It's Bumper's Time to Take Over Hogs' Linebackers
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Arkansas linebacker Bumper Pool has dealt with learning the college game and injuries, then led Arkansas' tacklers last year.
Now he's taking over the leadership in the position room.
When Grant Morgan and Hayden Henry ran out of eligibility they took over a decade of experience with them.
He's passing that along to a young group.
Hogs' linebacker Bumper Pool at in a drill during spring practice in March. (Andy Hodges / allHOGS Images)
"A lot of guys have taught me things," he said Saturday referring to players like Dre Greenlaw and Scoota Harris. "Those guys poured their knowledge into me and it's only right I come back and give these young guys as much as they gave to me."
That's what you hear from leaders.
Pool has no intention of slowing down on the field, either. He might set some really big numbers.
And hitting. Even in the thud situation in Saturday's indoor practice he thudded running back AJ Green about as solid as it gets.
Now he's teaching some younger guys to be that way, too.
"Ya'll got to look today at what a normal practice is for us physicality-wise," Pool said. "Coach (Sam) Pittman breeds it into us.
"Yeah, it's thud but it's still come and hit somebody."
About all the thud thing does is prevent the ground from causing an injury.
"Get as close to a game-time contact as you can get," he said.
Being physical is something this team wants to do more than anything that's been seen with the Hogs in a long time.
Pittman doesn't appear too concerned about winning a seven-on-seven championship. That may have been the goal with some recent coaches, but not now.
And it starts at linebacker.
Razorbacks linebacker Bumper Pool during a drill at spring practice in Razorback Stadium in March. (Andy Hodges / allHOGS Images)
Alabama transfer Drew Sanders has been getting folks' attention during spring. He plays at that championship level.
The third linebacker appears to be Chris "Pooh" Paul, who was back on the field Saturday after suffering a concussion and missing several workouts.
"We're exactly where we need to be," Pool said. "Ya'll saw today we have some real talent on this defense."
And that is exactly what fans are hoping happens.
The Hogs will practice Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday to wrap up spring practice. None of that will be available to the media.
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