Arkansas Razorbacks kicker Cam Little and longsnapper Eli Stein with the media after Sunday morning's practice.
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00:00 What's been the biggest thing you've been working on in the offseason?
00:02 Where do you think you're going to improve the most?
00:04 >> I think just kind of keeping my ball flight consistent.
00:08 Freshman year I had a pretty good ball flight.
00:12 It was pretty straight.
00:12 It didn't have a lot of movement on it.
00:14 And I think that kind of was why it led to a lot of success on some kicks that were
00:17 longer because the longer you keep the ball straight, I mean,
00:20 obviously the kicks are gonna fly straight off to go in the uprights.
00:23 And also to continue on that kind of a lot of NFL kickers,
00:26 that's what separates a lot of guys is.
00:28 I mean, you could be a good college kicker and
00:30 kind of there'll be some variation in your ball flight as long as it goes in.
00:32 But those NFL guys keep that ball straight for such a long time.
00:35 And I think that's what I'm really trying to achieve is just keeping that ball
00:38 flight straight.
00:39 >> So like a lot of times last year, Arkansas found themselves in fourth and
00:44 short and inside the 20 and stuff and opted to go for it a lot instead of kick.
00:50 You only had 16 kicks last year.
00:52 Is that something you'd like to see increase, obviously?
00:55 >> I mean, obviously, more attempts the better.
00:58 I'm obviously leaning toward that.
00:59 But I think the decisions to go for it on fourth down,
01:03 obviously Coach Fountain kind of mentioned that a little bit was what was best for
01:07 our team at the time trying to get some momentum going.
01:08 And we had some good opportunities and
01:11 some games to kind of take some momentum away from the other team by going for it.
01:14 So I could see why we went for them and kind of whatever Coach Pittman or
01:18 OC kind of goes with them, I'm backing them 100% because I want our team to succeed.
01:22 >> And I think you're like 80 something.
01:26 I'm not smart enough, not in 31 out of 40.
01:28 I'm too dumb to know what that percentage is, but it's pretty good.
01:31 But Scott was saying, boy, you'd love to hit 90.
01:34 80 is really good, but 90 is better.
01:37 Is that a goal you talk about?
01:38 Do you think that's realistic?
01:39 >> Yeah, so I always write notes to myself for goals on the whiteboard.
01:44 My room and 90% is on that.
01:45 Obviously, it'd be a league guy to be put up for the Ludros Award.
01:51 You wanna be at that 90% because usually most guys that aren't 90% are gonna be
01:55 able to achieve that award.
01:55 So that's definitely a goal of mine.
01:58 Mainly could stay consistent inside 40 is another big goal of mine.
02:00 I've had a pretty good outcome with kicks inside 40.
02:03 I think I missed one, it was my freshman year in Georgia, inside of 40.
02:07 So I wanna continue that obviously.
02:09 And obviously, continue making those kicks for 50+.
02:12 I was two for three last year with one miss being in South Carolina from 50+.
02:17 So I really like that and just wanna keep progressing,
02:19 kinda getting that percentage higher and higher each year.
02:21 So 90% is definitely the goal.
02:23 >> Eli, what was last year like for you?
02:26 Whether you're a quarterback or a deep snapper,
02:28 imagine that high school, the SEC didn't even transition.
02:32 What was it like for you and what was your finger injury exactly?
02:34 I hope it's, I assume it's feeling okay now.
02:37 >> Yeah, so yeah, as you can probably imagine, the first two snaps here in
02:41 the stadium and all that was pretty nerve wracking.
02:43 It's a lot faster pace in high school.
02:45 And it kinda caught me off guard.
02:46 But after the first couple ones, it was kinda just like riding a bike.
02:49 It was all the same.
02:50 Same thing as if you're snapping in the backyard.
02:53 With the injury, yeah, it was really disappointing.
02:57 But I did have confidence in the other snappers to help our team win.
03:01 And they did a great job.
03:03 And coming back, my finger feels great and I'm really excited for this season.
