Arkansas Razorbacks coach Sam Pittman after long practice Thursday before backing off a little before Saturday's first scrimmage of fall camp.
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00:00 We had a good.
00:01 Good physical.
00:04 Full padded practice today.
00:08 Yeah, a little bit of muggy and hot today.
00:10 We needed that.
00:13 But I thought our kids did a
00:15 really good job with practice.
00:16 We, you know, did situations,
00:18 a lot of situations starting one.
00:20 Some goal line situations,
00:21 two point situations today and and.
00:25 I was starting to get the team
00:28 ready for the scrimmage on Saturday.
00:31 Tomorrow be a spiders practice,
00:33 but it will have some length to it.
00:35 It will be about in 50 minutes
00:36 where the next Friday probably
00:38 won't be quite that long,
00:39 but we're still in camp mode
00:41 and we're still in install,
00:42 so we're going to have a pretty lengthy
00:45 practice tomorrow and then a full
00:47 fledged scrimmage on Saturday.
00:50 What would you say just about where you are
00:52 and installation pace and what you've seen?
00:56 So what you've been good at,
00:57 what you need to pick up?
01:00 Well, installation wise,
01:02 I I would say we're probably.
01:06 What are we in practice now?
01:08 Six days into practice?
01:09 I'd say we're probably about.
01:12 75 or 80% on both sides of all what
01:15 we're going to what we're going to install.
01:17 We still have.
01:19 Probably early part of next week
01:21 to finish up through and stall.
01:25 I like what we're doing.
01:26 I think we're throwing and
01:27 catching the ball well.
01:28 You know defensively,
01:30 I think we're keeping the edge well,
01:33 you know, running to the ball.
01:35 Well, we're finding some more linebackers.
01:38 And corners and we're able
01:40 to play multiple coverages so.
01:43 I like where we're at.
01:44 Not a lot of you know what I do.
01:46 I watch every ounce of film,
01:47 active practice and MB and everything.
01:51 And then I click on what I what
01:53 I believe or bus and you know,
01:56 we probably averaging.
01:59 Three to seven a day and that's
02:01 two spotting on both fields so.
02:04 I feel like they're doing
02:05 a really good job with.
02:07 Today was the day that you talked
02:09 about snacks might go to nickel
02:11 and we saw him there today and
02:13 it looked like Singletary and
02:14 Braxton with the ones just maybe.
02:16 Where do you stand in that
02:17 kind of experimentation?
02:18 Well, I like the question.
02:20 It's a fair question, but we were.
02:23 We're still not.
02:26 You know, we're a long way out.
02:27 We're trying to determine that,
02:28 and I think that's why our guys are kind of.
02:32 Sometimes I'll go with the one
02:34 some with the twos, you know,
02:35 maybe it's the same way and.
02:37 Day Day was going to go with the ones
02:39 and he had a little bit of a.
02:41 A toe infection anyway,
02:43 unable to go so,
02:45 but I think we do believe that we got
02:48 four plus corners that that we can
02:51 win with and if we if we believe that.
02:56 Certainly snacks moving into the hog position.
03:00 Might be valuable to the team.
03:03 We'll have to wait and see.
03:04 I want to make sure we have the final phase.
03:08 Besides.
03:09 Chris Pupal and grow course.
03:12 Some of the other linebackers.
03:14 You said you found some more linebacker
03:16 who some of them caught your eye.
03:17 That's that's and I really like
03:19 Brad Spence and Sanford.
03:20 Both of them, but Brad Smith
03:22 Spence make plays out every day.
03:23 No matter of fact,
03:24 and I'm not a great at singling out one guy.
03:29 But I did single him out after passing
03:31 day seemed like he was all over the field.
03:34 You know,
03:35 Jaheim Thomas is is coming on.
03:38 Unfortunately,
03:38 you know he wasn't able to.
03:40 I do a whole lot this this summer, but.
03:46 Yeah, so I think I think we're getting
03:48 closer to five there that that we
03:50 have Sanford coming on and I think
03:52 in Manny Powell I think I think we'll
03:54 be able to have enough linebackers.
