Is Arkansas truly prepared for this season?

[00:00:00] Speaker A: And welcome to the Whole Hog Sports Podcast. I'm Chip Souza, host of the podcast, and I'm joined by the A train, Anthony Hicks. Anthony is former linebacker at Arkansas from strong Arkansas. Absolutely. [00:00:12] Speaker B: In Arkadelphia. [00:00:13] Speaker A: That's right, Arkadelphia. 95 west champions, Arkansas 97. NFL draft pick. The Green Bay Packers. Spent three, four years NFL, CFL, that kind of thing. Nobody loves the Hogs more than this guy does. He wearing his Hog stuff today. And, man, we are ready to roll. And so, Anthony, we got the season opener coming up Saturday, North Alabama. Yes, I know that won't be a big test, but what do we need to see Saturday for you to go? Okay, these new coaches look like they know what they're doing. [00:00:48] Speaker B: Well, the first thing that I want to see is how they look. How do their bodies look? We're in a time right now when everybody's going to get tested tremendously on fatigue, and that's with this heat going [00:01:01] Speaker A: back 99 on kickoff time, and every [00:01:04] Speaker B: day this week has been 99. But fortunately for these guys, they've been able to practice in it all summer. And we've had some unusual heat. Believe me, I remember the days when I was here and it wasn't as hot as it is now, and I remember some crazy days, but I just want to see what their bodies look like, see if they're actually in shape. That was one of the things that one of the guys, a lot of the guys said last year is no accountability because they really wasn't in shape. So you saw a tremendous amount of fatigue in the fourth quarter last year. We lost six games by less than 17 points combined. And I blame the defense, you know, because I can pretty much go back on all of that. And we were right there offensively, but we had so much, much fatigue. So if you saw my last time, I was worried about the strength and conditioning coach, and Noah Franklin got him in shape. [00:01:50] Speaker A: It's funny, Anthony, because you remember Jimmy Johnson. Jimmy Johnson, when he was first hired with the Cowboys, they were having their training camps in California, which was a little bit cool. Jimmy Johnson came in and told Jerry, we're not going to California. We stand right here in the heat because Jimmy was from Beaumont, Texas. It don't get any hotter, more humid than that. And he was a firm believer in the Frank Burroughs way. Heat and hard work conditions athletes. And so he brought the Cowboys back to Texas to work out. They lost a few guys over that, but it made them tougher. [00:02:24] Speaker B: Hey, they had to. And that's what's going to be the basis of what it is, because a lot of our things has been fatigue and toughness. We've been getting pushed around for the last few years, and I've seen a tremendous amount of fatigue in the fourth quarter, and that's not how Arkansas Razorbacks play well. [00:02:39] Speaker A: One home SEC win in three years, and I mean, that's. That just cannot be. You can't. You can't accept that. What's going on with that? [00:02:49] Speaker B: What's going on with that? Like. Like I said, you can base on a lot of different things because these coaches are like many NFL teams now, so they're putting together a tremendous amount of different people. It's different systems, different opportunities. Everything is completely different. And that's kind of what we're used to right now. But what I want them to do is I want to see these guys actually have some pride, have some pride about what they do, because everybody has something to prove. I mean, you go look up and down the defensive line, and you go look up and down the office. I mean, the defensive line, the offensive line, linebackers, our entire team, I think they brought in what, 80, 81 new players. 80 new players, and every one of them should have something to prove. I mean, they coming from Abilene Christian, West Georgia, Ohio State, usc, Florida, Kentucky. All of these guys are coming in, and they're coming in because they were looking for a better way. They always used to say, grass is not greedy on the other side. But the times in nil and these opportunities are tremendous, different now. So I want these guys to actually have some pride and care about where they are. [00:03:52] Speaker A: You know, I don't want to throw anybody under the bus here, but I'm going to kind of throw them under the bus a little bit. It seemed like when Petrino was here as EOC that all of the focus in the portal and that type of thing went to offensive guys. I got to get toys. I got to have nice shiny toys to play with or whatever. And then the defensive coaches kind of got what was left. Okay, Am I wrong? [00:04:17] Speaker B: Well, am I wrong about that? I'm going to be honest with you. I mean, knowing T will and knowing those guys back then, they're not going to tell you that. Okay? They're not going to say that because these are defensive guys. Defensive mentality is always the betterment of the team. I remember we used to play peewee with Steve Cunning. I used to tell him, you take everybody you want on offense, give me whatever you don't want. And I can turn a defense into whatever, because it's about want to. It's about grit, it's about having some pride. It's about, you know, being aggressive. And that's one of the things we've been getting, that's been happening to us so long, is that we've been getting pushed around, man. And it's very disrespectful. So I just want to see what Ron Roberts does with this defense. [00:04:54] Speaker A: Well, I will say this. What they did in the portal and sign a high school. They went and got some dudes now. [00:05:00] Speaker B: Dudes. [00:05:01] Speaker A: They got some dudes, dudes. [00:05:02] Speaker B: We're going. Okay, I'm going to be honest with you, everybody. We're going to look just like Alabama. We're going to look just like Georgia. The size is not an issue. It's not going to be an issue from there on. I promise you. It's here, it's here. It's all hard. And as Coach Ford used to say, I want to see what your mom and dad are putting. I want to see what you care about. I want to see if you care about where you are. Because these guys are making tremendous amount of money. They don't have to go to the old Eureka, Pisa or go beg for stuff. These guys are getting a tremendous amount of money. But I don't want it to be about money. I want it to be about getting your education and being prideful for where you are and what us, our fans and our state has given to you. [00:05:44] Speaker A: You played for Danny Ford. I mean, that's a guy, kind of a hard as nails kind of a guy. You know, he. He had zero tolerance for bs. [00:05:53] Speaker B: Yes. [00:05:54] Speaker A: And so. And he built that team, built his teams with Arkansas guys like you guys, who that hog on that helmet meant more than just, I'm putting on a red helmet. It's, you know, it's like Houston said, there's a whole lot of tigers and bears and whatever, but they just won Razorback. And I mean, you're an Arkansas guy. You talked about pride. Have we lost some of that? [00:06:21] Speaker B: No, I don't think we lost any of it. I just think we're literally playing the game the way the game is presented to us. I mean, we are literally. We don't have enough people in the total population of what Arkansas is. To be able to put a Division 1 team together with all Arkansas guys, it is virtually impossible. [00:06:40] Speaker A: I mean, but you guys were built from the inside out with Arkansas guys in that inside a lot. [00:06:50] Speaker B: Because we was fortunate enough to have those guys Available at that period of time in those positions. Yeah, things have changed, man. And that's only thing that's going to continuously happen is the change. But when you're able to find those guys and find someone that wants to be here, they will take responsibility and recognize where they are. I talk to my friend Jamel Harris all the time and he's an Alabama boy from Dothan, Alabama. He's coaching right now at Rehoboth. He's a D line coach right now. And he's been in. He's three or four years from retiring. But you can't take the pride from him. You can't take the love that he has for the state of Arkansas and what it is, because once you come here and you become a part of what we are, which is northwest Arkansas, you kind of care about it because you never felt that way in anywhere else in the world. So I just want these guys to come into Fayetteville. They've been here for since what, last spring? They've been here all summer. Now it's time for you to give some back. I mean. Cause a lot of you guys, you know, like I said, if you had a pride and you grew up in a. In a tough family or a family that understands hard work, you're gonna have some pride and give that hard work back to the people that's actually taking care of you and your family. [00:08:02] Speaker A: Of course, you are the son of a coach. You knew about that hard work. [00:08:05] Speaker B: Yeah, it's entrenched in me and it's something that my father interested me at a very early age. Watching him coach and watching the way that, you know, he coached me during high school. Coming to Arkansas, having Coach Ford was actually practically easy, to be honest with you. [00:08:23] Speaker A: At least with Coach Ford, when you left the practice field, you didn't have to talk to him. When you're riding home with dad, that's a long trip home. [00:08:30] Speaker B: Yeah. When you're going home, it just changes everything, changes everything about every focus of what's going on. So what I want to do is I'm just. Excuse me. Sorry about that. [00:08:42] Speaker A: He got 14 phones going on. He got a burner phone. Got a regular phone. Got a. There we go. [00:08:46] Speaker B: Sorry about that, guys. What it is, it's just something, like I say, with the pride that these guys need to have now, I just want to see what they got. What they got, Coach. Coach Silverfield said he was in the talent acquisition business now. [00:09:02] Speaker A: Okay. [00:09:03] Speaker B: Just as similar to what Tyson has with their recruiting department. Just as similar to What Walmart has. We're in the talent acquisition business. So we have to get people here that, that loves the coaches, that would play for the coaches and not just here to get