• last year
Arkansas Razorbacks coach Sam Pittman's complete press conference Monday as preparations begin for Auburn's game Saturday at Razorback Stadium.
Transcript
00:00 Back home.
00:02 Against a.
00:04 Team in Auburn is playing really well.
00:06 Want to in a row to SEC games in a row and then.
00:09 No, they want to run the football.
00:12 Very powerful football team.
00:14 Quarterback and run.
00:15 We got a couple of running back
00:18 hunters really good.
00:19 Good offensive line,
00:20 but they they're very physical team
00:22 defensively multiple fronts.
00:23 Probably a little bit more.
00:25 For down maybe 60,
00:26 40 or 40 and.
00:28 And then they go into Met Front.
00:32 Quarters team very aggressive.
00:36 Lot of twist, lot of movement.
00:39 They're very good in special teams.
00:41 Got one of the best kickoff
00:43 return guys in the country
00:44 was all American last year.
00:46 We are looking forward to coming home.
00:49 I think we're.
00:50 Close to capacity.
00:54 And we're also appreciative
00:55 of the fans in Arkansas for
00:57 coming to support us.
00:58 491 yards of offense last week.
01:04 I was wondering is Kenny is he a
01:06 candidate for the permanent position
01:07 and also maybe quarterbacks coached?
01:09 The first part of that tray.
01:12 Absolutely I don't know how you know.
01:14 I really don't know how I could not
01:16 look at him after that performance.
01:19 I've spoke with him a little
01:21 bit about that as well.
01:23 About our timeline, you know what?
01:26 What we're going to do and and.
01:29 But. Absolutely,
01:31 and then I think what you would do at
01:34 that point if you decided to stay in house.
01:38 Is figure out what position he felt
01:40 most comfortable with coaching
01:41 from that coordinator spot,
01:43 but certainly we haven't
01:44 made that decision yet, but.
01:47 I don't know how he could have done
01:51 a better job than they did on Saturday.
01:54 With with everything and just
01:56 imagine you had a fall camp.
02:00 And you played that way your first game,
02:03 you know, but then you add all
02:05 the things that went on and you
02:07 had a two week window to prepare.
02:10 I thought he I thought he called
02:12 a freaking great game and had
02:14 him off balance. I felt like
02:15 I thought he did a great job.
02:16 What are your thoughts on tackle positions?
02:19 Obviously Kudos went down and you
02:21 made a change with Devon manual.
02:23 How do you see that going in this?
02:25 Could is OK.
02:25 Curtis, you know, I don't know if
02:28 we're going to get him back this week.
02:32 He's got a high ankle and so I
02:34 just don't know if I'm, you know,
02:35 that's a. Depend on how high from
02:38 what I understand how high high it is.
02:41 Depends on the weeks.
02:43 Not extremely high injury, but.
02:46 So you know, Devon manual played
02:48 really well. Tacky Scrawford
02:50 brought some Jews too.
02:50 I was really, really pretty pleased,
02:53 excited for Taike's so we we will
02:56 let him battle it out this week.
02:58 But I you know I would.
03:00 I would anticipate Devin or excuse me.
03:02 Taike's been over there at the right side
03:04 'cause he earned that he played well.
03:06 And then Devin in Chambly would
03:09 would be the left side guys.
03:12 I think Chambly would be our
03:14 best bet to play both,
03:16 and so we would probably have him
03:18 be our rotational tackle as well.
03:20 On your past catching guys,
03:22 how Armstrong's gonna how he's doing,
03:25 and then what you got out of
03:27 Satania late in the game,
03:28 and then just maybe how it looks
03:30 going forward at tight end well.
03:33 Armstrong, I think it's
03:35 going to be just fine.
03:37 Will will know a little bit more
03:38 at practice today whether he's
03:40 cleared from his headache.
03:44 But I think he's going to be fine.
03:48 So take that.
03:48 He did some good things for us.
03:51 You know I was.