03:55 You get.
03:56 Three defensive lineman on the side
03:59 today or anything serious there.
04:01 Rojo or Stewart?
04:02 No, appreciate the question now.
04:06 Hopefully we can get him all back by Saturday.
04:09 Maybe one or two of them be tomorrow, but.
04:15 I didn't think they were either one of them.
04:17 Well, there's three of my bank students
04:20 injured the back was healed today,
04:22 but.
04:23 Yeah, I'm assuming he'll be back tomorrow,
04:25 but.
04:26 Paint and TV.
04:29 Thanks was a little bit of me and
04:32 and TV was ankle, but I think.
04:35 If they're not back by Saturday,
04:36 they'll be back Monday.
04:38 With Gene Thomas,
04:39 what was his deal with someone
04:41 who said he was limited?
04:43 Just was injured.
04:43 You know he just had an injury
04:45 that we wanted to really.
04:49 Want to take care of?
04:50 We were really light on that injury,
04:53 but he certainly healed back all now.
04:57 There's been so much talk about,
04:59 you know,
04:59 the transfer wide receivers
05:00 and they worked good and stuff,
05:02 but one guy that doesn't
05:02 seem to get mentioned a lot.
05:03 And every time you look up,
05:04 it's a 50 yard touchdown as Bocca.
05:06 What have you seen out of him?
05:07 And if he can be able to help you?
05:09 Heck yeah, he's gonna be able to help us.
05:11 I mean.
05:13 Bucky is a wonderful person and
05:16 he plays 90 mile an hour all the time,
05:18 and it's important to him.
05:20 He has improved in every aspect
05:23 of his game, speed, strength,
05:25 awareness of what he's doing.
05:30 But I Bucky will will be on the
05:33 field as much as anybody this year.
05:36 Yeah, I really like to hear it.
05:37 He's the.
05:39 He's awful hard worker.
05:42 Sam, if you learn anything about
05:44 your tight ends through their six days,
05:46 that's when we're out there.
05:47 It seems like Blue Passages making
05:49 a catch or a block or something.
05:51 Yeah, I tell you maybe one.
05:55 Yes, we had maybe one.
05:58 We don't talk about as much as.
06:00 Is Francis Sherman and then he has done.
06:03 Man, we're we're awful.
06:06 Honored he chose us.
06:07 He's done a really nice job out there.
06:11 Bums, you know the women.
06:12 Of course you know we have Tyler
06:14 Tyler's Washington's done a nice job
06:16 and back so we're sitting there.
06:19 Samara Easter's done a really nice job.
06:21 It's just you know he's not quite there yet,
06:24 but you know we got here later
06:26 and didn't have the spring ball.
06:29 So obviously it's hard for freshmen
06:31 to catch up that fast, but.
06:33 We've got five tight ends that we do,
06:36 right?
06:36 You know,
06:37 we're going to make plays every day.
06:39 That was Washington.
06:40 It's really nice.
06:42 My catches as well.
06:43 Are you judging alignment
06:46 to get the pads on full pads on?
06:48 What you think of today and what
06:50 are you looking for tomorrow?
06:50 And the scrimmage from
06:52 from getting a look at those guys?
06:55 Well, we still have battles going on.
06:58 You know what?
06:58 High keys in Harrison Chamberlain,
07:03 probably the ones who.
07:05 In the most battle,
07:06 where their spots?
07:09 But I like.
07:11 You know, just 'cause you haven't played,
07:13 that mean you can't play and.
07:16 I like our tackles.
07:17 I like I like there and I like
07:20 to this in there.
07:21 And I was playing in a high high high
07:24 and and Latham and like the bugger
07:26 both playing really well.
07:28 But there's still battles with
07:30 Braun and tag keys and.
07:32 And obviously Harris we we we
07:36 thank he can play several spots,
07:38 but he's obviously has opportunity
07:40 to play for us in Chandler.
07:42 Maury Wiggins is a guy that I think
07:45 he's going to be in our.
