Following a season in which the Razorbacks surrendered the most pass yards per game of any FBS team, Arkansas' new defensive coaches are working as one voice to create consistency for a group that is sure to be improved in 2023.
Not only did the Hogs add 11 newcomers — transfers and freshmen — to the secondary, but they also added two new coaches. Co-defensive coordinator Marcus Woodson came over from Florida State, where he served as defensive backs coach, and Deron Wilson is now the secondary coach after serving as a defensive analyst for Florida last year.
While Woodson has the co-defensive coordinator title, he is working with the secondary every practice. It could be an issue for two coaches to run one group, but Woodson and Wilson have turned it into an opportunity to display oneness.
"We meet as a secondary all together," Wilson said Monday. "Sometimes he runs the meeting. Sometimes I run the meeting. Sometimes we split up. The reason we run it together is because we’re all one. One voice, whether it’s his voice or my voice.
"Which if it’s his voice it is my voice and if it’s my voice it’s his voice because we’re on the same page. At times we split up where I may take the corners and he takes the safeties and vice versa. We work as one and make sure we’re always on the same page."
The goal of having one voice no matter which coach is speaking is to keep everyone on the same page at all times. One issue Arkansas had in the secondary last year was miscommunication and confusion. That doesn't seem to be an issue through four days of fall camp.
"They over-communicate," cornerback Dwight McGlothern said of Woodson and Wilson. "Like, they over-communicate, that’s basically how I could say it. And it’s a good thing, they make us over-communicate and hold us accountable.
"Anything we do, we go out there on the field together as a DB unit, together. Not one person go one at a time, we all go all at once. Anything we do, we go together. So, it’s that mindset."
Turning a defense around is not something that is new to Woodson, who inherited a Florida State secondary that ranked No. 119 in the nation in pass yards allowed per game in 2019. By the time Woodson left, the Seminoles checked in at No. 4 in the country in that same category for the 2022 season.
"Myself, Coach Woodson and the guys, we embrace the challenge," Wilson said. "We embrace the challenge in becoming better. We’re always hard on them. Don’t let up on them. The standard is the standard. What that expectation is, don’t lower it. We don’t talk in the 110%. We’re talking 100%. We want your best to be your best. Not 95%. We want it to be at 100% every single day."
Though there are plenty of new faces — six freshmen and five transfers — the camaraderie and togetherness is strong in the Arkansas defensive backs room. Developing a high level of communication is going to benefit that group a lot this fall.
"If you have issues within the pass game, busted coverages, it’s because of communication," Wilson said. "That’s the reason we do the things that we do, myself and Coach Woodson, having guys together and they’re hearing both voices. Now, communication is not an issue. Pursuit to the ball is not an issue."
Arkansas has four fall camp practices in the books and 21 remain ahead of the season opener against Western Carolina on Saturday, Sept. 2 at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock.