03:52 I was upset with him a little
03:54 bit on the first part,
03:56 but once I looked at it on film
03:58 that the ball took a really took
04:00 a for us it was took a bounce to
04:02 our left not for sure that he could
04:05 have comfortably tried to feel that ball.
04:10 But he did a really nice job.
04:11 Cut two or three passes right there
04:13 in a row. You know that night.
04:15 Some really good yards on it,
04:17 so I felt feel like he'll just
04:19 continue to get better and improve.
04:21 Tyrus.
04:23 He has a dislocated shoulder,
04:26 probably will involve some surgery.
04:30 And so he will be out.
04:33 We're going to move hunter Talley.
04:35 We've got some obviously some.
04:41 Opportunities with Easter and and Lassiter.
04:43 I just think in this short period of time,
04:47 I think Hunter Talley knows the
04:49 offense better than the other fellas do.
04:52 And and he's really look good
04:53 on the scout team as well.
04:55 And so we'll move him up to be number four.
04:58 There, you know when they say when
05:01 a kid has a dog early, you know,
05:03 that's a good sign.
05:04 It looks like Braxton kind of had that
05:07 mentality to rip the ball out once.
05:09 Did it again?
05:10 Could you maybe talk about?
05:11 What you saw from him and.
05:13 They blew the whistle on that second one.
05:15 What were your thoughts about that play?
05:17 I I talked specifically today with the.
05:20 I have an officiating on two specific.
05:26 Opportunities one was at the end of the game.
05:29 The other one was that specific play and
05:32 now it's a very very hard call on those guys.
05:35 Let's talk about Braxton first.
05:37 We had talked about they were really
05:39 good with not giving up turnovers.
05:41 They were really good.
05:42 We have been really good with getting
05:45 them and so we talked about somebody's
05:47 going to lose you know someone.
05:49 Someone has to lose.
05:50 It can't just be well.
05:52 We're really good at getting them
05:53 and don't get him and they're really
05:56 good at keeping them and and I thought
05:58 you know I was standing I was pretty
06:00 close to that and Braxton went immediately
06:03 for that it kind of came loose on him
06:05 there on the sideline and he you know
06:07 what a what a great play much needed play.
06:10 On the.
06:12 Situation where they they ruled him down or
06:16 or no longer advancing the football.
06:22 My only thing with that was is if that's
06:25 that's the call then they had another
06:28 player that came and wiped out the top,
06:30 wiped out, wiped out everybody standing
06:32 there that should come in my opinion.
06:35 That should be a 15 yard penalty
06:38 after the play is dead and so I didn't
06:41 think it could be one or the other.
06:43 It's either our ball or they've
06:45 got a 15 yard penalty and.
06:47 Unfortunately for us,
06:47 we didn't get either one of them
06:50 and then the other other one.
06:52 It was just they had made a mistake.
06:54 They didn't go into substitution protocol.
06:58 And their opinion, in my opinion,
07:00 if they would have.
07:02 8 seconds to get there.
07:05 Basically their field goal unit off the field.
07:07 Get their team on the field.
07:09 And then the rest of us three seconds
07:12 before we have to substitute those
07:14 eight seconds are gone and and honestly
07:16 that field goal attempt should have
07:18 never been attempted. Luckily for us.
07:21 I don't know how you feel if the good
07:23 Lord has an opinion about who wins or not,
07:26 but he got a lot of things going on,
07:28 but.
07:30 Lucky for us and I hate it for the young man,
07:33 but luckily.
07:34 Justice was served on that.
07:37 Sam, you got a good game from
07:39 Judy the other day.
07:40 Bob tackles make some good stops in the
07:42 run game and the past broke up three
07:44 passes just what value did he bring?
07:46 Yeah, a lot because we were able
07:48 to move snacks to all and I think
07:51 that was a big deal they were.
07:53 They were picking on us a little bit
07:55 there with one and three who are
07:57 fantastic players but allowed us
07:59 to move snacks in there at Hogs.
08:01 The problem is we didn't play him
08:03 as much during the week at Hogs,
08:05 so you know he did.
08:06 He didn't have the opportunity
08:09 to really study that position.
08:12 But allowed us to do that and
08:15 move hard back to safety and and.
08:17 And now obviously hours he's
08:19 still nursing a knee,
08:20 so would allow us to get him off
08:22 the field a little bit more.
08:24 But nudie was that was most
08:26 physical I'd seen nudie play.
08:28 Really made some good tackles in the open
08:31 field obviously was really good in coverage
08:33 and I think that was a big deal.
08:36 That'll certainly vote well for
08:37 him in the future.
08:39 You know, as the next three games
08:41 unfold and and he did a really nice job.
08:43 Real proud, happy for him.
08:45 That kind of leads me into my next question.
08:47 Just what do you see from him in
08:50 coverage that makes him effective?
08:51 I was looking at a site earlier.
08:53 He still hasn't given up 100 yards
08:55 as like a primary cover guy.
08:57 Scott Lake, you know,
08:58 obviously he's got length and that's good.
09:00 He's got experience.
09:02 In all honesty,
09:03 if he becomes a better practice player,
09:05 I think he'll even become a better player.
09:07 And then he knows that and he's
09:09 and he's done that and so I'm really
09:12 happy for him, proud of him that he's
09:14 done that because I think it shows on
09:16 the field but he's long and he's savvy
09:19 and and he's played a lot of football.
09:22 Coach, it's the tempo and the success
09:26 of that was like super evident in
09:28 the fourth quarter and overtime.
09:29 I think it's especially in overtime.
09:31 All three players were kind of
09:33 rapid fire before the touchdown.
09:34 That tempo that maybe just suits
09:36 KJ so well with this offense.
09:38 Well, I think first of all,
09:40 and I and I and I agree with you.
09:42 I think it benefits the offensive line.
09:44 You know, I think that's the biggest key that.
09:49 You know people aren't necessarily
09:50 getting their cleats in the ground
09:52 and check into where your back
09:54 is and all this kind of stuff.
09:57 Excuse me because they don't have as much time.
10:00 Uhm, I think that's part of it.
10:02 I think that the plays that Kenny
10:05 called were runs or runs, you know,
10:07 they want to run to Pat.
10:09 Now we we called run to pass as well,
10:13 but there was definitely a.
10:16 A game plan of we're going to
10:18 give it to rocket.
10:19 Or we're going to have KJ run it.
10:22 That's you know,
10:23 that's what we're going to do,
10:25 and those are two very good options.
10:27 And so you know a lot of our stuff
10:30 in the past is you know this.
10:32 This season has been run to pass
10:34 where your backside is locked up in man.
10:37 Therefore you have no backup as an
10:40 offensive lineman on the backside
10:41 of you don't have any backup and
10:44 it makes it a little bit more difficult.
10:46 You gotta be a little little stronger,
10:48 a little more athletic things of that nature.
10:51 So we we basically took a lot of
10:53 that out of our offense even though
10:55 we did run a few plays back there.
10:57 Like that, you already mentioned
10:59 tech East anything on film stick
11:01 out of like what he was able to
11:04 bring to you guys other than.
11:05 I just think a lot of enthusiasm.
11:07 He was really good at pass protection.
11:10 Really good and you know they they
11:11 were trying to pull in quite a bit
11:14 'cause he's so athletic that he he
11:16 was out on top of them they tried
11:18 to bully me set the bull down real nice.
11:20 I was just I thought he brought a lot,
11:23 a lot of energy to the offense and you
11:25 know when I knew we felt like we had
11:28 a chance there in overtime you know.
11:30 I talked to the captains.
11:31 They never came back over on the sideline.
11:34 They just stood out there on the
11:36 50 yard line talking to each other
11:38 and I thought that was really
11:40 a cool sign of leadership.
11:41 There was a time of mine and I said,
11:44 well, maybe I get him over here and
11:46 talk about what we're going to do
11:48 and all this kind of stuff.
11:49 But to be perfectly honest with you,
11:51 you gotta wait till the coin
11:53 toss to figure all that stuff out.
11:55 And and I thought it was really cool
11:57 sign that them guys just stood out
11:59 and.
12:01 Oh, what they had to do with your question,
12:03 but.
12:04 I just and last kind of injury question.
12:07 You mentioned tank on Saturday.
12:09 Yeah, all good.
12:10 I think he's going to be fine.
12:11 Had ankle.
12:14 But I think he's going to be fine.
12:15 He may not practice today or you know,
12:17 limited, but.
12:19 I tell you what now that's the guy
12:21 that we went out and tried to get
12:23 Saturday night.
12:24 He he was.
12:25 He was really good.
12:27 Our linebackers.
12:28 We gotta tackle better.
12:30 On day we gotta tackle better,
12:32 but our linebackers basically ran free
12:35 all day 'cause that D line they you know,
12:38 and we made a lot of tackles and
12:40 missed a lot of we gotta emphasize that.
12:42 Excuse me at the bottom position.
12:46 Obviously already lost Luke now tie.
12:49 Just I guess how tough is that?
12:50 And you know from that room,
12:52 are you expecting everybody to be able
12:54 to step up and you know,
12:55 make up for it?
12:56 You know I I saw Saturday a lot
12:59 of life out of gums.
13:00 I mean he made some.
13:02 Was most physically had been now.
13:04 Part of that is probably 'cause
13:05 his ankles healed up.
13:06 He's had an ankle for a long time.
13:09 But I think if we show that
13:11 we're too worried about it,
13:13 I think it's a negative for the team.
13:16 We we've always stepped up
13:18 kind of like Ty did.
13:20 I mean Ty said which one he was 5.
13:23 You know on the depth chart.
13:25 Before he got his opportunity and
13:27 then we figured out he's really good player.
13:31 Somebody will step up and they'll
13:33 and I believe they'll play really well.
13:36 One of those guys will really show up.
13:38 It may be two or three of them, but.
13:42 I'm confident in that group
13:43 and I'm confident in Tally.
13:45 I'd like to see what he he can do.
13:47 He's been very,
13:48 very physical on the scout team.
13:50 And then you know Auburn coming to town.
13:52 Hugh Freeze came in with Liberty last year.
13:55 Just overall thoughts of him and the team
13:57 that he's got this year at Auburn.
13:58 They're doing a really good job.
14:00 I mean, they're very,
14:01 very physical,
14:02 both offensively and defensively,
14:04 and I think they're playing
14:06 their best ball right now and.
14:10 He was always been a nice guy.
14:14 Good guy to me.
14:15 I don't know him real well, but.
14:18 You know, been a good guy to me
14:20 and obviously well coached and
14:22 Liberty's having a lot of success
14:24 this year Jamie Chadwell
14:25 is doing a wonderful job.
14:27 But you know, obviously you left
14:30 him with with good players and and.
14:34 He's doing a good job.
14:35 I'm glad he got another opportunity
14:37 and and he's doing well.
14:38 Sam going back to the nudie.
14:41 I remember last year during fall camp.
14:43 He got a lot of work like the twos
14:44 and the threes and he goes out
14:46 and the season opener has an
14:47 interception this past week.
14:49 You move in the second team.
14:51 He kind of has a really good performance.
14:52 Is there just a little bit like
14:53 sometimes have to give a little
14:55 bit of a an encouragement or whatever?
14:57 Is he got really responds to that?
14:58 Yeah, I think he does.
15:01 You know, 'cause you can certainly go
15:03 the other way on that.
15:04 Never come back, you know.
15:06 But it wasn't really anything to be
15:09 perfectly honest with you about the
15:11 discipline or something about that.