07:47 At the least,
07:48 our backup center and that's man
07:50 that help us big time.
07:51 But be able to leave
07:53 to decide it tackle.
07:54 I like the group.
07:55 There's more group Josh
07:57 Creeds come on too.
07:58 And I think he's right now.
08:00 He'd be the 10th line and you know,
08:02 and they're in the two D.
08:03 So he's doing a really nice job as well.
08:06 Played you want to go out there
08:08 and scrimmage and just what
08:09 are you looking for?
08:10 After you know I told the coaches
08:11 that you know we are 12 to 15
08:13 on the sheet of paper when you go
08:15 out there is 12 to 15 and go back
08:17 again and 12 to 15 and then you
08:19 have all kinds of different scenarios.
08:21 Third man.
08:22 Red area high,
08:24 red area low all kinds
08:26 of different situations.
08:27 Usually that that scrimmage goes about 50.
08:32 It depends on how much two minute goes
08:34 or this next week when we get the
08:36 ball back two minutes,
08:37 so that's a little bit more plays,
08:39 but normally that's between a 50 and
08:42 a 55 play scrimmage for each kid.
08:44 Besides the threes,
08:46 now the threes are going to get 30 reps.
08:49 But I told the staff was in
08:50 the scrimmage portion of it.
08:52 Now the whole things are scrimmage,
08:53 but in the move the ball scrimmage,
08:55 the word was all of its life,
08:57 but the move the ball situation.
09:00 I'll probably err on 12 a little
09:03 closer to 12 and I will 15.
09:05 Not be going different,
09:06 so it might make the scrimmage
09:08 down to 42 and 43 plays to a
09:11 possible 50 instead of the opposite.
09:14 You call me and Kate have both had
09:18 their moments and especially today.
09:20 I think they both made some nice passes.
09:21 Would you?
09:21 Is that a battle right now
09:23 for the backup spawn?
09:24 I know Jacoby's been pretty
09:25 much running with the Tuesdays.
09:26 Yeah, I think it's always about my day.
09:28 I think it's always a battle.
09:30 But Jacoby Criswell is one heck
09:32 of a quarterback and it's always 40.
09:35 I mean, Chriswell has a an elite
09:38 special on and he can fly and so.
09:44 They both got a nice job.
09:46 Chriswell is is.
09:49 Is really playing well as well.
09:51 One more coach.
09:53 I know we we didn't get you since
09:55 the last time the college football
09:56 world kind of changed on its axis.
09:58 I'm wondering if you know you
09:59 mind sharing your thoughts on just
10:00 what's happened with the realignment
10:02 and everything recently.
10:03 You know guys it nothing's
10:05 happening as easy so.
10:09 And for me to be concerned about.
10:11 What's going on in the Big 10 and
10:13 the fact well when all that guy stuff
10:16 I'm on two days at I mean a lot of
10:19 times and I appreciate the question I do.
10:22 And I mean some some things.
10:25 Really are out of our control
10:27 and they're out of our control.
10:28 I don't know what my opinion really
10:30 matters to be perfectly honest with you.
10:32 It doesn't affect me.
10:33 It doesn't affect those teams.
10:35 Don't affect the state of Arkansas.
10:38 And the people that are going through it.
10:40 I think they'd have a better opinion
10:42 than they would need to be honest.
10:43 One to now.
10:45 Are there any particular areas of the team
10:47 you think have made the biggest improvements
10:49 or units that you've been pleased with most?
10:51 Tied in.
10:55 I feel a lot better about tied in
10:57 than I did coming into Kent.
11:00 Number of linebackers.
11:01 I'll be honest with you guys.
11:03 My biggest concern was linebacker
11:04 in depth come in tight in linebacker
11:06 in depth and I believe with Spencer
11:09 and Sanford coming on along with
11:11 Manny Pound people will be fine.
11:13 I'm back in and with what we had
11:16 at night in and the additions
11:18 that we had come in.
