Razorbacks are bought in for new defensive staff
The Arkansas Razorbacks saw plenty of turnover with the defensive staff over the offseason, and the players are already fully bought in with the new regime.
Former defensive coordinator Barry Odom left for the head coach position at UNLV and took linebackers coach Michael Scherer with him to be his defensive coordinator. Those departures opened up spots for defensive coordinator Travis Williams and co-defensive coordinator Marcus Woodson to come in from UCF and Florida State, respectively.
Cornerbacks coach Dominique Bowman parted ways with Arkansas after the staff changes and that allowed Williams and Woodson to bring Deron Wilson over from Florida as the Razorbacks' new secondary coach.
All that change can be tough on a team, but after Arkansas' defense ranked No. 101 in scoring defense and No. 124 in total defense last season, a new-look scheme was welcomed with open arms.
"I love it," defensive tackle Taurean Carter said Thursday. "I’m all bought in. I’m all for it. We’re four down and we’re sending the kitchen sink. So it’s a lot of opportunities left out there on the field for us to make plays."
Williams came over from UCF, where he spent the last two seasons as the team's defensive coordinator. He runs Arkansas' defense, with the help of Woodson, and Williams also coaches the linebackers.
"He’s a cool dude," cornerback Dwight McGlothern said of Williams. "He brings energy, so it matches me all the time. Whatever he gives us, we match it on the field. If he’s turnt, we’re turnt with him. Like it just goes both ways and I appreciate him for coming out there and always getting on us.
"He’s gonna make sure we don’t make the same mistake again. He’ll put us out on the board in front of the whole defensive unit and that betters us because don’t nobody want to get called out in front of the whole team. It makes you want to come harder the next day and KILL the person that’s in front of you."
After serving as Florida State's defensive backs coach for three seasons, Woodson joined his friend Williams in Fayetteville to serve as co-defensive coordinator. He works with Williams in designing the defense and he also helps coach the secondary.
"Coach Woodson he knows a lot he's been around the game for a long time," McGlothern said. "He's putting in things that he is bringing over here. It's making me a better person and a better player."
As if it wasn't enough bringing Woodson over to help make sure Arkansas doesn't rank dead last among FBS teams in passing yards allowed per game for the second straight season, the Razorbacks went out and got Deron Wilson, who coached corners with Florida last year.
A younger coach at 32 years old, Wilson brings a different dynamic to the secondary than Woodson does.
"It's very good because both of them are very different style of coaches," McGlothern said. "One is older and one is younger. Coach Wilson was around the DB coach that I started out with whenever I was at the school before here (LSU). He knows a lot. So I learned from him as well."
As far as how Woodson and Wilson split duties with the secondary goes, McGlothern said they both provide value to the defensive back room.
"During our meetings both of them get their time to talk," McGlothern said. "That’s what I like about it because they communicate together. One coach will take the safeties one day, the other will take the corners, and then it just switches. In the meeting room, one coach talks this time and then the other coach fills in the rest of the time, so it’s been pretty good to have both."
Not only does McGlothern — who led Arkansas with four interceptions last season — feel. like he's benefitting from having Woodson and Wilson as on-field coaches, but he feels like they are building a great off-the-field relationship with the players.
"It’s crazy because they’re trying to make me like them as a person, and I do, and that’s the best thing about it because we come in this building every day, putting our bodies on the line, going hard work just to do what we love," McGlothern said. "Them making it fun for us to have fun on the field and off the field and learn at the same time, it’s a very blessed (situation)."
On top of adding the three new faces, Arkansas retained a face at defensive line coach with Deke Adams returning for a second season. That marks the first time Arkansas has retained a defensive line coach since 2018-19, when Steven Caldwell earned a second year under former head coach Chad Morris
"Man, I talk to (Adams) about that all the time," Carter said. "I rave to him all the time. I just like the fact that I know what I’m getting. I know what type of coaching I’m getting and I know what he wants from me. That’s what I lack. His strength is what I lack. So we kind of have a big bond right there."
Arkansas wrapped up its seventh practice of spring ball on Thursday and up next is a roughly 150-play closed scrimmage on Saturday.