15:14 It was, you know,
15:16 we'd move snacks to corner and
15:18 obviously we felt like Braxton
15:19 was playing really well and and.
15:23 But we always knew nudie was
15:25 a really good player and he showed
15:29 that he's shown that a lot this
15:31 year and last year and and we have
15:34 a lot of faith in nudie is a
15:35 wonderful kid. I love him to death and
15:37 and I'm glad that he had good success.
15:40 And you mentioned Auburn has a
15:42 really good kickoff for Turner.
15:43 I noticed this past week.
15:44 Cams kickoffs didn't
15:45 initially always going on the end.
15:47 So is that a strategic thing
15:48 on your y'all's part?
15:49 No, we we were trying to kick it out.
15:52 I didn't want to kick it to
15:53 that I mean I didn't want to.
15:55 No.
15:57 It was even on the last one.
15:58 I said Scott,
15:59 he better kick this out 'cause
16:01 we were talking about sky
16:02 and it or you know what I mean?
16:04 I didn't want to squib it 'cause
16:06 you know all they needed was a field goal
16:08 until when.
16:10 And and he did,
16:12 but the value of Cam Little and
16:16 really Fletcher 'cause there was one low
16:19 one cam almost missed.
16:22 Those it was a low snap and Max
16:24 did a great job of.
16:26 Of holding and it was kind of
16:28 the difference in the game 'cause
16:29 they had problems with their extra point.
16:31 But Max Max and Cam and Stein and
16:36 those guys and then they're invaluable
16:39 and to have Campbell out there with 44
16:42 seconds left or whatever.
16:43 I think it's 44 seconds left.
16:45 And kick a 49er which you know
16:48 could have went 60 and they hit
16:50 the blue tarp in the back, you know?
16:52 He. Games over if he doesn't make it
16:57 and what a what a wonderful clutch kid.
17:00 Curious your thoughts on 8 and four
17:04 and looks like they kind of
17:05 gravitated more towards using him.
17:06 They have.
17:07 You can do a lot on the ground too.
17:09 What are your thoughts on him as well?
17:12 I think he's really competitive guy
17:13 and tough and he's fast and so what
17:16 I talked to the guys about last night,
17:19 we always kind of meet at the very end
17:21 of after we kind of get a thoughts on
17:24 him that that I don't think there's
17:27 a reason to have two separate defenses
17:30 for two separate quarterbacks.
17:31 I mean, because thorn and and really
17:34 trades exactly what you said he he is
17:37 much more athletic than I thought he
17:39 would be and can run so they're going
17:42 to run their total RPO offense with him.
17:46 And and I'm sure that's why
17:48 they got him to begin with.
17:51 But he's throwing the ball.
17:52 Well, he's a good quarterback.
17:54 Obviously got a lot of experience,
17:55 you know, coming in for him,
17:57 but he the thing I could say most about
18:00 him is he's really, really competitive and.
18:04 You can just kind of feel it through
18:06 the film to be honest with you.
18:09 We always ask you what you think
18:10 about 11 o'clock games.
18:11 What you think about night games?
18:12 But this is a 3 o'clock game.
18:14 Missouri's at 3 o'clock later and
18:16 I thought you by the way I don't know
18:18 if you know I got picked up for 630.
18:20 Just heard that, yeah,
18:21 but what do you think about 3 o'clock
18:23 games is playing in the middle of the day?
18:25 That's the perfect time really,
18:26 you know, to be honest with you.
18:28 Fans can have a true experience,
18:29 great experience and get home
18:31 at a decent hour or whatever.
18:32 And it's great time if you win,
18:34 you know.
18:35 But you know, we I think, well,
18:37 there's a lot of teams that
18:39 practice in the morning now we're
18:41 going to try that in the spring too.
18:44 We're going to go to morning
18:46 morning workouts but or morning
18:48 practice but I think you know it
18:51 coincides with every day you know.
