There is a lot of new with the Arkansas football team for the 2023 season, including a pair of first-year coordinators.
Offensive coordinator Dan Enos is back in Fayetteville for the second time, as he previously held the same role from 2015-17. Defensive coordinator Travis Williams came over from UCF, where he was the defensive coordinator for the 2021-22 seasons.
Both Enos and Williams have a ton of new faces on their respective sides of the ball, but they aren't backing down from challenging each other.
"Coach Enos, he’s making me better," Williams said Friday. "He does so many different things that makes us have rules. So many different formations. It’s not one of those just line up and go fast. It’s like you’ve got to get down there and you’ve got to process what they’re doing and different things, different shifts and motions."
Enos sort of lucked into a great situation with the Razorback offense having a third-year starting quarterback in KJ Jefferson, star running back Rocket Sanders, a pair of veteran offensive linemen and much more. With so many weapons at his disposal, Enos has the ability to make a defensive coordinator's job very hard.
"You hear Coach Pittman say all the time, he’s one of the best play callers he’s ever been around," Williams said. "I’ve experienced that in the six months I’ve been around him. Very, very smart. Does some things that can really, really hurt defenses, so you’ve got to have some things as far as rules. They do things to make us better, and in return, we do things to make them better."
While Enos has made a name for himself in Razorback country due to past success here, Williams is already becoming a fan-favorite coach for how his group is shaping up following a successful offseason in the transfer portal.
Arkansas brought in 10 scholarship transfers on the defensive side of the ball and nine remain after Western Kentucky transfer AJ Brathwaite Jr. left the team. Those who are left all have a chance to play a big role this fall, including the defensive linemen, who gave Enos' group trouble during Saturday's first scrimmage of fall camp.
"We have a very, very talented defense," Enos said. "In particular, in the front seven as far as rushing the passer. We want to challenge our guys and this is the best way to figure out what we can do and what we can’t do. It’s the best way for our players to gain confidence, too, because they’re blocking really, really good players."
While Williams is getting his job done schematically and on the field, he is also being a great person to play for.
"He's going to hold you accountable," cornerback Dwight McGlothern said Aug. 7. "He's going to hold you accountable. He's a great leader, great man. I'm happy to play for him."
Enos and Williams will have another shot to make each other better Saturday, when the Hogs will hold their second and final closed scrimmage of fall camp. HawgBeat will have updates following the scrimmage on The Trough premium message board.
