Sam Pittman reveals how Arkansas will approach LSU game in light of Greg Brooks Jr. diagnosis

When LSU and Arkansas meet they’ll do so without a guy who has been an impact player for both: Tigers defensive back Greg Brooks Jr.

Brooks underwent surgery to remove a brain tumor that was recently discovered and had been causing him semi-frequent bouts with vertigo. He will miss the game.

Arkansas coach Sam Pittman said his players will be doing their part to honor Brooks, a former Razorbacks player before his transfer to the Tigers, with how they play.

“It’s amazing, you have to continue to play hard, you have to play in honor just like LSU did last week, in honor of Greg, and there’s certainly a big part of that on our team,” Pittman said. “We’re very competitive, we want to win, we want to do all that, but tragedy’s put in our life we have to honor those times and that’s what we’re going to do.”

Brooks spent three years at Arkansas from 2019-21, where he turned into a quality playmaker. But he ultimately chose to transfer to LSU to be closer to home.

“But he was a wonderful teammate here and I could not think of one negative thing to say about him or his family,” Pittman said. “So it’s tough, our kids know it as well, but all we can do is represent him in the way that we play.”

In the first two games this season, Brooks recorded eight tackles and two pass break-ups before leaving the lineup due to the emergency. In five years, Greg Brooks has totaled 186 tackles, 9.0 tackles for a loss, a sack, a forced fumble, six interceptions and 19 pass breakups.

More than his production, though, teammates will likely miss his personality.

“Caring, loving, smiles all the time, competitive, great teammate, great person, family,” said Pittman, describing who Brooks is as a person. “That was easy, by the way, because that’s who he is. Was able to talk to mom on Monday, I guess it was, and we’re just continuing to pray for him.

“But in a nutshell he’s, and I mean this all my heart, he’s a wonderful, wonderful kid and that didn’t change when he decided to go back to his home state of Louisiana. We have prayed and will continue to pray every day for his health.”