SEC Media Days: Determined Razorbacks ‘brewing something really good’ under Chad Morris

ATLANTA — Santos Ramirez slowly gazed around the hundreds of assembled media members and mumbled to himself.

“This is legit,” the defensive back from Arkansas said with wide eyes.

Welcome to SEC Media Days.

Arkansas’ contingent of players didn’t show up to fanfare, weren’t incredibly well known and didn’t claim they were intent on being the best dressed among their fellow SEC players unlike some others.. The Razorbacks, who were represented by Ramirez, linebacker Dre Greenlaw and offensive lineman Hjalte Froholdt were more business-like than some other players that have made their way through the throngs of reporters and talk-show hosts.

Perhaps that’s humility that understandably follows a season in which the Razorbacks finished 4-8 and 1-7 in the SEC. Perhaps that’s the tone that first-year Arkansas head coach Chad Morris is trying to set and that’s why he sent three seniors to attend the annual preseason event.

“Since the coaching transition arrived, the seniors on our team and the upperclassmen on our team really took it upon ourselves to lead this team and make a decision that we’ve got to make sure that no matter what happens around us, we’re going to stick together,” Ramirez said. “We’re going to create that bond. We have a lot of talented guys that care. That really matters, a lot of guys with that passion that want to be great and want to lead those guys on.”

Said Froholdt, “It’s really important. We’ve had a bunch of guys step up. Santos and Dre are great examples of that. Some guys that have had a lot of playing experience have stepped up and really took their position group to a whole new level.”

Froholdt is a prime example of a player that bought in quickly. Despite not giving up a sack last season and being the highest rated returning offensive guard in the nation according to Pro Football Focus, Froholdt never considered skipping his final season of college eligibility to enter the NFL Draft.

“There’s a lot of things going on with the whole coaching change,” Froholdt said. “People might think that’s a good time to get out of there, but I believe in the Razorbacks. If I have an opportunity to be a Razorback one more year, stay in college, grow and get more experience, hopefully that NFL career is going to be that much more successful.”

Of course, many of the questions that the Arkansas faced at SEC Media Days revolved around Morris, who left SMU to replace former Razorback head coach Bret Bielema.

“He’s always going to be energetic,” Froholdt said of Morris. “He’s always going to be full of energy, ready to attack the day. I’m a fan.”

Froholdt had better be a fan of cardio. Morris’ offense is much different from Bielema’s.

“It’s tempo. Tempo. Tempo. Tempo,” Froholdt said. “It’s a whole new way of playing football. Last year, we wanted to control the clock a little more. We wanted the offense on the field as much as possible. We’re trying to score some quick points now.

“With tempo, we’re trying to get the defense out of alignment, trying to get them to make some bad decisions. Either one can be successful, but we’re brewing something really good here.”

Morris’ offense is what he’s most known for, but his approach to running a team is what his players spoke the most about. Ramirez was quick to bring up the Razorbacks’ offseason reading assignment: “Chop Wood Carry Water: How to Fall in Love with the Process of Becoming Great.” It’s a popular self-help book that was required reading for Arkansas’ players.

“Bring your best in everything you do,” Ramirez said of the new coaching staff. “It shows. They don’t allow for us to have mediocrity. They don’t stand for that.”

Froholdt said Morris’ approach was apparent early in his Arkansas tenure.

“Coach Morris set the bar high from Day 1,” Froholdt said. “I think we have a lot of guys — the whole team, really — buying into it. It’s been really successful.”

Greenlaw said the camaraderie has been apparent on the field during spring practice and summer workouts.

“Coach Morris really emphasizes on becoming a unit and becoming a brotherhood,” Greenlaw said. “We’ve been having alot of our leaders take the younger guys under their wings and show them the ins and outs of the game. I think that has has caused us to become a better team and come together.”

That had better be the case. The seniors know that they’re running out of time to end their careers on a happy note. They seem confident they can make that happen.

“This is the year to change everything around,” Ramirez said. “As a senior, nobody wants to go out with a bad taste in their mouth. I feel bad for my brothers that left with that 4-8 taste (last season) but moving forward, we don’t expect that. We won’t allow that. … Everything we do, we’re going to be the best at it.

“We’re not having a losing season this year.”

Dave Hooker

Dave Hooker started covering Tennessee in 1998. He hosts an SEC radio show out of Chattanooga and covers the SEC for Saturday Down South.