18:53 And so I think that's probably the
18:56 best kind of condition to 3 o'clock
18:59 when practice kind of starts or a
19:02 little later but you're in there
19:04 with meetings and all that kind of
19:07 stuff so it kind of correlates with.
19:09 What you do every single day.
19:12 You know.
19:12 Now we've already.
19:17 We've already checked all that
19:18 with the University and all those
19:21 things in the class there we have
19:23 where they can start class, you know,
19:25 after about noon.
19:26 So 11 something would be their first class.
19:29 So.
19:30 Don't have many problems,
19:32 maybe two or three.
19:33 Of all the things Kenny did,
19:35 you know, opening drive touchdown.
19:38 It wasn't a two minute drill,
19:39 but it was close enough.
19:39 You had well actually it was a two
19:41 minute drill and the drive before that.
19:44 What did you think about his overall
19:45 composure on the headphone and just
19:47 how the whole thing kind of laid out?
19:49 We got a lot of swag about him.
19:51 He got a lot of confidence and.
19:55 And we're not overbearing now,
19:57 'cause but you got a lot of confidence.
20:00 The kids can feel it when the kids
20:06 have a lot of confidence in him.
20:08 I don't know. No.
20:11 But KJ lot of confidence in him and
20:15 I think KJ played by far his best
20:18 game by far this year this year.
20:21 Saturday.
20:23 And I thought Rocket did too by far,
20:25 and I know he only played early
20:27 in two two and a half games, but.
20:31 That has a lot to do with.
20:33 Passion, pride and confidence
20:34 and all that, and that's what
20:37 he brought to him.
20:38 But he believed it too now and I
20:40 never questioned anything that he
20:42 called 'cause he called what we
20:44 practice and then these situations.
20:47 You know, in practice we're
20:48 gonna throw it down there.
20:50 Possibly we knew that safety was
20:51 going to be low and we could get
20:54 behind and when he called it man,
20:55 I got tight 'cause I'm going like
20:57 God first and go on the four.
21:00 Balls in the air and I didn't
21:02 stay tight too long.
21:03 You know, and Broden made a really,
21:05 really nice catch and KJ threw it to
21:07 where only Broden could catch it so.
21:09 I'm I'm so happy for Kenny and the
21:12 program and state and everybody else.
21:14 It was a big win for receiver pass.
21:16 Was that this week or the last two weeks?
21:20 And we know Tesla played quarterback.
21:22 So how did that all come together?
21:24 Yeah, well, the the double pass was mine.
21:28 We've had five, you know,
21:30 we were carried and one of them was
21:33 the first play of the game. And.
21:39 The double pass somehow it got it was.
21:42 It was put in, I guess 'cause it was my.
21:46 And I asked you, I said I want five of them.
21:48 I know five of them that we go score on.
21:51 And.
21:52 I just reminded Kenny at one
21:54 point during the game.
21:55 I said I think we double pass
21:57 there whenever you're ready.
21:59 And 'cause Tesla played
22:00 quarterback in high school,
22:01 man, what a what a ball.
22:03 I mean going to his left too.
22:07 And so I'm I don't mean to
22:09 take credit for the call and all.
22:11 We got a 15 year penalty.
22:13 I don't mean that,
22:14 but I'm trying to tell the back story of.
22:17 We went in with five and will
22:19 go in with five this week.
22:20 AJ, that's the first fumble lost by
22:23 running back by you guys in a long time,
22:25 but I'm not sure he got back in.
22:27 I mean.
22:28 Your faith in AJ still maybe big time.
22:30 Well, we have.
22:31 We have a lot of faith on him.
22:34 I just I told Jim after that.
22:36 So this is rev up the rocket and see,
22:39 see, see if we can go win the game or.
22:41 You know, 'cause our offensive line
22:43 was playing with some confidence
22:44 and and the White House were
22:46 catching the ball well now.
22:47 Let's see if we can't.
22:48 You know, we we think there are two
22:50 of our better players for a reason.
