Impromptu Locker Room Camping Trip Built Bonds Between Smith, Russell in RB Room

FAYETTEVILLE — There may be no better way to get to know your fellow man than by camping with him.

Does camping in a locker room count?

It does for Arkansas running backs Sutton Smith and Braylen Russell, who along with their fellow RBs and various other teammates, slept on air mattresses in the practice locker room as a team bonding exercise.

"We got blow-up mattresses all through the locker room," Russell said Wednesday. "Just to have the brotherhood, everybody staying. When one person does it, it's a trickle-down effect. You start learning your brothers and stuff like that. It was a really cool experience because it was my first time staying the night."

"It just kind of happened," Smith said. "We had to get up real early one morning, so me and a couple of the guys, of course Bray, we decided to stay so we can [get into] the lifestyle of being great. Live, sleep, eat, breathe football... It just kind of helps with the brotherhood, too. Just staying in the building, staying here, being where your feet are, making sure your mind is right because that's where it starts."

Experience aplenty in Razorback RB room

Both Smith and Russell are seasoned college football players. Smith is entering his fifth season and followed head coach Ryan Silverfield and offensive coordinator Tim Cramsey from Memphis. Russell is entering his junior campaign as one of the holdovers from the previous regime.

Together, the quick, agile Smith and the big, bruising Russell should make up one of the better backfield combinations in the SEC.

"I would say mentality-wise, I want to win," Russell said, "And when you want to win, you can't do the same things you were doing. You have to progress. You have to look in the mirror, and the man in the mirror will never lie to you. To win, something has to change."

This couldn't be a better situation for Braylon Russell. A coach like David Johnson ( hard not to like this guy) and a vet like Sutton Smith in the room. I think we will see Braylon at his best this season.
— Steve Sullivan (@sully7777) August 19, 2026

Running backs coach David Johnson is high on Smith, who he likened to a professional in the way he approaches football.

"It's just my daily routine, how I go about my business," Smith said. "I try to stay consistent with doing the same things every day no matter how I'm feeling. Just trying to be a pro and go about my business the right way, how they're able to do it at the professional level, because you got to carry yourself that way before you are there."

On and off the field, the mindsets of Russell and Smith will take them far.

As far as camping goes, it may be best to leave those skills to the Eagle Scouts.

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