Hogs Have Makings of 'Special Team' Even When Stars Don't Produce

Coaches feel confident in Davis' ability despite rusty performance against Kansas, has opportunity for bounceback against TCU Friday night

Arkansas Razorbacks guard Johnell Davis drives against the Kansas Jayhawks at Bud Walton Arena in Fayetteville, Ark. / Andy Hodges-Hogs on SI Images

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. -- When the dust settled from Arkansas' home upset of Kansas one week ago, it was proof that Coach John Calipari and his staff assembled a very capable roster.

There was no promise that the Razorbacks would make the game competitive given the team's lack of post depth. It's best offensive option, Johnell Davis, had far from a serviceable game on that end of the court finishing with only five points on 2-of-9 shooting, 1-of-6 from three.

Davis was a little rusty given his lack of practice time leading up to the game due to a wrist injury suffered earlier in the offseason. Arkansas was down to mostly five guys at points as it prepared to start the season, scrimmaging mostly against managers and graduate assistants.

The outcome of last week's game didn't appear Arkansas to be too rusty. Davis, who isn't worried about his lack of scoring, noticed the buy-in of his Razorbacks teammates once they tipped off against an actual opponent.

"Again, we only had five guys so that was rust in terms of offensive but what he was able to hang his hat on for us in that game was in that game was [Davis'] defensive presence," assistant coach Chin Coleman said Wednesday. "He said it on the bench, ‘I’m not worried about scoring. I don’t care about scoring. I’m just trying to make sure I do everything that I’m supposed to do to help us on the other end. The scoring will come.’

"He said that himself on the bench. When you’ve got guys thinking that way, you’re going to have a special team.”

BREAKING: FAU transfer Johnell Davis visited Arkansas this past weekend and is expected to sign with John Calipari and the Razorbacks, source told @TheFieldOf68.

He has declared for the NBA Draft and his preference is to go pro, but Arkansas offered him a lucrative NIL deal…

— Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanHoops) May 1, 2024

Davis has played a lot of basketball throughout his college career as he's played in 128 games over four years. It wasn't until January 2023 of his junior season when things consistently clicked for him on the offensive end with a 36 point outburst against UAB -- which led to Florida Atlantic winning 23 of its final 26 games making it to the school's first Final Four.

His experience along with Jonas Aidoo and Trevon Brazile will be valuable to the longterm success of this Razorbacks team. Davis' mentality is noticed by coaches who know they can depend on him to lead by example on and off the court.

"Unbelievable. Unbelievable. If you noticed, [Davis] is a veteran guy. He was an example of what we want our young guys to be and to do on the defensive end," Coleman said. "He made some defensive plays. He stuck his nose in there. He got some rebounds, he got some trackdowns, he protected the nail, he got a steal at the nail. He rotated over baseline drives — things that we teach every day."

It was important for the coaches to keep Davis' morale up even if he didn't need it which is exactly what a staff must do to keep Davis' mind on the task at hand. Despite his rust against Kansas, he will have an opportunity to rebound at Dickies Arena against TCU Friday night in Ft. Worth, Texas.

"We were able to put together a collage of film of him just being in the right position, making the right play," Coleman said. "Although he may not have shot the ball as well as know he’s capable of doing or scored the ball as well as he’s capable of doing, because again that was rust. He only practiced two non-contact days before the game, so there was a lot of rust. He hadn’t been out on the floor, he hadn’t played, he’d been out."

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