For Barry Odom, Arkansas—and coaching alongside Sam Pittman—is the place to be. Odom has helped Pittman engineer an incredible turnaround at Arkansas, and has helped a once-maligned defense turn into one of the better units in the country. After the Razorbacks gave up more than 30 points per game for five straight seasons, Odom’s 2021 group allowed less than 23 a game to rank in the top half of the SEC. And perhaps no game showcased the improvement more than the win over Texas, when the Razorbac...
Jun 27, 2022•34 min
Dave Van Horn leads by example. His quiet confidence comes from being one of the best at what he does. His work ethic is second to none. And he has a burning desire to bring Arkansas baseball its first national championship—something he promised Razorback fans in his introductory press conference. That level of passion has been there in every team he's coached, but something changed at the end of this season and it's a big reason why Arkansas was able to punch their ticket for a return to Omaha....
Jun 16, 2022•39 min
When you think about the fact that Evan Taylor grew up in Florence, Alabama, as a big Crimson Tide football fan, you wonder how he ended up a Razorback. But that’s the national pull this program has under Dave Van Horn. When you’re consistently one of the top programs in the country, that’s what happens. And Taylor became enamored with the Razorbacks during their 2018 College World Series run. But it’s not easy to join a top program. Taylor struggled early, pitching fewer than 15 innings in his ...
Jun 09, 2022•41 min
If it wasn’t for today’s transfer market, Michael Turner would likely have never been a Razorback. After four years at Kent State, where he earned All-MAC honors, the Ohio native decided to put his name in the transfer portal. There were other options closer to home … then he heard from the No. 1 team in the country. And Turner has been blown away by his experience at Arkansas, likening the fan support and atmosphere to what he’s only experienced at college football games up north. Turner has em...
Jun 02, 2022•38 min
Linnie Malkin loves hitting bombs. That approach worked for Malkin, who led the SEC and was top-10 nationally in homers in her senior season. At Arkansas, she found happiness on and off the field. It was a journey to get here, featuring a complicated relationship with her dad, and a trip from Colorado to get noticed. But head coach Courtney Deifel and the Razorbacks have Malkin living her best life. And there was plenty of good this season for Malkin and Arkansas, including a first-ever SEC Tour...
May 30, 2022•42 min
KB Sides is a lot of things. Kendall Beth. Razorback. SEC Player of the Year. And, most importantly: Herself. But her journey to figure that out hasn’t been a straight line. After her career at Alabama came to an unexpected end, Sides debating giving up the sport before deciding to seek a new home. And a phone call with Arkansas coach Courtney Defiel changed everything. Sides and Arkansas have been a perfect match. Her 28 steals this season were 24 more than the Razorbacks had all last year. And...
May 23, 2022•44 min
When Courtney Deifel arrived at Arkansas ahead of the 2016 season, the Razorbacks were one of the cellar dwellers of the SEC. The program had won just 18 total SEC games in the three previous seasons, and Deifel’s first team won just a single conference game. But she saw the potential for a turnaround. Since that first season, Deifel and her team have been setting records, including winning the program’s first SEC titles in 2021 and 2022. But winning isn’t everything. Deifel’s program is making ...
May 16, 2022•35 min
Kendal Briles has found a home at Arkansas. Entering his third year with the Razorbacks, Briles has served as the offensive coordinator at Arkansas longer than at any of his previous stops. And it’s paid dividends. Razorback fans have a lot to be excited about on offense with Briles at the helm, and it starts with quarterback KJ Jefferson as the returning starter. In this conversation, Quinn Grovey sits down with Kendal Briles to talk about why Arkansas is a great fit for him, working with a qua...
May 09, 2022•25 min
Ayden Owens may be the best athlete on campus at the University of Arkansas. And it’s something he’s been training for his entire life. Owens developed a love for multiple sports as a kid, and had dreams of playing for his home state Pittsburgh Steelers. But Owens found a different outlet for his competitive nature…on the track AND in the field. His hard work paid off, and he’s now the collegiate record holder in the decathlon. But along with his success came a difficult choice: Who to represent...
May 02, 2022•37 min
Pride in the Razorbacks is a big part of life in the Natural State. When the Hogs are winning, it affects everybody in a positive way. And thanks to Sam Pittman, that pride in Arkansas football is back. The Head Hog has the program on an upward trajectory after a nine-win season, and fans are getting to experience some great moments once again. In this conversation, Quinn Grovey sits down with Sam Pittman to talk about revitalizing a program, bringing the pride back to Razorback football, and wh...
Apr 25, 2022•32 min
The guy they call Zeb might be the most interesting man in the world. Besides a unique name, the fifth-year senior pitcher speaks parts of multiple languages, will compete with you in ping pong or bowling, and played basketball with multiple guys who made it to the NBA. Don’t expect to see Vermillion on the basketball court, though. He has emerged as a standout reliever for the nationally competitive Razorbacks. It’s a role that’s been built through hard work and an incredible culture that perme...
Apr 18, 2022•48 min
Danielle Gibson is an RBI machine. She’s the Arkansas school record holder for career RBI, and isn’t slowing down in her last season on campus. The fact that she even ended up with the Razorbacks is a bit of a surprise, considering she’s from California and started her collegiate career at Arizona State. But ever since she set foot in Fayetteville, she’s been dynamite. In this conversation, Quinn Grovey and Matt Zimmerman sit down with this Razorback standout to talk about her life, being a marr...
Apr 11, 2022•33 min
Connor Noland’s talent has never been up for debate. A two-sport star at Greenwood High School, he excelled both on the football field and the mound. Noland wanted to continue playing both sports in college, which made Arkansas—his dream school—a perfect fit. Noland won his only start at quarterback for the Razorbacks. But after a year of trying both sports, he realized he needed to make a choice. The decision to focus on baseball has paid off, but not without some injury-induced struggles. But ...
Apr 05, 2022•55 min
After a second-straight appearance in the Elite Eight, the Razorbacks are a program on the rise. And Matt Zimmerman is joined by legendary Razorback Joe Kleine to talk about the season, the program, and what the future holds.
Mar 30, 2022•52 min
Arkansas is heading back to the Sweet 16, and we're bringing you a special edition of the Hog Pod to celebrate. Join Matt Zimmerman and former Razorback Pat Bradley reminisce on Razorback past and analyze Razorback present, breaking down this year's team and what awaits in the Sweet 16.
Mar 22, 2022•48 min
Nolan Richardson is many things. Hall of Famer. Champion. Coaching icon. And while it all started for him in El Paso, Texas, it was at Arkansas where he became a legend. After consistent improvement in his first four seasons with the Razorbacks, Richardson broke through in 1990, with the help of some memorable wins over rival Texas. If that was the turning point, the move to the SEC proved to be what launched Richardson and Arkansas to the top of the college basketball world. Arkansas beat their...
Mar 14, 2022•59 min
Stanley Umude has had a long journey to Arkansas. Literally. The son of Nigerian immigrants, he’s the only member of his family—which includes two older siblings—who was born in America. And that led to a unique upbringing. That life would take Umude from Oregon to San Antonio, where he discovered basketball. But an injury in high school left him underrecruited, and he ended up enrolling at South Dakota. A long way from home and struggling to find playing time early, Umude thought about transfer...
Mar 07, 2022•52 min
Amber Ramirez has never met a 3-pointer she didn’t like. The super-senior and McDonald’s All-American from San Antonio returned to the Razorbacks for a third season after transferring in from TCU following her sophomore year. A big reason why? Coach Mike Neighbors, and his willingness to let his players be themselves. Ramirez was interested in playing for Neighbors at Washington, but it was too far from home. So when Ramirez decided to transfer from TCU, she only had eyes for the Razorbacks. Tha...
Feb 28, 2022•35 min
Jordyn Wieber is used to winning. From taking home Olympic gold to being part of a championship-winning program at UCLA, Wieber knows what it takes to find success at the highest levels. And so when she became the first Olympic champion to become the head coach of a collegiate program, Wieber knew what she wanted to do. The Arkansas gymnastics program isn’t even 20 years old, but has seen its fair share of successes. With Wieber, there’s more buzz than ever—the team has already posted records fo...
Feb 21, 2022•40 min
Dave Van Horn’s tenure at Arkansas has been defined by success. Moments fueled by some of the all-time greats, including two Golden Spikes Award winners. And those successes—and the players involved in them—continue to elevate the Razorback baseball program. The wins, accolades and trophies have raised the bar for Razorback baseball, now seen as one of the very best programs in the country. In Part 2 of this exclusive conversation with Dave Van Horn, Phil Elson and the skipper talk successes, st...
