The Arkansas contingent made their appearance at SEC Media Days on Tuesday as Chad Morris was joined by Hjalte Froholdt, Dre Greenlaw and Santos Ramirez from Atlanta.
Here are some highlights of the quotes provided by the players on the Arkansas roster:
Senior offensive lineman Hjalte Froholdt
On playing in the spread offense as an offensive lineman…
“We’re big guys, so we’re not huge fans of running a lot. That’s the first issue we have to tackle. Other than that, the game doesn’t really change. In the trenches, the game stays the same. It’s the same defensive linemen we’re facing. They’re all phenomenal players. In the end, you have to block the guy in front of you.”
On his final year…
“The coaches in the previous staff wouldn’t want us to sit down and be sad about the situation. They wanted us to attack every day and accept this new coaching staff. If everyone focuses on the culture (Head Coach) Chad Morris brings in here, I think we’ll have success.”
On how he learned about Arkansas after growing up in Denmark…
“Arkansas was my first offer. I was up in Ohio, and I wanted to respect they were my first offer. My dad and I drove down there for a visit, and it was amazing. The rest is history.”
On his favorite Chad Morris saying…
“There’s so many I don’t even know if I can remember them all. It’s just the way he says everything, he’s super energetic. We’ve got hammer down, full tilt boogie, etc. We want to be the best. It’s the whole culture, it’s hard to pinpoint one.”
Senior linebacker Dre Greenlaw
On his journey to getting adopted…
“It’s been a long, long journey, man. I was taken in by the early ninth grade. They actually got me two days before the group home left. So, they took me in and just made me a part of the family. At the time, we had decided that it was best if I didn’t get adopted, and I just finish my DHS process out until I turned 21. So I turned 21 last May, last month. So, we decided that, since I was 21 and I was old enough and mature enough to decide what I wanted to do, because my family technically was terminated from me, so I decided to make them my official Mom and Dad. They were Mom and Dad anyways, but it just makes it some kind of commitment. ”
On Defensive Coordinator John Chavis joining the coaching staff…
“It’s unbelievable learning from (John) Chavis. I didn’t really know what to expect when he first came in, but after I got that relationship with him, just to play for someone else that has been in the SEC for as long as he has and experience the knowledge and the players he has put in the league, you know, you had another choice to go into practice and give it your all. When you have someone else coaching you, he’s seen the best of the best and he obviously has seen great talent.”
On the changes headed into this season…
“It was very frustrating. I think the change from the 3-4. I think a 4-3 defense, personnel wise, is just a better fit for us. As you know, the change is anything that the coach agrees. The pressure and type of personnel that we have at the end is at the linebacker spot. The pressure weighs on the people from the edges. I think it is going to tell the difference in last year and this year.”
Senior defensive back Santos Ramirez
On balancing the role of being a leader as senior with a first-year head coach…
“I try to instill to the upperclassman that we have to be the ones to start tradition, start a culture. We want Arkansas to be good for many years after us, so we have to make sure we instill to the younger guys the importance of the little things, the small details of things, and what it takes to win games, to win championships. Even though we haven’t done this since I’ve been here, we still have that winners’ mentality about ourselves. We still have the mentality to be the best, and through the little details of things, we try to teach the younger guys that no matter what role you step into, you have to make sure you give your all, and you have to finish. That was the thing that hindered us a lot, if you learn to finish everything you do, it’s going to be natural.”
On the LSU game and getting the Boot…
“We take pride in obtaining the Boot, and right now, it’s not in our possession and that’s something that really bothers us. Really, all our trophy games, but especially that one, just because of course it’s the rivalry with LSU and everything, but we take pride in that trophy. We want it back home where it belongs.”
On Head Coach Chad Morris…
“I love that his standard, which is the best, he shows that in everything that he does. When he starts recruiting, if he’s coaching us, you know since he’s been here as a coach, he’s taken all of us in. He’s been here the whole time that I’ve been here. He has made an effort to build a relationship with each one of the players individually. I really respect Coach Morris and everything that he brings to the table.”
A graduate of the University of Tennessee, Michael Wayne Bratton oversees the news coverage for Saturday Down South. Michael previously worked for FOX Sports and NFL.com
