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Razorbacks' Williams Reacts to Viral 'Yeah Coach' Video

Arkansas defensive coordinator shares how his freestyle Arkansas team rap captured nation by storm this summer

Jacob Davis

Arkansas Razorbacks defensive coordinator Travis Williams instructs unit during practice.
Arkansas Razorbacks defensive coordinator Travis Williams instructs unit during practice. / Andy Hodges-Hogs on SI Images
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FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — It's been nearly three weeks since Arkansas defensive coordinator Travis Williams released his freestyle rap to his Razorbacks locker room. The Hogs were on a recruiting hot streak pulling in a pair of highly rated 4-star defenders in July.

Williams shared his reaction becoming an overnight sensation on social social media Wednesday afternoon. NFL icons like Pat McAfee and Randy Moss even shared the fun video on the X accounts.

"It was also not a thing, it just went viral," Williams said. "But what it shows you, a lot of people went back through my social media and just started watching. It's like, 'Oh, we've been doing this.'

"It was a deal that caught fire," Williams continued. "I'm just blessed to be coaching, so I just try to be my authentic self. So I like music. They see me singing, rapping, dancing with my kids, my kids going paintball with the players, dodgeball. That's, that's who I am. So it wasn't like just one deal that was out of nowhere, so it was cool."

The second-year coordinator definitely isn't new to motivating his players with a rap or two. During his time at Auburn in 2020, Williams produced a video during the height of COVID which had Tigers fans talking.

As a smaller athlete out of Columbia, South Carolina, Williams signed with Auburn out of high school in 2001. The 6-foot-1, 207 pound linebacker became an All-SEC selection before his career ended on The Plains and bluntly proclaimed that in his video.

"They said I was small, but I knew I could ball. I hit the ground and I gave it my all. 2004, I was All-SEC because all of those [recruiting] stars cannot measure a dawg."

Another viral video earlier this summer was posted immediately after Arkansas received a commitment from Top 40 prospect Tavion Wallace. The decision gave Williams all the emotions as he burst out of his office and down the hallway before jamming to Kendrick Lamar's No. 1 hit 'Not Like Us' at his desk.

The song was fitting given Arkansas' history of struggling to recruit at a high level during the modern era. However, Williams and his staff are made up of solid recruiters at each position group. They are collectively determined to flip the culture on the defensive side of the ball.

If Arkansas' defense has half of that type of 'dawg' in them this season that Williams had in 2004, then a turnaround from a disappointing 2023 season could be in reach.

HOGS FEED:

• Three takeaways from Arkansas' final closed door scrimmage

• Williams' defense finds diamond in G5 transfer who stood out

• Former Hogs' SID reveals when Morris actually lost team

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Jacob Davis

JACOB DAVIS

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