NWA Summer Memory Makers
Summer has a way of creating memories that families talk about for years....
Uh oh...
It appears that you're using a severely outdated version of Safari on Windows. Many features won't work correctly, and functionality can't be guaranteed. Please try viewing this website in Edge, Mozilla, Chrome, or another modern browser. Sorry for any inconvenience this may have caused!
Read More about this safari issue.
There will be a changing of the guard on the interior of the Arkansas Razorbacks’ defensive front this year.
New starters, new position coaches, a new alignment and hopefully a new outcome.
The Hogs were undermanned with experienced interior defensive linemen last season. Ironically, that was never more evident than in Arkansas’ 32-31 loss to Memphis last September.
When the Razorbacks needed a late fourth-quarter stop after a disastrous fumble, the Tigers mowed through Arkansas’ worn-down defensive front to retain the ball and cap a 32-31 victory.
A year later, Ryan Silverfield is the Hogs’ head coach after departing Memphis late last November, and he’s made changes that he and all Hog fans hope will make a difference on the defensive front.
Silverfield said starting spots won’t be nailed down until preseason camp, but here’s a projection for key performers at the nose guard and tackle spots on the Razorbacks’ defensive line.
David Oke (6-2, 314) came on strong late in spring practice at the nose guard spot. The powerfully built senior, who transferred in from Abilene Christian, gets off the ball with twitch and is particularly effective when slanting. He has leadership qualities and has worked himself into possibly being a difference-maker for the Razorbacks up front.
Hunter Osborne (6-4, 301) not only has the size and quickness to compete in the SEC, but his football IQ also stands out, as does his work ethic. The transfer from Virginia played his first two seasons at Alabama. He impressed in the spring with his mind and motor. He will be counted on to provide a good push up front and attack blockers at the line of scrimmage.
Other interior linemen who should help this year are Danny Beale (6-5, 348), a freshman with all the tools; Xadavian Sims (6-3, 300), a talented sophomore who can play tackle, nose or end; and Trajean Odom (6-3, 291), a freshman fighting for playing time. Odom could be a factor in third-down, attack-the-ball situations.
Continue reading at Fayetteville Flyer
We do the work.
You check your email.
Sign up for our weekly e-news.
Get stories sent straight to your inbox!
Like this story? Read more from Fayetteville Flyer - Terry Wood
The University of Arkansas will be well represented next week at the...
As Arkansas Razorback fans lick their wounds following the Hogs’ ouster...
It was a performance for the ages. The type that marks time. The kind...
Join the Conversation
Leave a Comment