a check. I mean, I'm just being completely honest with you. I'm going forward for the rest of the year on this podcast. I will not sugarcoat it. I will tell where it is. [00:09:25] Speaker A: That's what I like, man. Keeping it real right here. I'm keeping it real. [00:09:28] Speaker B: I'm going to understand exactly what this defense is doing and what they're not doing. I understand what Ron Roberts is trying to accomplish with his, with his tight front, with his three man front. I understand that he's not going to probably blitz as much as everybody else, but we're going to have five people try to get to the ball at all times. We're going to shut down the run. We're going to. We're going to run. We're going to be physical. If you look at our DBs, DBs are all big. [00:09:52] Speaker A: I mean, 6 foot 6, 3 and bring a hammer. [00:09:55] Speaker B: When you got to bring a hammer, bring a hammer. I mean, come downhill at all times. And we have some, like I said, we have some guys I want to see if they have something to prove. And I know the chip on these guys shoulder like Ron Roberts. [00:10:07] Speaker A: Well, so picked last in the sec, of course. All right, so when you played pick last, you picked last, right? Right. You guys had just come into the SEC 10 minutes ago. You hadn't been in very long, kind of, you know, kind of getting kicked around a little bit as the new guys, you know, and the little brother kind of a thing, whatever. But you guys changed that mentality. You guys changed that culture and everything. But when you guys were picked last, what kind of extra motivation? I mean, you're like, put another 10 or 15 or 20 on the bar because I don't want to be picked last. I'm going to show these people that they're wrong or I'm going to run them two extra sprints while y' all might be walking in line. I'm staying out here. I'm staying out here for another 10 or 15 minutes and getting in just a few more reps because somebody going to pay for picking us last. They paying for that. [00:10:58] Speaker B: And you and I will be able to talk about it about at least by the third game of the year, we'll be able to identify the actual leaders on the team. Okay. Okay. That is one of the things that I want to identify. I know who's the leaders and who's the captains. They said for this game it's going to be the center, Kaden. It's going to be Quincy Rose and I think it's going to be. I forgot the up. It's one more guy I think is a special teams guy. Oh, no, the quarterback, K.J. jackson. So those are the three leaders right now that he put out there for being a captain. But you're gonna see those silent leaders, you know, you're gonna see what Kamari House has, you're gonna see what Caleb Bale has. You're gonna see what, you know, Joker Johnson and Christian Harrison. You're gonna see if these guys are willing to step up. Because I'm talking about fifth year guys. I'm talking about guys that's been around the world. Cincinnati with Harrison, you know, North Carolina, you know, Ohio State, Florida, Oregon, usc. We have guys from very high profile places that's here right now. I just want to see if they have a little pride and if somebody hit you in the mouth, you're going to hit them back. [00:12:04] Speaker A: I got to get your take on this. So this is a big thing going on right now. You mentioned fifth year. You got LSU going out, trying to get guys in the NFL hall of Fame come back and play. [00:12:13] Speaker B: I think I'll have some. [00:12:14] Speaker A: I think Tony Dorsett, they asked him if he wanted to come back. Something like, he's just stupid going on. What's your take on that? [00:12:21] Speaker B: I don't have a take because I don't have control of it. I understand. [00:12:25] Speaker A: But you got an opinion though. [00:12:27] Speaker B: I really don't. I really don't. Because the fact is, is that everything is forever changing. And I'm just being honest with you. I'm not jealous. [00:12:35] Speaker A: I'm torn on it. [00:12:36] Speaker B: I'm not. [00:12:36] Speaker A: I'm not. I'm kind of torn on it. So, Anthony, here's where I'm torn. All right, so let's say Anthony Hicks gets drafted or maybe not. Maybe not drafted at all. Maybe he's a UDFA okay with the Chicago Bears. [00:12:48] Speaker B: Yes. [00:12:48] Speaker A: And you go to training camp and you don't make the 53 and you're not going to the practice squad. Okay. Or maybe you're going to be on the practice squad, but they get paid basically a Eureka Pizza or whatever. Okay. All right. But you could go back to school and make more in nil than what you'd make on the practice squad. I got. How could I, how can I be mad about that? [00:13:10] Speaker B: Because it's all based on systematic Things that the NCAA has not been made, has not put in stone yet. I mean, there's always been systematic opportunities to be able to keep the players where they're supposed to be. I mean, before Nil, before the transfer portal, before all of those different things, they had all of these rules in place when I was there. Okay? I'm not saying that you have the capability of having all the same rules, because you probably put yourself in a sense of having the largest