22:52 Let's rev up rocketing KJ.
22:53 See if we can't go in and had nothing to
22:56 really honestly with AJ it's just.
22:58 No.
22:59 Rocket was playing well and we want
23:04 we want to burn him up out there using
23:06 some more about about you.
23:08 He obviously had it going at Ole Miss.
23:10 Ran this month field issues.
23:12 He's really rebuilt his career.
23:14 Just what he thought about how he's
23:16 handled all that now he's back in the
23:18 answer sooner. Well, obviously you know,
23:20 Liberty gave him a chance, you know,
23:22 to do all those things and he went over
23:25 and took full advantage of that and and.
23:28 Man, I'm not saying he made a mistake or
23:31 didn't I? I don't know. You know,
23:33 it's not for me to decide,
23:35 but it let's say he did.
23:37 He's he's earned his way back to where
23:39 he is and they didn't then shame on
23:42 whoever accused him or whatever.
23:43 But the bottom line is is that he's a
23:46 good man and he's earned his way back
23:49 and I'm happy for him and we won't
23:51 beat him on Saturday but I'm I'm
23:54 happy where what he's done and and
23:56 he got back into this SEC deal now.
23:58 It's a. It's a.
24:00 It's a different story,
24:01 you know, and he knew that 'cause
24:03 he had been so successful at Ole
24:06 Miss and. He'll have Auburn rolling
24:08 and they are right now and does
24:11 live. Obviously the personnel is
24:12 different, but how similar the
24:14 schemes that you saw from Liberty
24:16 last year to what you know you've
24:18 seen from Auburn this year.
24:21 I think anytime that you're in a RPO world,
24:23 there's a lot of similarities and a
24:25 lot of teams you know.
24:29 You look at Ole Miss,
24:30 they do some similar thing,
24:32 then they're very unique at some
24:33 of the things they do as well.
24:35 So probably a lot of similarities, Bob.
24:39 I want more and not don't mean to throw
24:41 water or whatever on the great wind,
24:43 but five sacks.
24:44 That was really the only thing
24:46 the offense didn't do pretty well.
24:47 Was that just you have to get Florida
24:49 credit or what happened there?
24:51 I think at least two of those
24:53 and it may have been three.
24:55 They were running runs and they just got
24:57 tackled behind the line of scrimmage.
24:59 They were faking a bubble or a fly
25:02 out flare out of the backfield and
25:05 a run and they just got hit in the
25:08 backfield. I think at least two of
25:10 those were that that way and then
25:13 at least two of two or three of the
25:16 other ones were for sack sacks and
25:18 they basically just got beat or tackle.
25:21 Braxton, you know we've already
25:23 talked about in today, but.
25:25 You know, McLaughlin,
25:26 you go into the portal with
25:27 Jaheim and snacks and you know,
25:29 this freshman is kind of first string.
25:31 I mean, did you kind of anticipate
25:32 that he could have this kind of
25:34 impact for you way before the
25:36 season even started Braxton?
25:38 Well, we hope until we thought we we
25:40 were awful high on him coming out of high
25:42 school. It's very so hard, you know,
25:44 to start as a freshman or play as a
25:47 freshman other than special teams.
25:51 But. We were very, very high on him.
25:54 We knew that he came from a good
25:57 background of coaching and and his
26:00 father and all those type things.
26:04 Had a lot of impact on him and his
26:07 athletic ability in his career and
26:09 obviously well coached so we felt that.
26:12 But you know, we felt like that.
26:14 It was some other guys too in the past
26:17 and it just didn't pan out that early,
26:19 but he had all the intangibles and and
26:22 just wonderful wonderful kid and he loves
26:24 to play just real quick. Did you get
26:27 a chance to celebrate with with Josh Braun?
26:29 Just, you know,
26:30 winning against his former team?
26:32 I know you said you didn't speak
26:34 with him early in the week, you know.
26:36 It was really special.
