulsa World. Can I ask you just your earliest Oklahoma football
21:31 memory? And then these schools have only played three times since 1926. Do
21:35 you sense a natural rivalry could develop? You know, the proximity is
21:39 there. Do you think that will happen now that they're joining the SEC?
21:44 Well, my first memory of Tulsa World is when in 1979 I made the Tulsa World
21:53 all state team.
21:55 That's true.
21:58 What about else? Give it to. There's like three running backs in the state.
22:02 But the the
22:05 did you say Tulsa World?
22:07 Oklahoma football memory. You said you were in Oklahoma fan. I was one of
22:12 your first Oklahoma football memory. I got a bunch of them.
22:15 Brian Bosworth, you know, one of them, and I was a football fan, but one of
22:21 them was when Arkansas, you know, 78, you know, you've got to win a natty or
22:27 win the game. They went in that in and, you know, Arkansas got him 31 to 6. At
22:32 that point, I wasn't I wasn't Arkansas fan. I was all you fan, you know, it's
22:36 time. But, you know,
22:39 you have Billy Sims. I mean, there's a lot of great memories. We couldn't
22:44 really afford to go the game or anything like that. But
22:47 a lot of great memories. Oklahoma, Barry Switzer, you know, of course,
22:52 stoops now, you know, was the next one. And,
22:55 yeah, a lot of great memories. Powerful program.
22:59 Great program. Coach will go in the middle section in front of me about
23:05 halfway back right here in the blue.
23:08 Hey, Coach. Brad Crawford, 24 7 sports. Two years ago, K. J. Jefferson entered
23:13 the season is one of the SEC's lower tier quarterbacks. Now he's arguably
23:18 the top returning player at his position. What are your expectations
23:22 for him now in his final year at Arkansas and how he's gonna fit in this
23:26 new Danny knows offense. I think he's gonna fit great. I think he would have
23:31 to answer that better than I can, but I think he's gonna fit great in it. His
23:36 extra study off the field has has gone through the roof. I think he believes
23:42 in Dan. I know Dan believes in him as well as I do. I think it's gonna be his
23:47 best season he's had. You know, whether we run him quite as much as we have in
23:52 the past, I don't know that maybe we throw the ball a little bit more than
23:57 with him carrying it. We have to keep him healthy.
24:02 Obviously, we have Jacobi Criswell Kate Fortin behind him, but he's one for a
24:07 reason. And so I think he's gonna be have be very active, but he's probably
24:14 gonna throw the ball a little bit more than what he has in the past. We're
24:17 gonna go all the way in the back on the left hand side, back corner. Coach Rob
24:22 Brown, sideline sports Memphis. You famously said coming off the field
24:25 after a big Razorback win one time. How are you gonna celebrate? I think I'm
24:29 gonna go home and have me a cold beer. Would that ever include a hams beer? And
24:33 number two, we're all proud of Christian Brothers High School alumni of Patrick
24:37 Kudus. How important is the city of Memphis and West Tennessee to Razorback
24:43 football fortunes? And thank you for being here.
24:45 Go hogs.
24:48 I like an old ham beer, but you burp a lot afterwards.
24:54 Um,
24:57 you seem like you got a good job, man. Kind of step it up a little bit. Um,
25:02 West Memphis, West Memphis, Memphis area. Um, we're going there every year.
25:11 The more we get, the better off those kids do. The more we'll be able to be
25:15 welcome back in there. But certainly you could see even at the Liberty Bowl,
25:20 the following that we have from that area of the country. And it's not home
25:26 per se, but it's home for a lot of Memphis Tennessee people to be
25:30 Razorbacks. Okay, we'll go to this middle section right, Kirk, right here
25:35 in front. Coach Kirk Bowles, the Austin American statesman. Uh, Sam, with the
25:41 sad passing of Mike Leach, should we assume you've taken over the title of
25:46 the college football's most colorful and entertaining personality?
25:51 Man, I couldn't be. I couldn't come close to him. Uh, we miss him, don't
25:56 we? I mean, we do. Uh, a lot of fun. Honest is a day is long, you know, and
26:02 he's thought about a lot of his answers. Some he didn't, you know, I'll say
26:07 this. Somebody asked me, you know, how did you know him? Well, I said, No, I
26:10 said, Well, you're going to the funeral. I said I am because he'd be at mine.
26:14 That's just what kind of guy he was. Always calm all the time. Uh, a lot of
26:20 respect for him. We go the Liberty Bowl and the people at the Liberty Bowl
26:24 can't quit talking about all the things that Mike Leach had said about me
26:29 because they were Arkansas fans the year before. Um, incredible man. And
26:36 and let's be honest, we miss him. The game will miss him as well. But I want
26:39 to say this Mississippi State got it right when that happened. They hired
26:43 coach Arnett. He's the right hire for him. He's a good coach. And, uh, we
26:48 talk a lot about the other part of it. But I think Zack Arnett is gonna do a
26:52 heck of a job of Mississippi State time for two more. We'll start over here on
26:56 the right tray.
26:57 Got trade Betty Hog Sports. Uh, a couple of years ago, 2021. You said that you
27:05 were the defending national champions for the toughest schedule in the
27:07 country and looking ahead to 2022. Look like you're going three. Pete, you might
27:12 have a little bit more argument. Um, excuse me. In 2023, you might have a
27:15 little bit more argument on that. But that four game stretch where you start
27:18 out SEC played Baton Rouge, you play Texas A and M in Arlington, Oxford,
27:23 Mississippi and then Alabama to wrap it up. There's probably not another team
27:27 that has a tougher stretch like that in the country. Just curious on your
27:30 thoughts and how you how you manage that. And I know you take it one game
27:33 at a time, but I mean, that's that's a lot right there. I think it's a gift
27:38 that keeps on giving, you know, that seems like every year we've got a
27:42 stretch in there, especially tray on this year. In other words, two years
27:48 ago, when we're nine and four, we had a five game stretch. Three of them were
27:53 at home. Well, not really. One was in Little Rock. One was it at Dallas. You
27:59 know what I mean? Similar situation a little bit for us now. Don't get me
28:03 wrong. I like the games in Little Rock. We're gonna open the season there this
28:07 year. But but yeah, I think you just have to manage each game separately.
28:16 Uh, but, um, the heat has something to do with it. The length of the length
28:23 that you practice, where they're gonna wear pads or spiders, all these type
28:27 things come into travel and and weather. And so, yeah, it's a tough stretch.
28:35 We've got to get after that stretch, but we've noticed it on the schedule as
28:41 well. All right, we'll take one final question. Second row, Tom, Tom Murphy,
28:47 Arkansas Democrat Gazette. Trey Betty, you took my question right there. Um,
28:51 on the spur of the moment, Rocket Sanders in the running back room. Why
28:55 was Rocket able to go from being a high school kind of receiver to being a
28:59 standout running back? And, um, could you talk about him and the room? The
29:03 depth you have? I think I think because of who Rocket Sanders is. I mean, he's
29:09 a hard working
29:10 guy that you'd want to bring home toe every meal. Great guy. Uh, so I think
29:19 that has something to do with it. Um, his work ethic, who he is just
29:24 incredible guy. And, you know, he's fast and £240 that helps to, um, now
29:32 the room you look at A. J. Green, really good player, good player. You
29:37 look at Rashad to bin. You look at Dom Johnson, Dom Dominique, you know, he
29:42 started the outback bowl for us, but he just never had the confidence to play
29:47 much last year. He's healthy. He'll be back. And so I think those four guys
29:53 will take. I think we're gonna have a good running back room again. But the
29:57 leader of that room is Rocket with A. J. Being right there with him.