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34 NWA COLLEGE FOOTBALL PREVIEW | 8.29.2021 One of the first steps in Pittman's plan to restore Arkansas football was convincing the players they could win. The Razorbacks broke a 20-game SEC losing streak with a 21-14 upset of No. 16 Mississippi State last year, then snapped a 12-game SEC home losing skid with a 33-21 win over Ole Miss two weeks later. With all three coordinators — Kendal Briles (offense), Barry Odom (defense) and Scott Fountain (special teams) — returning, the continuity factor should serve the Razorbacks well against what has been judged the toughest schedule in the country by some analysts. Pittman is high on his Hogs. "I love them. I love the team," Pittman said. "I think they're hungry. We're a chip on the shoulder, tough, proud team. We love the state of Arkansas. "That's not for recruiting, that's just the truth. I think they're a confident group. You have to do something to continue to stay confident. You have to have success in whatever way that may be." Pittman points to the Razorbacks' 7-3 halftime lead in last year's SEC opener vs. Georgia to show the players were bought in and engaged from the jump in 2020. "I thought going in at halftime against Georgia last year, even though we didn't win the game, built confidence in this program," he said. "Hey, we can do this. The bottom line is if you put two halves together, what may happen?" The Razorbacks were picked to finish sixth in the SEC West at media days, but there's an inner confidence throughout the roster that was not in place two years ago. "We … don't worry about where people pick us to be," junior wideout Treylon Burks said. "People picked us not to win at all last year. Who cares? We go out and play for us and the Arkansas nation. I think that's all that matters to us." Said sophomore safety Jalen Catalon, "It's in our control what we can do. We're just going to show people what we're about this year. I'm not into the whole social media, what other writers write about the Arkansas Razorbacks. "At the end of the day, I know we've got our offense, I know we've got our defense, I know we've got a head coach that's damn proud to be our head coach. We're going to show that this year." If there's one area the Razorbacks want fans to understand they're better it's in the physicality department. "I just love how tough and physical our team is," linebacker Hayden Henry said. "This is definitely the toughest, most physical team I've ever played on. I think just to have success in this league, that's the No. 1 thing you have to have, bottom line, zero doubts about it." Said the offensive tackle Wagner, "As corny as it sounds, we took that blue- collar chip to the next level. … Coach Pittman talks about it every single day, about that blue-collar chip. How much we want to out-work our opponents and our violence, physicality, effort, execution, toughness, all that is going to help us win this year a lot. … Last year it was getting that blue-collar chip. This year it's progressing the chip." Senior linebacker Grant Morgan's connection with the Razorbacks dates to his childhood, and he's seen the makeup of Arkansas teams that have succeeded. "Arkansas football is supposed to be the hard working, the tough, the physical [team]," Morgan said. "You go look at any good Arkansas football team, like Darren McFadden was fast, yeah, but he would run people over still. "You look at Arkansas … in its prime, you go look at smash-mouth football, and that's what we want to be. We want to be a team that hits hard. We want to be a team that's not afraid of anybody." The lengthy roster of super seniors can be seen as a testament to Pittman and his staff's ability to relate to players. "Coach Pittman is just a wonderful coach," Brown said. "Everybody that came back wanted to play for Coach Pittman. He's a great guy. He's had success in his career, so I feel like we just wanted to play for him." Morgan said Henry would never have returned for his bonus senior year for a coach who didn't inspire belief. "It just shows you how well this organization is being run by Pittman and the coaching staff," Morgan said. "He wouldn't have come back and played for anybody else." Arkansas assistant coaches have spoken during camp about how Pittman's second year should see improvement. "In Year One, everything's new to everybody, everybody's trying to figure it out, from the players to the coaches to the strength staff, to the campus with everything going on," running backs coach Jimmy Smith said. "I think once you get a little settled you'll feel a lot better. Hopefully that's the situation with us." Receivers coach Kenny Guiton said Pittman keeping receipts is critical. "I love how Coach Pittman holds everyone accountable," he said. "He holds everyone accountable and holds everyone to a certain standard. Pittman n Continued from Page 11 NWA Democrat-Gazette/Charlie Kaijo Jalon Catalon will lead the Arkansas defense heading into the 2021 season. Catalon, a safety, has a reputation as a big hitter in the Razorbacks' secondary.