11:22 I think we won't be just fine there too,
11:25 so those are my two biggest concern
11:27 at long or attack those given that
11:29 we had a couple of games in SEC
11:32 and that was certainly believe in them as well.
11:34 You needed a muggy day,
11:37 so that's reference to the fact
11:38 we've had unseasonably cool,
11:40 but players have gotta like
11:42 that unseasonably cool.
11:43 I wanted to get your thoughts
11:44 on the balance of meeting the heat
11:46 and then is the AC online for next week?
11:49 Well.
11:53 I don't answer the first part of it.
11:57 The first part is.
11:59 I got a little nervous, you know.
12:02 Every morning was a lightning rain,
12:06 you know, and so I got a little
12:08 nervous because obviously the
12:10 reason you go in the morning is
12:12 because you want to have great
12:14 execution and you want to go fast
12:16 and play well and all that.
12:18 In other words,
12:19 you're not a day of survival.
12:21 Your day of you know,
12:22 seeing who you had and trying
12:24 to execute at a high tempo.
12:28 Yeah, I think after two or three
12:29 four days of that I was like,
12:31 man, I'd like to have some heat
12:33 and we sure got it today.
12:35 I do believe that we can get on
12:37 acclimated to a 230 situation in two
12:40 weeks and so yeah and the other thing
12:42 is I think what happened it rained
12:44 so much and we had all those things.
12:47 Happen, I think it put us behind
12:49 just a little bit from my understanding.
12:51 What I've been told is Saturday.
12:53 They're going as soon as we get out of here.
12:56 We'll probably get out of here as
12:58 you go just at around 5 or 6 o'clock
13:00 and they'll shut down the electricity
13:02 and get in there and fill her up.
13:04 I hope what I've been told.
13:06 You mentioned tank, but we saw
13:08 John Morgan over there too.
13:09 So is he in that same boat with us?
13:12 Yeah, again, I don't think that's
13:14 anything more than. Hopefully.
13:17 Tomorrow he'll be back or whatever,
13:19 but nothing just a lower leg injury.
13:22 Not nothing bad at all.
13:24 We have not had.
13:26 A guy during camp that you know
13:29 certainly can't play.
13:31 For the season,
13:32 though it can't play next week.
13:33 I'm sneaking one recruiting question
13:36 with the PAC 12 is pretty much dissolving.
13:39 I'm not asking about your thoughts
13:41 on the alignment, but will that
13:43 since those schools out there
13:44 got to travel now big chance.
13:46 Is this a chance for you to possibly
13:49 look into recruiting California
13:50 in that area a little bit more?
13:52 Yeah, you know we have.
13:54 You know we we've talked to
13:56 the kids in Vegas.
13:57 You know we talked, you know.
13:59 We talked to guys out in California
14:01 and things when we've done that.
14:03 We have. That's a good question.
14:05 We we've we've talked about that as a staff.
14:07 You know with with you know
14:09 they're going to travel.
14:11 You know to Michigan and all that.
14:13 Maybe you know we travel here
14:15 and be like closer, you know,
14:17 so we have talked about that,
14:19 but you know they still gotta
14:21 fly over a whole lot of schools.
14:23 I think our philosophy and you know
14:25 what it is and we like to stay,
14:28 you know somewhere where there's a
14:30 possibility that you can get in your
14:32 car and get to get we seem to do a
14:34 better job with that with that area.
14:37 But yes, that's a good thought and
14:38 good question. We've thought about that.
14:40 But now I'm gonna lay off this.
14:42 Yeah, and it's great.
14:44 Now I drink it all the time and people
14:46 is going to text me and say I shouldn't
14:49 and all that, but I'm 61 up there pretty good.
14:53 We can age.
14:56 I don't know what happened.
14:57 Feel pretty good.
15:02 Looking at Patrick Kudus bio,
15:04 he's got a birthday coming up in a couple
15:06 of days, but he's just 18 right now.
15:08 There is true freshman on this
15:10 team that are older than him.
15:12 What does that say about him and his
15:14 ceiling and to be that young and?
15:16 What where where does he really need to?
