Hogs' Defensive Line Hoping to get Head Start on Physicality

Razorbacks front seven trying to correct errors of previous fall camp

Arkansas Razorbacks' defensive lineman Landon Jackson waiting for a drill to start in spring practice Wednesday morning on the outdoor field in Fayetteville, Ark. / Andy Hodges-Hogs on SI Images

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Football is a physical sport. There is an inherent risk of injury being up in the trenches of a football game. It's a risk that defensive end Landon Jackson and the rest of the Arkansas defensive line is willing to take early in camp to become sharper at tackling earlier in the season.

"We are already tackling," Jackson said. "The coaches are making sure of it. We are trying to get a lot of live periods in. That’s been a problem that I’ve noticed from my past two years here. First few weeks, our tackling is poor."

Defensive line coach Deke Adams knows that his unit, despite showing potential at times last year with breakout performances such as Jackson's 11-tackle, 3.5-sack performance against Alabama, there was still a massive gap between the team's best and the team's worst.

"Tackling is a big part of what we do in a lot of ways," Adams said. "You look back to last season, we left a lot of plays on the field. We left some sacks on the field and if we can make those plays this year, it'll make a difference in a lot of games."

The rest of the unit is following Jackson's lead and trying to make tackling an emphasis to avoid a repeat of the final games last year, where the unit looked largely lifeless in a 48-14 rout against Missouri.

"We’ve been doing a poor job in the first couple of weeks of the season on tackling and open space tackling," Eric Gergory said. "I feel like with Coach [Sam} Pittman and the rest of the coaching staff is doing to help us get prepared, I think it’s going to be very good.”

Arkansas Razorbacks defensive lineman Landon Jackson in a drill at spring practice Wednesday morning on the outdoor field in Fayetteville, Ark. / Andy Hodges-Hogs on SI Images

Jackson and the rest of the unit are aware that tackling this early could get someone hurt, but this is football after all.

"It’s the game we signed up for," Jackson said. "I’d rather take that risk than us not lose football games. I think the coaches have taken a lot of initiative with that."

Arkansas contines to prepare for a Aug. 29 kickoff against UAPB with a closed scrimmage Thursday.

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