Playing on Island: Malik Chavis Handling Switch to Cornerback

Watch the complete press conference with Hogs' defensive backs from Monday

Author:
Andy Hodges
Publish date:
Aug 9, 2022 9:22 AM EDT

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Malik Chavis may be one of best examples for Arkansas in developing players.

At Rison, Ark., a small town about 25 miles or so south of Pine Bluff, he relied on athletic ability as much as technique.

He's had to learn a lot to move into a starter's role with the Razorbacks ... at cornerback after playing safety most of the time for three seasons.

Malik Chavis-Practice — Razorbacks cornerback Malik Chavis during position drills on the outdoor practice fields at the football center Monday afternoon. (Andy Hodges / allHOGS Images)

"Coming from a small school (Class 3A), I really didn’t know a lot of stuff," he said with the media Monday after practice. "My first couple years, I had to get accustomed to (defensive back) technique."

Most of that time was spent playing safety, which requires a different approach than being on the island at cornerback.

"At safety, you’ve just gotta look a lot more for the whole field," Chavis said. "For corner, it’s just you’ve got to focus more on that one guy."

He's got the size (6-3, 200 pounds) to match up with the bigger wide receivers across the SEC, but he's got a way to minimize mistakes.

"If I mess up, just bite on the wrong thing, I have a lot of catch-up speed," Chavis said. "So I would just say just catching up and being long, a receiver has to go around me and stuff like that."

Hudson Clark-Practice — Razorbacks cornerback Hudson Clark during position drills in Monday's practice on the outdoor fields at the football center in fall practice. (Andy Hodges / allHOGS Images)

Cornerbacks coach Dominique Bowman has made a big difference with that.

"He’s focused on the details," he said. "There are a lot of things you can take from him, different stances and stuff. Basically like just an inch step closer to being in the right position to make that play."

Bowman likes the potential for Chavis at corner.

"He’s very athletic," Bowman said. "He’s long, and can run and jump. Every single opportunity that he gets to play corner, he gets better. He’s a pro if he buys into the technique and the fundamentals and gets it from the neck up."