26:40 I mean, he came up to me and.
26:44 Thank me and. I don't know why.
26:46 I mean, there have been other people
26:49 who took him to you know, but he thanked me.
26:52 And then as I'm walking to the bus,
26:55 his dad.
26:57 Made special effort to come and talk to me
27:00 and then I saw his mother as well.
27:03 His wife, but.
27:06 Is that said some awful nice things and
27:08 and but it really doesn't have a lot
27:11 to do with me. We gave him opportunity
27:13 and he he's used it and I was really
27:16 happy for him. I just want to touch
27:19 on that for a second.
27:20 What is it about him that allows like
27:23 I guess the tight end room to replenish
27:25 itself? He's going to be called on to do
27:28 it again. Yeah, well, I think he's a good
27:31 teacher. I think that's the first thing and.
27:33 You know, obviously we hired him for a
27:35 reason because he's he was at Stanford
27:37 for so long and had so many different
27:40 guys and so many of them played well.
27:42 Obviously they were very talented as well,
27:44 but initially you will get.
27:46 You're going to get chewed up a little bit.
27:48 You know there's a lot of guys down on
27:51 the field from us and Florida very,
27:53 very physical game.
27:54 So you know you have to have that
27:57 next guy ready to play and he's done
28:00 a really good job with that and and
28:02 I anticipate him doing it again,
28:05 but I think it's just his demeanor and
28:07 his ability to teach and motivate.
28:09 Hey coach, I wanted to ask you about
28:12 the opportunity to play on Veterans Day.
28:14 What's the significance to you personally?
28:16 And maybe to the team to be able to play
28:19 in front of the Razorback faithful
28:22 on Veterans Day? Yeah.
28:24 Great question, I mean.
28:28 I've lost uncles, cousins in the war and.
28:31 Just unbelievable what the the people
28:37 in our country have done to.
28:41 Not fire for our freedom and our safety,
28:44 and we sure want to honor
28:47 that as best as we can and.
28:50 It'll mean quite a bit for our
28:53 team to do that on Veterans Day,
28:55 and then you've talked in past weeks
28:57 about not letting losing spiral within
28:59 the team and focusing on the next game.
29:02 Now you experience the opposite
29:03 side of that spectrum.
29:04 What's the key in practice this week to?
29:07 Great win, but to move on to Auburn
29:09 and and focus on the Tigers.
29:11 Well, I think first of all,
29:13 we gotta get that we got.
29:16 Come on man.
29:17 But we're we're all about accountability,
29:22 and so we came in this week.
29:24 There were some things that we did well,
29:27 things that we did poor and on that sheet.
29:30 Whatever that's poor,
29:31 we've got to emphasize that
29:33 and make the kids accountable.
29:35 And I had 20 plays on offense and
29:38 I think I had 16 on defense and
29:41 there's accountability and I had.
29:43 I don't know,
29:44 seven maybe on special team.
29:47 And there's accountability from kids
29:48 and what happens a lot of times when
29:51 you win you put it under the rug.
29:54 'cause you won.
29:54 But if you don't,
29:56 if you do that,
29:57 you're going to get the same result
29:59 and so that it could be anything.
30:01 And so I think we've got a staff
30:04 that's not afraid of the players.
30:08 In other words,
30:08 that are willing to talk to him
30:10 and have an experience with him.
30:12 And hold them accountable and
30:13 and I hold him accountable.
30:15 They hold me accountable.
30:17 But I think if you do that.
30:20 I think you can get a better
30:23 result the next week.
30:24 Sometimes you know you're just trying to.
30:27 Man, I'm glad we won.
30:29 Let's get to the next game.
30:30 Duh duh duh.
30:31 And I don't think you can skip that
30:34 tech that skip that step of accountability.
30:37 And we sure won't today.
30:39 Our goal today is have the best Monday
30:41 practice that we've had all year and and
30:44 that starts with accountability
30:45 in the film room.