Two of Arkansas' key recruits during the offseason were players already on the team — defensive end Landon Jackson and wide receiver Andrew Armstrong.
Coming off a First-Team All-SEC campaign in 2023, when he totaled 13.5 tackles for loss, 6.5 sacks and 44 tackles, Jackson could've entered the NFL Draft and he likely would've been selected.
"Growing up, my main goal was always to play in the SEC and play SEC football," Jackson said. "I didn't feel like I fully reached all my goals at the college level and I didn't' feel comfortable with going to the next level and going onto the NFL without finishing what I need to finish."
At 6-foot-7, 282 pounds, Jackson is primed to tear apart SEC offensive lines this season. He said the Hogs were close a year ago, and the five one-score losses Arkansas had in the 2023 season were a common theme in interviews all Thursday morning.
"We just underperformed," Jackson said. "We've got to finish on those close games. We only had four wins and there were another four or five that were within seven points. That's just a matter of finishing workouts and finishing through the line. The little details we've just got to capitalize on."
Returning on the other side of the football is Armstrong, a 6-foot-4 receiver who led the team with 56 receptions for 764 yards and five touchdowns. The option to move on was there for Armstrong, who lost his offensive coordinator and position coach from a year ago.
Now under new offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino and receivers coach Ronnie Fouch, Armstrong is set to be a top pass catcher for first-year quarterback Taylen Green.
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"We were extremely confident last year," Armstrong said. "Looking at how the team was last year with those close losses that we had, I feel like we can build on top of that. I feel like if I would have left, I would have just left, like tried to get to the NFL and things like that, but I feel like it was unfinished business here. I feel like we can do something extremely great here, and that's why I came back."
Armstrong said the message was "next day" when the team kept enduring close losses during the 2023 season.
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"We can lose a game, but the game is lost," Armstrong said. "Like, there's nothing you can do about -- you can't harp or be sad about it. Just like if I drop a ball in the game, like, me getting mad at dropping the ball isn't going to do anything but mess up my mental during the game. So if I drop a ball, I just have to say, next play because that next play can be a 90-yard catch, but I just dropped a 5-yard catch which could have turned into the a 15-yard. You just have to stay focused and keep your mind on a swivel."
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