Arkansas Razorbacks linebacker Brad Spence and defensive back Hudson Clark recapping interceptions in opener against Western Carolina and looking ahead to Saturday's home opener against Kent State in Razorbacks Stadium.
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00:00 - Yeah, Brad, just tell us what happened
00:02 with that 85 yard touchdown that you had
00:04 and had to be pretty exciting for your first college game.
00:07 - Yeah, it was a pretty fun experience
00:09 seeing the crowd roar after I get my first pick
00:11 in the collegiate game.
00:12 So it was a moment to remember,
00:14 it's a moment to cherish, you know,
00:15 it's not common for a freshman to get his first pick
00:18 in his first game, so.
00:19 - Yeah, coach says you really been coming,
00:21 what's the difference in you from the spring
00:23 to the fall camp?
00:24 'Cause in spring, we didn't hear your name a whole lot.
00:26 I know there was a bit of an injury deal,
00:27 but fall camp, it seems like they were just talking
00:29 about you all the time.
00:31 - Yeah, throughout the process, I feel like as a player,
00:33 I have matured and really gained my confidence
00:36 throughout the process.
00:39 And it was something to get used to, you know,
00:40 coming from high school, getting to college.
00:42 So catching up on the speed was something
00:44 I had to really focus on and tune in on.
00:46 - And Hudson, you're just kind of all over the place
00:49 playing safety spots, playing nickel,
00:51 all you guys kind of had like 40 snaps each.
00:54 Is that kind of how you maybe envision things
00:56 going in the future for you guys?
00:59 - Yeah, I think just kind of give everybody a blow,
01:03 trying to be a spark off the bench,
01:07 whatever coach needs me to be.
01:08 Yeah, I just think if everybody's fresh
01:13 and they want everybody to play full speed,
01:16 I mean, if we all got to get 40 snaps to be full speed,
01:20 that's going to be the best thing going forward.
01:23 - Thanks guys.
01:27 - Bob?
01:29 - Yeah, Brad, could you describe that play
01:31 in a little more detail, the pick six?
01:33 I mean, is that something you picked up from film study
01:37 or you're just in the right place at the right time
01:39 or how'd that all happen?
01:41 - It was sort of like a right place, right time thing.
01:44 You know, I played two coverages
01:46 and I ended up seeing the ball, so I was ball instinct.
01:49 So seeing the ball, I went to go get it.
01:51 And it was like a shock when I caught it.
01:53 And I was like, I only see green.
01:55 So I just ran to the touchdown.
01:57 It was great.
01:58 - Did you get a feeling you were going to make it
02:00 all the way or what were you thinking?
02:03 Were you thinking touchdown when you got it or?
02:06 - I seen like a whole lineman when I caught it.
02:08 So I was like, I think I got a beat.
02:10 So I was like, yeah, I think I got this all the way.
02:12 - Had you had a pick six in high school
02:14 or was that your first one or?
02:17 - I had like a fumble recovery touchdown,
02:19 something like that.
02:20 Same thing, hitting the sideline.
02:23 - But that was your first pick six?
02:25 - Yeah, that was first pick six ever.
02:26 - That's pretty cool.
02:28 And just what was it like playing
02:29 in your first college game?
02:31 - It was different.
02:32 You know, the crowd,
02:33 I never played in a big of a crowd like that.
02:35 So it was different, something to adapt to.
02:38 And it was fun.
02:39 - Well, it's going to be,
02:40 it's going to probably be bigger Saturday.
02:42 So, you're going to feel again.
02:44 And Hudson, I was going to ask you about Nudy.
02:47 You know, he had another pick.
02:48 Of course you did too.
02:49 And Sam was saying he's gotten more physical
02:52 as far as a tackler.
02:53 Kind of, what have you seen Nudy's improvement
02:56 from last year to now?
02:57 Just what do you think about the interceptions
03:00 he's able to get?
03:02 - Yeah, I mean, he's got great instincts.
03:04 He's a real smart football player.
03:06 He's definitely gotten more physical in his tackling.
03:09 We could see that during the scrimmages
03:10 when he had one-on-one tackles with running backs.
03:13 Just being able to get them on the ground.
03:14 So he's really improved as a player,
03:17 but he's really smart and has a really high IQ.
03:20 - And then for both of y'all getting five turnovers,
03:26 I think you guys mostly the nation in turnover margin
03:29 of plus five.
03:29 We got to look that up, I guess.
03:30 What y'all think about the defense doing now?
03:33 - Yeah, I just thought we flew around the ball.
03:36 I mean, we obviously have made mistakes
03:39 that we need to improve going into this week,
03:41 but I think that's a good start.
03:42 And then try to improve that going into this week
03:46 and keep that up.
03:47 - Yeah, I just feel like the defense was flying around,
03:50 you know, getting to the ball as we made to do.
03:52 So, you know, it was something that the defense
03:55 was used to, so.
03:56 - Okay, thanks.
03:59 - Jackson.
04:01 - Hudson, I'm not sure, you know,
04:05 during our short media viewing practices and stuff
04:08 that we saw much of you at the Hog
04:10 until maybe the last week before the game.
04:12 I'm just wondering, when did you start getting reps there?
04:15 Was that something all fall camp that you were working on?
04:18 - No, I think definitely towards the end
04:24 is where I got was splitting reps more there.
04:28 I worked some of it in the spring.
04:31 And so I guess that kind of really helped me going
04:34 right into this towards the end of fall camp.
04:36 But yeah, I think towards the beginning,
04:38 I was just rotating at safeties.
04:41 - Gotcha.
04:42 And, you know, yesterday was, or excuse me,
04:45 Saturday was your first time getting real game action
04:48 with the three transfers in the second area.
04:51 You know, what did you think about those guys?
04:52 How nice is it to have, you know,
04:54 that kind of talent in the backend with you this year?
04:57 - Yeah, it's really nice.
04:57 I mean, they got game experience too.
05:00 And so I feel like going into it,
05:02 the communication was up to par
05:04 and it was a really easy transition for us.
05:06 And I felt like we flew around the ball,
05:08 which was a good aspect for our secondary.
05:11 - And Brad, you know, the two returners and Crook and Paul,
05:17 and, you know, they brought transfers in
05:19 as a true freshman this year,
05:21 when you got to campus at Arkansas, you know,
05:22 what were some of your realistic expectations?
05:25 You play your first game, you get to pick six.
05:27 I mean, did you feel like you had a chance
05:28 to have that kind of big of an impact
05:30 when you got to campus all the way back when you did?
05:33 - I knew it was a lot of guys around me,
05:36 so I was really coming in to, you know,
05:38 soak up a lot of information, you know,
05:40 on how to play the game linebacker and collegiate level.
05:43 So I was really just hoping to outplay my skills
05:50 on the field and it all came to him, came to the truth.
05:53 - Thanks, guys.
05:56 - Trey.
05:57 - Yeah, Hudson, I was curious what you thought of 18,
06:04 I'm not sure how to say his name,
06:05 Allimo, the quarterback.
06:07 What are you seeing from him?
06:09 - Yeah, they're a team that likes to take shots.
06:12 They definitely have the speed outside
06:16 to be able to do that.
06:17 And so I think this week they'll come out with a fire,
06:22 especially after last week.
06:24 We're not taking them lightly.
06:25 I think they're going to be ready to play.
06:27 And so we've been working all week.
06:30 We're going to be ready to play by Saturday.
06:33 - Brad, what do you think about the running game?
06:35 - Excuse me?
06:37 - What do you think about their running game, Kent State,
06:39 their running backs and such?
06:41 - I feel like they have a pretty good skill set right now,
06:44 but right now we're working on ourselves, our team,
06:47 how we get better and how we stop them.
06:49 - Thanks guys.
06:53 - Daniel.
06:54 - Hudson, you've been here a long time.
06:57 I was just wondering how, as you start this next season,
07:02 just kind of how your role has changed
07:04 now that you're kind of the older one
07:06 sitting next to someone like Brad.
07:07 - Yeah, I mean, there's a lot of new faces, new transfers.
07:12 And so going into this year,
07:14 I think that we had to kind of like build a brotherhood
07:18 out of nothing.
07:19 And I feel like we've done that,
07:20 especially the coaches helping us.
07:22 And yeah, I think we've grown really close together.
07:26 And so that translates to the field with communication
07:29 and just kind of playing off each other.
07:31 - Thanks guys.
07:33 - Bob, last one.
07:35 - Okay, I guess I never muted myself again by mistake.
07:40 Sorry.
07:41 Hudson, could you describe your pick?
07:43 And I think you've got five in your career,
07:44 so that's a pretty good total.
07:47 What happened on that play where you got the ball?
07:50 - Yeah, we were just in cover two and I was in a hook.
07:54 And so I got a bang on the receiver and then kind of sunk
07:58 and it was just reading the quarterback
08:01 and his eyes took me to the ball.
08:02 So I just got a good jump on it.
08:05 - And I guess you've played corner nickel and safety.
08:08 Am I right on that?
08:10 - Yeah.
08:11 - So I don't think there's anything else you can play
08:13 unless they want to move you to middle linebackers.
08:16 - I think I'm going to stay out of there.
08:17 I need to put on some weight before I do that.
08:20 - Well, maybe this is, I hope you don't make it seem
08:25 immodest, but what do you think that says about you
08:27 that you can do all that stuff?
08:28 - Just that I'm a versatile player, I guess,
08:34 and that whatever coach needs me to do, I'll do.
08:37 - And Brad, I know he's not in your position group,
08:40 but as a young guy, what do you think about an older guy
08:43 like Hudson, kind of, you know, Sam was talking
08:44 about how popular he is with the guys and, you know,
08:48 just the kind of person he is and he does a lot of stuff
08:50 for the team, kind of as a younger guy,
08:52 what's your take on a guy like Hudson?
08:54 - He's a guy to learn from, you know,
08:57 you know, get used to, see how he plays his role
08:59 on how he plays his football.
09:01 So, you know, as a freshman, I just look to learn
09:03 a lot of things from the older guys.
09:06 - And then Hudson, single-tear, he played quite a few snaps
09:11 back there and Sam was pointing out, you know,
09:13 he played a little bit of Georgia, but not much.
09:15 That was kind of probably his most extensive playing time.
09:18 What'd you think of Jaheim back there?
09:20 - Yeah, he's a competitor and he does this every day
09:23 in practice, so going out, translating it to the real game,
09:28 I think went smoothly.
09:30 He's fast and he's, yeah, he's a competitor.
09:34 And so whoever he lines up against,
09:36 he's going to play his heart out.
09:38 - And I know obviously you got a lot of bigger challenges
09:41 ahead on the schedule, but considering the way
09:44 the past defense was last year,
09:46 how good of a start was that for y'all?
09:49 What do you think that does for y'all's confidence level?
09:52 - Yeah, I think it definitely helped us kind of
09:56 have a place to build on.
09:57 I mean, we weren't perfect.
09:59 We got a lot to improve as a secondary.
10:02 And I think we're headed in the right direction.
10:04 We just got to keep working.