Feb 14, 2022•59 min
Dave Van Horn has never been one to lack confidence. And it's served him well in his time at Arkansas. Van Horn is the active coaching leader in College World Series appearances, and has come painstakingly close to delivering a national title to Fayetteville. He's turned Arkansas into one of the best programs in the country, AND one of the most intimidating places to play. In Part 1 of this exclusive conversation with Dave Van Horn, Phil Elson—the Voice of Razorback Baseball—sits down with the a...
Feb 07, 2022•54 min
Sometimes, it’s all about being in the right place at the right time. For Sasha Goforth, the place is Arkansas. But the timing? Well, that’s where her story is a little different. Goforth has been a basketball standout from an early age. Her high school career included McDonald’s All-American honors, two state titles at Fayetteville High School, and becoming the first freshman in Arkansas high school history to earn MVP honors at the state tournament. She was one of the state’s greatest players....
Jan 31, 2022•44 min
The Razorback basketball program made history last season, advancing to the second weekend of the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 25 years. But the run to the Elite 8 wouldn’t have been possible without Davonte “Devo” Davis hitting one of the biggest shots in program history. It was the culmination of not just Davis’ freshman year, but his journey to becoming a Razorback. Because if history plays out differently, he may never have played for Arkansas. Originally committed to Oklahoma State...
Jan 25, 2022•39 min
Jaylin Williams is all Arkansas. The Fort Smith native grew up watching and rooting for the Razorbacks. Guys like Bobby Portis and Daniel Gafford. That upbringing fueled Williams’ dream to represent the Razorbacks and prove to kids growing up across Arkansas that you can stay home and accomplish great things. But Williams wouldn’t have gotten to this point without hard work, something he learned from his former high school teammate and Razorback Isaiah Joe. The work paid off, and the offers star...
Jan 17, 2022•38 min
JD Notae can flat-out score. The reigning SEC Sixth Man of the Year has moved into a starting role for Eric Musselman’s Razorback basketball team, and is a threat to lead the league in scoring. Notae looks like he’s been playing basketball his whole life, and, considering he only started playing in eighth grade, it’s amazing how much he’s developed in such a short amount of time. Notae overcame a difficult upbringing, which included moving from place to place and watching his mom serve four year...
Jan 10, 2022•40 min
Darren McFadden and Houston Nutt were responsible for some of the greatest moments for Razorback football in Arkansas’ SEC era. In the first two parts of our exclusive conversation with Nutt and McFadden, we’ve taken you through the incredible 2006 season, the 2007 upset win over LSU, and McFadden getting snubbed for the Heisman. Now, in this final part of the conversation, the two reflect on what they accomplished and their relationship, which remains strong to this day. ------------ If you’d l...
Dec 29, 2021•21 min
Darren McFadden burst on to the national scene in 2006, winning the Doak Walker Award and finishing second in the Heisman Trophy voting, behind winner Troy Smith. It was a contentious decision at the time, but it set the stage for a big 2007 season. Despite some off-field drama, the 2007 team found its footing and won five of its last six games, including a season-ending, triple-overtime win against No. 1 LSU in Baton Rouge. And Houston Nutt’s postgame interview became instantly iconic. But the ...
Dec 22, 2021•40 min
For the first time, Darren McFadden and Houston Nutt sit down and relive the 2006 and 2007 football seasons. In Part 1 of this bonus Hog Pod series, the two cover the 2006 season, winning 10 straight games and clinching an SEC West title.
Dec 15, 2021•47 min
Larger than life is a great way to describe Oliver Miller’s Razorback career. An all-time fan favorite, Miller was always the showman. His on-court play fired up crowds in Barnhill Arena, too. Miller still holds the school records for career blocks and field goal percentage, and was part of a new era of Triplets—alongside Todd Day and Lee Mayberry—that won three Southwest Conference titles and made it to the 1990 Final Four. But he also helped lead the Razorbacks into the SEC, winning the league...
Dec 08, 2021•54 min
Imagine a basketball player with the size to work in the paint, but the skills, creativity and shooting to be an elite guard. Thinking of Kevin Durant? Well, we’re talking about someone who’s already drawing KD comparisons: Arkansas’ Jersey Wolfenbarger. In some ways, Jersey was made for this. At 6-foot-5 as a freshman, she’s already the tallest player on the Razorback women’s basketball team. And the accolades are there—she was a McDonald’s All-American and the seventh-ranked player in the nati...
Dec 01, 2021•37 min