03:07 >> Was it a broken finger?
03:09 >> Yeah, I broke my right index finger, yeah.
03:11 >> A step on there or something?
03:14 >> Well, what happened was I snapped on a field goal or a PAT.
03:17 I can't remember what it was.
03:19 And the dude came down on me and I put my hand up and it just came backwards.
03:23 And there's not much you can do about that.
03:25 >> Come off the field, I think my finger's broken.
03:27 It all popped out of the bone.
03:28 It was funny.
03:30 >> It was funny?
03:31 >> No, not funny, but he came off the field and his eyes were just in shock.
03:34 And me and Max looked at each other like, what the heck?
03:35 >> Well, originally they thought it was dislocated.
03:37 So they're sitting back there pulling on it.
03:39 I'm like, I don't think that was doing a whole lot.
03:41 And then finally they said, let's go get an x-ray and I'm like, all right.
03:44 >> And Cam, we're with Eli, what do you think of him as a snapper?
03:49 And then Max is your holder now.
03:51 How's that going with Max?
03:52 >> It's going good.
03:53 It's good that I know that both the guys I'm working with every day are trying to
03:58 achieve elite level.
03:59 I've seen Max's brothers at Cincinnati and he wants to be better than him every day
04:03 at holding, planting, just going toward his craft.
04:05 So I know he wants to be in elite level, just competing with, I mean,
04:09 obviously guys on our team, the other planters for the spot.
04:11 And other guys for the holding spot.
04:13 And I just like that they're taking their craft to a serious level.
04:17 Because at some places, especially just kind of overlooked,
04:20 you kind of just go do what you want to do.
04:21 And there'll be guys that kind of fall into that.
04:23 Okay, I'm good being average, but both the guys here, especially Eli and
04:27 Max, really take their craft to a different level.
04:30 I knew Eli was pretty high ranked coming in out of high school.
04:33 So I knew he was going to try to be an elite level.
04:35 There's a lot of pressure going in for guys that are on scholarships,
04:39 especially specialists, to kind of perform.
04:41 And Eli rose to that level and he's an elite snapper.
04:44 >> Eli, there's a lot of positive energy within the program right now.
04:49 I think coaches, players are kind of pointing to the offseason work with
04:52 Coach Souders and just a different kind of emphasis on that.
04:55 From your perspective, what's maybe the biggest difference where you guys are
04:59 right now to maybe where you were last year?
05:02 And can you point to anything in particular that's kind of led to this kind
05:05 of the positivity right now within the group?
05:09 >> I think it's just how close we've all gotten.
05:10 I think just how close we've gotten with the room.
05:16 The room is a lot closer.
05:17 We all hang out out of football, which I think is also helping within football.
05:21 It's not individuals who are just trying to do better for themselves.
05:25 Or I want to snap good today and I want you to do bad, so I'm hiring you.
05:29 We're all helping each other out.
05:31 And I think it's the same thing with the locker room, which the whole team,
05:34 I think we're all working together.
05:35 We're all having a good time in the locker room.
05:37 We're all just closer together.
05:38 So I think that's helping on the field as well.
05:40 >> And Cam, just wondering if you've got any new plans with your kind of
05:43 relationship with the Down Syndrome Connection Northwest Arkansas this year?
05:48 >> Yeah, I think I'm gonna bump it up.
05:49 I'm thinking $50 a kick this year is what I really want to aim for.
05:53 I think it was 10 freshman year, 20 last year.
05:55 I think I'm bumping up to 50 this year.
05:57 But we're still kind of continuing that relationship.
05:58 I think I'm gonna get with them one more time.
06:00 They do, what is it, first swing or what is it, first tee?
06:05 I think that's kind of a popular thing in Northwest Arkansas.
06:09 So I think I'm gonna partner with them a little bit and kind of go out there and
06:11 go to Topgolf and swing some around with them before the season starts.
06:14 That'd be a pretty cool little event we'll get to go to as well.
06:16 >> Now that you said 50, you can't go back, it's a public record.