class action lawsuit in the history of sports. But what I am saying is this. There has to be some type of not pay to play, but systematic opportunities to be able to put a rule in to say you only get four, you only get five to have four, or you only have an opportunity to be able to play this long. Or once you sign an NFL contract, your amateur status completely dissolves itself. [00:14:04] Speaker A: There's two things I don't know. [00:14:06] Speaker B: They don't have it. [00:14:07] Speaker A: There's two things I don't like. Well, I'm all for anything that helps the kids. Okay? I'm for that. All right? But there's two things I don't like. One is, in my mind, once you've crossed the line and been in an NFL training camp, that gives you an advantage. [00:14:20] Speaker B: Your amateur status is over now. [00:14:22] Speaker A: Right? That gives you an advantage. Okay? Even if you. I mean, if you've been in an NFL camp since, well, since February or March, whatever, since the draft for sure, since April. So that gives you an advantage. I don't like that. Number two, what about the kids that they went and got out of the portal or signed out of high school. We gonna tell them, listen, we appreciate, you know, you signed with, but we're gonna bring this dude back. Cause, you know, he's been in NFL camp for six weeks. [00:14:49] Speaker B: But I think the rules was if they sign a pro contract, it didn't matter if you were. I mean, if you were Europe or if you was playing in CBA or if you signed a professional contract, then you period, your. Your amateurism is you're out. [00:15:06] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:15:06] Speaker B: Or you don't have the. So it's not really amateurism anymore because you have the nil, but your ability to play in the NCAA should be completely. Yeah, yeah, I'm with you. So those, like I said, there are systematic things, because you and I have said it. Sit around in smitties and we talked about what different things and different ways that they can control the nil to make it more beneficial for, you know, for everyone. And what it is, is put rules in place that's going to establish what amateurism or what your participation in the NCAA means. If they want to sue, let them sue. But you have these. These. Just as much as everybody hates journeyman judges and using the legal system, that's what they're doing. They're literally finding state judges, state of Louisiana, the state of Texas, like they tried to do with Texas Tech, to try to change the rules, to put injunctions in place so these kids can play. That's gonna be better for them. So like I said, systematically, they are taking. It's not the kid. Okay? [00:16:05] Speaker A: It's funny. It's funny, Anthony, back when you played, if the coach said, man, Anthony got a. He got a restraining order. [00:16:12] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:16:12] Speaker A: You'd be like, oh, man, what'd he do? [00:16:14] Speaker B: We don't want him no more. [00:16:15] Speaker A: Now you're like, anthony got a restraining order. Yes. He could play. [00:16:21] Speaker B: Every coach, everybody keeps blaming the kid and. And keeps looking at the kid. The kids are not the ones making these decisions. It is the coaches. It is the administrators. That's the agents and also the fan base. [00:16:36] Speaker A: If they find that gray area, if [00:16:37] Speaker B: they find a way within the system to be able to put it, turn it in their best interest, they're going to do it. And I think that's the way of the world now. Integrity and character is not. It's not as much as it used to be. [00:16:49] Speaker A: It's gone. [00:16:49] Speaker B: I mean, I'm not just talking about sports. I'm talking about across the board, because it's. People love comforting lies instead of the hurtful truth. [00:16:56] Speaker A: Yeah, man. This is what our show is going to be about. Every week, Anthony's going to. He's going to bring the truth. If the truth. If you can't, you can't handle it. If you can't handle the truth, hey, man, I don't care if you can't handle the truth. We might not be your stop. If you want the truth unfiltered, unvarnished, and right there, we're going to bring that. Absolutely, man. I'm so glad you're going to be on this podcast with me. I've been wanting to do this for a while, and we appreciate that. Now I'm gonna put my guy on the spot. [00:17:22] Speaker B: All right? [00:17:23] Speaker A: I'm gonna put my guy on the spot because last year we had Anthony, Steve Connolly, a couple other dudes come and speak at a. At our Hogs Illustrated Sports Club luncheon. Did a great job, man. Loved it. Anthony said these kids on the team now could not sing the fight song. Didn't know the words. Arkansas fight song. He knew. They kind of know the music. Da da da da da. They kind of know that, but they don't know the word no. All right, so I'm gonna put my guy on the spot right here. I am going to queue up. [00:17:49] Speaker B: Gotcha. [00:17:50] Speaker A: The Arkansas fight song only gonna be 30 seconds. So if you want a recording contract, man, you ain't got a lot of time here. [00:17:59] Speaker B: No. [00:17:59] Speaker A: So