15:19 I guess improve the most consistency.
15:22 He just has to be consistent.
15:24 'cause I mean you look at his reps and
15:27 he's as good as anybody on that
15:29 field at certain time.
15:31 Great players are consistent players,
15:33 so he has to.
15:34 He has to be a little bit more consistent.
15:36 That's gonna come with reps 'cause
15:37 as you said, that guy's gonna turn.
15:39 Did you say 18?
15:42 19 we're going to turn it off.
15:45 I took a step back a couple grades.
15:47 You know that needed to, you know,
15:49 get job a little bit so I think
15:51 he's like going somewhere.
15:52 He graduated early,
15:55 have to eat something.
15:57 22.3 something there.
15:59 Well, on the other side with with the bond manual.
16:05 Where where is he made the biggest?
16:07 Obviously his weight has been hands,
16:10 but his technique is hands,
16:12 his technique.
16:14 And anytime you have success,
16:16 this tells you I'm pretty good.
16:19 So his hands and technique and now
16:22 his mind is telling him I'm pretty good at,
16:25 but.
16:26 You have to know why why you
16:29 building this confidence and and
16:31 he's building that confidence because
16:33 his technique in his hands have become.
16:35 Really good again,
16:37 his is he has to be consistent as well.
16:41 Always been a great athlete,
16:43 but right now he believes he's a good
16:46 player and he is and it's come with
16:48 different webs because of his technique
16:51 and hands like elite Lee recruited.
16:53 Even as a 69 guy,
16:54 what do you think?
16:55 What do you attribute that to?
16:57 And I mean, I guess you guys obviously saw.
17:01 Well.
17:02 Because he was really heavy too.
17:07 But we saw a big great big athlete and.
17:13 And we liked him, you know,
17:15 would I like this personality and
17:17 we talked to his trainer and things
17:20 and they said he was a hard worker and.
17:23 And that's what he is,
17:25 but he had, you know,
17:26 before he had weight too high.
17:29 Possible speed.
17:30 And then.
17:32 At you know,
17:33 he got the burden away and like
17:35 what he looked like.
17:37 Well, he went all the way down.
17:39 I threw out in 80 pounds and
17:41 now he's about 31038 and.
17:43 I'm telling you right now he's a he's
17:45 he's gonna be a really good player.
17:47 It really good.
17:49 I think Brad Spence was here in the spring.
17:51 Just what?
17:52 Where have you seen him growing the most
17:53 since the spring is making him stand out
17:55 now like the weight room.
17:57 I mean, I think the weight room is
17:59 not a nice job with him first and full night.
18:02 He's built his confidence through there
18:04 and and now he knows what he's doing
18:06 and all that but he makes plays all the
18:09 time and he can really run and he made
18:12 it play today as the base not side.
18:14 Line the sideline but.
18:17 One hash all the way for out
18:19 of bounds on the other hand,
18:20 that's what we're doing.
18:21 Anybody but he did it.
18:23 So what's that tell you?
18:24 That he's got all the ability,
18:26 but he using his ability.
18:27 A lot of guys have ability on music,
18:30 but he's one of those guys that does.
18:32 I think the future really
18:34 bright for him in the future.
18:35 Now.
18:36 With Amari Wiggins,
18:39 you said that he could help it center,
18:41 but maybe guard is that somewhere else?
18:43 It will be. Unfortunately,
18:44 Amari had a little bit of an ankle
18:46 injury so he lost two practices.
18:48 Our plan was to know him for gold
18:51 and see if he's one of our top five players.
18:54 We haven't had that opportunity yet.
18:56 Today was the first day that he was back,
18:58 so we need him to get the
19:00 rest off back at center.
19:02 But at some point in this camp we're
19:04 going to move and look at him that door.
19:08 Both backlink to the whole scrimmage
19:11 Saturday and did you have any today?
19:13 We're going to attack when we
19:15 did not have any today.
19:16 Well, yeah, we do.
19:17 I'll make up a practice in a factory,
19:20 but other than that, no, we we didn't.