Trajan Jeffcoat hungry for 2023 season
The Arkansas football team doesn't often have the combination of size, speed, and experience at the defensive end position that Missouri transfer Trajan Jeffcoat brings.
The 6-foot-4, 281-pound pass rusher played four seasons with the Tigers and totaled 84 tackles, 19.5 tackles for loss and 11.5 sacks.
For the second straight week, Jeffcoat was a standout during Saturday's second and final closed scrimmage of fall camp for the Razorbacks.
"It's hard when you've got (Jeffcoat) coming off the edge," Pittman said. "That's a bad man back there...Here's the other thing with him, we're not going into the scrimmage saying we're going to slide to him, we're going to chip him or we're going to do all those things. We're trying to see if we have somebody that can block him."
Pittman played defensive end at Pittsburg State from 1980-83 and was named an NAIA All-American, but today's game is a bit different from then and Jeffcoat's stature proves it.
"In 1983, this (points to self) is what an All-American defensive end looked like," Pittman said. "2023, this (points to Jeffcoat) is what one of them looks like. He's 280, can run 20 - what, 21? (miles per hour)"
The motivation behind Jeffcoat's stellar performance throughout fall camp and the scrimmages has been his hunger for the game, according to Pittman.
"Very strong, very fast, great leader and to be honest with you, probably hungrier than you've ever been in your life," Pittman said. "And that makes a big difference."
While he's been at an SEC program for his entire college football career, being at Arkansas means a little bit more for Jeffcoat.
"I’m just grateful for being on the University of Arkansas football roster," Jeffcoat said. "I just take great heed in this opportunity, just being around great players like KJ. It’s just motivation to me to contribute and just a hunger factor. I just feel blessed and fortunate to be in this opportunity I’m in right now."
"Just again, being on a great team. They welcomed me with open arms, the whole team. It just created this hunger in me, going back on what I said, just to have a companion around me like my teammates, it makes me want to go harder. I definitely have a son, as well, so that’s definitely another thing for me. I want to put a smile in my son’s eyes, and I want to put a smile on my teammates’ eyes as well. Just hunger."
With multiple seniors and experienced players such as Jeffcoat, the Razorbacks could have the deepest defensive line they've had in years.
"Definitely a great group," Jeffcoat said. "A very talented group. One of the most talented groups I’ve ever been a part of. Honestly, just to see how deep we are, how many different pieces we have that can contribute in different ways, it’s just like rapid fire. We’ve got depth, so a lot of people aren’t going to be tired. We’ve just a lot of ammunition on the way. Different group."
Razorback quarterback KJ Jefferson gave his thoughts on playing against Jeffcoat and what he will mean to Arkansas this fall.
"I mean, just having a guy like Tree, it creates a type of mentality," Jefferson said. "You feel his presence and you know he’s there. Having a guy like him come to our team is truly amazing and to go against him. Going against him is totally hard as well.
"Very competitive. I’m competitive so we’re always having fun at practice, talking at practice just encouraging each other, but also knowing that deep down we’re still competing at a very high level and iron sharpens iron. Having a guy like Tree on our side is truly amazing."
Arkansas has a few players on the roster with unique nicknames. Dwight 'Nudie' McGlothern, Lorando 'Snaxx' Johnson and Chris 'Pooh' Paul Jr. are a few examples. Jeffcoat's 'Tree' nickname has an interesting origin story.
"I’ve had this nickname since high school," Jeffcoat said. "There was a misunderstanding with my high school D-line coach. He was like, ‘What’s your name?’ I was a skinny freshman coming in, and he was like, ‘What’s your name son?’ I said, ‘Tre,’ and my voice was so low for my age, he was like, ‘What Tree?’ I was like, ‘No, no, no. It’s Tre.’
"So at first it was like a laughing type of thing … It was a joke. But the name has stuck ever since, because God blessed me to the height I am. So yeah, it stuck with me."
Saturday's scrimmage was the second and final scrimmage of fall camp, which is now technically over. There are two weeks left until the season opener on Saturday, Sept. 2 against Western Carolina at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock.