Landon Jackson: Arkansas stressing the 'small details'
After an impressive 9-4 record in Arkansas‘ second season under head coach Sam Pittman, the Razorbacks took a slight step back last year finishing the season 7-6. Arkansas will look to improve this upcoming season, which according to Razorbacks’ defensive lineman Landon Jackson is a whole lot easier when playing for a head coach like Pittman.
“First of all, I love playing for Sam Pittman. He’s a genuine guy,” Jackson said at SEC Media Days. “What y’all see in the public, what y’all see at media days and stuff like that is how he is to us. He’s just an energetic and happy man. He’s walking around all day at practice just chopping it up with different players, making conversation. He always has a smile on his face.”
Pittman is one of the most joyous personalities in college football, often described as the kind of coach you’d want to have a beer with. But when it comes to serious business, Jackson revealed that the team has been focusing on this offseason to ensure that the 2023 season looks better than 2022.
“I think we’re really stressing all the small details. Last year I want to say it was three or four games we lost by combined nine points. Those games where we’re losing by two or three, we have to be able to capitalize and win those games. I feel like that will make us a much better team,” Jackson explained.
The Razorbacks had their fair share of nail bitters last season, but unfortunately, most of them did not go their way. Out of their six losses last season, all but two were by a margin of three points or less. Which apparently is something that Arkansas has been directly addressing this offseason specifically in the weight room.
“Coach Sowders, our new strength coach, came from Louisville, he stresses all the little details. For example, for like workouts, he stresses us to be there not five minutes early but earlier than five minutes,” Jackson said. “Say the workout is at 3 p.m. If there at 2:55, you’re on the StairMaster, you’re doing up, downs, something like that. All the little details we’re really trying to perfect right now, and I think it will play into the season.”
Thankfully fourth-quarter fortune was on Arkansas’ side to end the season, as they edged out Kansas in a 55-53 win in triple overtime of the Autozone Liberty Bowl to end the year. They showed a new level of toughness and attention to detail in the fourth quarter and overtime, and will look to carry that momentum into this upcoming season starting with a Week 1 matchup versus Western Carolina.