Captain Records, you better catch it here. It's gonna be about 30 seconds long. [00:18:03] Speaker B: Well, well, Chip, I'm gonna. I'm gonna put it to you like this. I learned the fight song back in 1992. That was one of the first things that was actually talked to us. I love it. And this is what Houston Nut taught me. He literally brought all of us in a room together, from the likes of Barry Lonnie to JJ Meadows to all of those guys that was in that class of 92 class and he, Mark Smith, Vincent Bradford, and he taught us, and they literally taught us to fight song. And this is the way that they taught it. They taught us to always be enthusiastic about it, but understand the words of what we're trying to do. So if these kids can learn the fight song and learn what it means, it would actually be a base front in their lives to the point where it's not just about using football. This is being. This is a football fight song, but it's being used in all Zundras and all sports that we have on the University of Arkansas. [00:18:53] Speaker A: All right, kids, if you want to know the fight song, maybe I can get my girls in the studio to actually put the words with it. They do little things and put the words with it. So if you're ready. [00:19:02] Speaker B: I'm ready. [00:19:02] Speaker A: Are you ready? [00:19:03] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:19:03] Speaker A: All right, Here we go. [00:19:05] Speaker B: 1, 2, 1, 2, 3. Hit that line. Hit that line. Keep on going. Move that ball right down the field. Give a cheer Rah rah Never fear Rah rah Arkansas will never yield on your toes Raise your backs to the finish Carry on with all your might Forest AAR K A N S A S for Arkansas Fight, fight, fight. [00:19:31] Speaker A: Yes. [00:19:33] Speaker B: I love it all the time, every time. It is a motivation tactic that I still use to this day. [00:19:38] Speaker A: What other podcast do you get out there where we're going to give you the fight song Done like Anthony Hicks just did it. That's what I'm saying. [00:19:45] Speaker B: Let's go, let's go. [00:19:46] Speaker A: All right, man. I appreciate it. So we want to remind all of our listeners to watch, you know, check Out Ho Hawk Sports Daily podcast. Got a podcast every day bringing you in tons and tons of information, everything. It's going to be really cool. On Wednesdays, Brandon Marcelo, he's one of our guys, got his start here, guy from Farmington, that kind of thing. Now national college reporter, senior reporter for CBS Sports. He's going to join Matt Jones on Wednesday. So you won't want to miss that because he'll bring you knowledge about what's going on around the nation. Also, don't forget, if you are not part of our Hogs Illustrated Sports Club luncheons, those are held every week on Thursdays at home. Two suites in Springdale. We've got good speakers coming in every week. We honor high school and college kids. You know, athletics is a big deal. It's a big deal in these communities and we want to make sure that we recognize the young men, young women who are doing that. And it's in every sport. Golf, tennis, football, it's all of it. So that's part of our Hogs Illustrated Sports Club luncheon. If you want to know more about that, who's speaking? You want to buy tickets, go to ozarksticks.com that's O Z A R K S and you can get tickets for that. And also see who is going to be speaking coming up. Man, I appreciate it. We're going to give a little shout out to our sponsors again. Anthony and I are going to be here every Tuesday and we're going to be bringing you the truth. We're keeping it real here and we're going to drop it on you. [00:21:09] Speaker B: Absolutely. [00:21:10] Speaker A: We're going to drop it on you. So let's give a little word out to our sponsors here. First, we'll start with Southern Loft. Southern Loft believes that your home should reflect your unique personality. That's why they offer a wide variety of stylish furniture pieces that are perfect for any taste. Whether you're looking for a new sofa, nice chairs like this for your living room, or sleek dining room table for your kitchen, they have just what you need when you're looking for that piece of furniture to make that man cave look just right, you know, need to get something to go with that big screen TV. Visit them at Southern Loft at 3155 North College Avenue in Fayetteville. Or call 479-856-6100. That's 479-856-6700. In Arkansas, greatness starts early, starts in the morning. Anthony. Got to get up early. You want to be great got to get up early before the paths go on, before the crowd roars, before the day begins. 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[00:22:51] Speaker B: Go Hawks. LPGA Week in Northwest Arkansas returns this September as We celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Walmart Northwest Arkansas Championship presented by PNG. Join us at the September 21st through the 27th at Pinnacle Country Club in Rogers to watch the world's best female golfers compete, plus enjoy family friendly activities, food and entertainment all week long. Tickets start at just $10. Visit www.nwachampionship.com to learn more and purchase your tickets today.