BYUtv Steps in to Fill Hole Left by SEC Nation Shun

Arkansas Razorback fans will have opportunity to take in numerous positive videos about the Hogs this Saturday courtesy of their opponent

Author:
Kent Smith
Publish date:
Sep 13, 2023 3:29 AM EDT

In this story:

Arkansas Razorbacks

BYU Cougars

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – There's little doubt that frustration with SEC Nation has reached a high in Arkansas. The SEC Network kick-off show that is supposed to break down all the upcoming games for the day has aired three hours worth of programming for the show, and of the 10,800 seconds allotted for the first two weeks, only 40 were dedicated to the Arkansas Razorbacks.

That's over 7% of the conference membership getting a shade over three-tenths of a single percent of the coverage. It's over 23 times less than what equal coverage per team would be.

Frankly, it's insulting, especially considering Arkansas is one of the top ratings generators in the country. However, ratings shouldn't be part of the puzzle. The Hogs are members of the SEC, but no one would know it if they watched the program. Week 1 was a two-hour special edition and the Razorbacks weren't on for a single second. Twice they appeared in graphics, but were skipped over both times as the graphics were discussed. When it came time to talk about SEC quarterbacks, KJ Jefferson was completely left out of the discussion.

It has become so blatant that it feels intentional. The SEC Network has sent a clear message that Arkansas doesn't matter. The good thing for Razorback fans this Saturday is there is a network that is intentionally sending the message that the Hogs and their fans do matter. BYUtv, a network channel on almost every television provider, has gone out of its way to make sure there is a large amount of Razorback specific content that will be included in its pregame show that will air two hours before Arkansas and BYU locks up in Razorback Stadium.

It's just another positive outreach from a program that left Hog fans in awe of how they and the players were treated in Provo last season. From welcoming committees forming lines to fist bump players and greet them as they arrived, to free ice cream provided by the alumni association after the first quarter to all the Arkansas fans in attendance, it was a strong example of what hospitality truly looks like.

But what passed many Razorbacks fans by last year was the effort by BYUtv to show the positive things happening at the University of Arkansas. The network has a mission centered around being good neighbors, and a big part of that is depicting opposing teams not as enemy combatants, but as people who also have strong, uplifting stories that show people associated with the university doing good things, especially when faith is involved.

"We wanted to be a little different and focus on the good of the other team," BYUtv sports broadcasting director Dave Phillips said. "Our motto is to kinda see the good in the world and a lot of times in sports we can get caught up and look at it as the good guys wear blue and the bad guys wear a different color. That's not always true. Our goal is to pick one or two stories and highlight that."

Last year, the program chose one of the most inspirational faith-based stories in Arkansas athletics history. They told the story of Brandon Burlsworth through his family, coaches and the first Razorback to win the award in his namesake, Grant Morgan. It was a quality piece that BYUtv encouraged us to share for the Arkansas fans who didn't get to see it last season.

"Frankly, it felt a little bit like low hanging fruit last year with the Burlsworth story," Phillips said. "It's such an amazing organization and all the things they do. We kinda fell in love with Arkansas as well, and reached out and said 'Hey, we're playing again, we'd love to do some more," and an they gave us some wonderful stories again this time."

This year, the broadcast will include two main feature videos in addition to the typical preview material for the game. Back during the spring, a crew was sent to Northwest Arkansas to conduct interviews and film b-roll for the packages that will air.

One package centers around freshman Razorback offensive lineman Joey Su'a of Bentonville. His family came from California looking for a fresh start for a son who had been treated poorly by his peers for wearing a cochlear implant. It reach a point where Su'a chose to no longer wear it.

However, as he realized he might want to one day play college football, Su'a changed his mind about the device as it was necessary to be his best on the field. The story will touch on how Tigers' coach Jody Grant worked with the family to find a helmet that made playing possible and also addresses a childhood illness that required strong faith by Su'a's parents.

There will also be a feature showing how an inclusion department at the university has helped international students find their footing on campus and in Northwest Arkansas.

In addition to these stories, the BYUradio podcast will include a piece on Razorback kicker Cam Little and his efforts to raise money for the Down Syndrome Connection of Northwest Arkansas. It will also cover the story of Will Lambley, an Arkansas student who played football in high school, but eventually went blind. He is now a motivational speaker. This package will not only include interviews from his family, but former Arkansas coach Chad Morris.

In addition to the pregame broadcast and radio podcast, BYUtv sent out Studio C cast member Garet Allen to do man-on-the-street interviews with people from Northwest Arkansas. For those who might not recall our story from last year's game, Studio C is a clean sketch comedy show on the network that has a ton of hilarious content. Those who need a good laugh should start by searching "Studio C Scott Sterling Soccer" and set an alarm before clicking because the rabbit hole is deep with several years of amazing material.

The content being produced on the Razorbacks by BYU might outpace what the SEC Network puts together all football season. So, take in the hospitality this weekend and show a bit of appreciation by making it a point to watch all this great work.

For those who don't have BYUtv as part of their television package, there is a free app that allows all of the content to be accessed also. For those who miss the pregame show, the material will be posted Saturday after the show airs and can be found at https://www.byutv.org/shows/sports under "Big Stories."