06:20 >> I'm a man of my word, I'll do it.
06:22 >> Eli, what sold you on deciding to come to Arkansas?
06:25 >> Like Cam said, just getting a scholarship meant a lot to me.
06:29 It's really rare, I think, for longstaffers out of high school,
06:33 especially with that COVID and all that going on.
06:35 It was really tough to get that opportunity.
06:36 So when I got it, I took it.
06:38 And at first it was a little scary, cuz it was, like he said,
06:41 I was just right on the spot, and I took it.
06:44 But then now I realize it's the best opportunity, I'm really glad I took that.
06:49 >> So if you remember, which ones his 50-yard field goals were against and
06:53 all that, you had two tackles that coach is very proud of.
06:56 Who were the two tackles again?
06:58 >> Cincinnati and BYU.
07:00 >> Okay, and then just what is that like on the sideline when you're the man who
07:04 gets to tackle, what is that like?
07:06 >> I don't know, I think Cincinnati was the first game of the season.
07:09 And I made the tackle and I didn't really comprehend what happened.
07:13 I got off the sideline and they're telling me, dude,
07:15 the last time I got here, I don't even think he got one last year.
07:17 This is the first game, and I was just coming back from a high school game where
07:20 I played both ways.
07:21 So it was kinda just normal to me.
07:23 And then when it kinda sunk in, I was like, yeah, it's pretty cool.
07:25 I was really kinda getting to sit in that, it was awesome.
07:27 >> Eli, it's probably in your bio, but
07:30 what positions did you play in high school on the offensive defense?
07:34 >> I played tight end and defensive end, especially outside linebacker.
07:39 I was kinda all over the place.
07:41 I graduated with 60 people, so
07:43 our football team was pretty much whoever could do whatever was doing it, so.
07:46 >> Now, specialists, you guys, it can be a lonely job,
07:50 like if you have a bad, miss a kick.
07:53 We know Max had some real good punts last year, but struggled with consistency.
07:56 How do you think he's doing and what's your all's thought on how?
08:00 Scott was saying a freshman year can be tough on guys, and
08:03 he expects him to take a big jump this year.
08:06 >> Yeah, I think people gotta realize at some point, Max was a guy coming,
08:10 I don't know, however many thousand miles away from a totally different country.
08:16 Never stepped foot on a real football field before, and
08:18 all he had done was prior planning with, I think, called Pro Kick Australia,
08:21 which they do a great job preparing.
08:23 They're punters and kinda guys transitioning from Australian rules football
08:26 over to America.
08:27 But I think guys gotta kinda realize that sometimes because he had never played
08:30 a football game in his life.
08:31 He obviously put it really well last fall camp and deserved a start.
08:34 And I think kinda getting that feel of what college football is like under his
08:38 belt with Reed kinda taking over midseason, kinda helped his confidence a little bit.
08:43 And he put it well in the bowl game, had some good punts then.
08:45 But I think it's just he's growing his consistency, growing his comfortability,
08:49 getting more confident throughout this past spring and fall camp.
08:52 And he's looking really good.
08:53 He's in a better mindset than he was last year as far as confidence goes,
08:56 which is really good.
08:57 And I think honestly holding is kinda boosted his confidence a little bit as
09:01 well.
09:02 We were talking after the bowl game after we beat Kansas.
09:04 He was like, man, that holding on the field,
09:06 just kinda being on a college football field.
09:08 Feeling that little bit of pressure gives him confidence when he's going out there.
09:10 And I'm sure Eli's been snapping really well so far and
09:15 kinda getting it right on his hip.
09:16 And I think that's probably given Max a little bit of confidence too.
09:19 But I don't know.
09:20 >> Yeah, I think Max for sure, his confidence has grown.
09:23 He's just been stacking good days on good days.
09:25 And I think also with that experience of just being on the field and
09:29 getting that last season, I think coming into this one,
09:31 you kinda get that mindset like there's no different than practice.
09:34 And he'll be able to just go out and swing his leg the same as he would any other day.
09:38 >> Eli, you're from Wisconsin, Brett Good.
09:40 You probably know Brett.
09:41 He was a great packer.
09:43 I think he's in Fort Smith, back in Fort Smith now.
09:46 You know Brett at all, do you guys talk?
09:47 And if so, what's that been like?
09:50 >> I haven't been able to really get any work with him.
09:52 But I did meet him at a camp and I've met him a couple times at the facility and
09:56 he's a really nice guy.
09:57 And it's always his Super Bowl ring always catches my eye,
09:59 especially being he played for the Packers, my favorite team.
10:02 So yeah, man, he's for sure, he's there, he's done exactly what my goal is to do,
10:08 is play for the Packers and play, get out of a long career, so it's really cool.
10:11 >> I guess Max didn't hold to the Liberty Bowl and
10:14 you obviously missed that cuz you were hurt.
10:16 So this Western Carolina game, assuming it's you three guys together,
10:19 which I assume will be the first time you all have actually done it in a game.
10:24 How do you anticipate that going and moving forward?
10:27 >> I think it's gonna go great.
10:28 I think just even operations today, it's all just been super smooth.
10:33 It's almost, I feel like it's been as smooth as it's ever been, honestly, and
10:37 it just feels really confident for me.
10:38 >> Okay, well, do you have a thought on that?
10:41 And then also that, I wanted to ask you, that drill you guys do in practice where
10:44 you put the tee or not the holder and try to hit that.
10:48 I think you're trying to hit the goal post from the side.
10:50 Whose drill is that?
10:53 Just what do you think about that drill?
10:54 >> Yeah, kind of going back to the operation first with Eli and Max.
10:58 I think, honestly, kind of the first part of camp for
11:02 the past two fall camps I've had before this, kind of the first couple days,
11:06 we're kind of like, okay, well, we gotta kind of get our timing down.
11:08 And it usually takes about, I mean, I'd say it takes about a week,
11:11 week and a half to really start feeling your timing,
11:13 even with guys you've worked with during the summer.
11:15 Just because you're gonna have to deal with live pressure and
11:17 you don't deal with live pressure during summer reps.
11:19 You're kicking off sticks and you're kicking off no rush.
11:21 So I think that first week and a half is kind of non-existent because we've already,
11:26 I mean, we've kind of already got our rhythm down.
11:27 We're feeling really good and Eli's giving me laces out.
11:29 Max putting it on the spot where he needs to with a good tilt.
11:31 So I think it's rolling better than it has even my past two years being here.
11:36 So that's been good.
11:37 But that drill, a lot of kickers kind of do that drill.
11:40 I think it probably originated from an NFL guy, but who I got it from,
11:43 Robert Gold, kicker for 49ers.
11:45 He's a pre-agent now, I think, but he kind of did that drill and
11:49 I saw it on an Instagram clip.
11:51 And I think I saw Jake Moody, he signed to the 49ers.
11:53 That's kind of ironic.
11:54 He signed to the 49ers when probably Gold got waived.
11:57 But he does that drill a lot too.
11:59 And so those two guys are, I mean, obviously really great kickers.
12:02 Jake won the Luz Rosa two years ago with Michigan and
12:04 Robbie's, I mean, obviously a NFL veteran for I don't know how many years now.
12:08 So seeing those guys kind of do that drill is kind of a no-brainer to kind of
12:11 work on my accuracy and keeping that ball straight.
12:13 Hopefully hitting that right from there.
12:15 >> So you hit it at least twice early.
12:17 >> Yeah, just trying to work on keeping that ball straight.
12:21 Kind of like I talked with Trey, just kind of keeping that ball straight,
12:23 keeping my consistency with that ball flight.
12:25 >> I saw a laugh and an evil smile, I think, when Eli mentioned the Packers.
12:31 Are you a Packers hater or is- >> No, I'm not a Packers fan,
12:34 I'll tell you that much.
12:35 Not a Packers fan, Cowboys.