Landon Jackson Did Something for Arkansas at SEC Media Days Not Thought Possible

Razorback defensive end erased question of why he had been chosen immediately, got straight to work doing what no one else could have

Author:
Kent Smith
Publish date:
Jul 22, 2023 12:06 PM EDT

In this story:

Arkansas Razorbacks

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – When Arkansas defensive end Landon Jackson was announced as the representative of the defense for SEC media days, it led to a bit of head scratching.

He wasn't the name at the top of anyone's list when it came to predicting who would be asked to tag along to the festivities. It led to all kinds of speculation. When you think about it, if the goal is to bring someone who's returning to the team, there weren't a whole lot of options, so maybe that was why. However, linebacker Chris "Pooh" Paul was one who came to mind. Defensive back Dwight McGlothern also. Even Hudson Clark, who feels like he's been at Arkansas so long he might get mistaken for a coach, popped up as a possibility.

The second thought was there might have a bit of a recruiting angle to it. After all, Jackson's brother Lance is a highly touted recruit out of Pleasant Grove, Texas near Texarkana in the Class of 2025. Getting to see his older brother rolling in a suit in front of reporters over and over might make it easier for the younger Jackson to envision himself as a Razorback in the future.

However, as Jackson entered the room, his enormous frame filling the entry way, it was clear this was no case of lack of selection or ulterior motive. The man, and such phrasing has never been more true, earned his way into the spotlight.

In January, the last time most Arkansas fans saw Jackson, he was a 238 pound sophomore gasping for breath as he tried to hold up through nearly double the amount of plays he had ever participated in during a college game in a 55-53 triple overtime win over Kansas in the Liberty Bowl. Fast forward seven months and a few miles I-40 to Nashville, and Jackson is carrying 283 pounds of solid muscle.

When players are chosen for these things, its with hope of making a positive impact on the program while perhaps making a little bit of a splash. The goal is to create a buzz heading into the season. The narrative of Jackson's physical change and what it might mean in regard to the rest of the players on the team has fans thinking Arkansas might finally have the positive size across the board needed to hold up against the rest of the SEC. They are now free to dream of how improved the strength and size of the rest of the team might be.

It's no secret there were a lot of problems associated with the strength and conditioning aspect of the Razorback football program that didn't sit well with head coach Sam Pittman. It was surprising he waited until the conclusion of the regular season because he seemed so dissatisfied with what was going on. It was something he promised would get fixed and become a culture changer in the process.

Pittman couldn't wait to show off how big of a difference that move has made on his team. Shortly after letting everyone know running back Raheim "Rocket" Sanders had put on 10 pounds of muscle while somehow getting faster, he became downright giddy as he began gushing about Jackson.

"And Landon Jackson, you'll see him," Pittman said. "He went from 236 at the end of last year to 280, running over 20 miles per hour. By the way, a nugget there, him and Grace, his girlfriend, fiancé, just got engaged a week or two ago."

An announcement of a Superman body and a future wife to boot. Pittman had guaranteed the state would be talking about Jackson and the allotted Arkansas time at media days was only a minute old. If the defensive end has an NIL agent, he probably came off his couch in full Jerry McGuire mode.

And who knows what WWE Hall of Famer Shawn Michaels is thinking now. He oversees the company's NXT developmental wrestling brand which will one day guide Jackson to becoming a WWE super star should he choose to eventually follow through with his Next In Line deal with the company. One thing is for certain. He's even more excited about his prospect than when Jackson was originally signed.

There's a lot out there, especially from football fans across the SEC on their message boards, talking about what a waste of time and money media days can be. It's true, the effort to say much of nothing by coaches can be a bit mind-numbing. But then a Landon Jackson happens. A player who was relatively off the radar pops onto the map and immediately has everyone's attention.

His work on the field will do the talking. However, had he not gone to SEC media days, that talking may have taken longer to be heard. Now, his first big play will be showered with more notice. In addition, for the first time in more than a year, there is a positive vibe around the defense. Clark and McGlothern are wonderful options, but had they been run out there, it would have been a reminder of how bad the defense, especially the secondary, was under a coordinator who is no longer here and that's where the line of questioning would have gone.

Instead, Jackson is a fresh face who provided a narrative that is forward thinking, not anchored in the past. He served as a vision of hope that drastic improvement is on the horizon. Instead of talking about giving up touchdowns, he had the opportunity to talk about grilled chicken, steak, power-cleans and squats. He highlighted that a perceived weakness has already been converted into a strength by Ben Sowders.

For a program in desperate need of a public relations do-over, Jackson was able to do something not even stars KJ Jefferson and Sanders were able to accomplish. He wasn't there because of a lack of options or some lame recruiting stunt. Jackson was there because he was the man best fit to do the impossible – issue a full reset of the Arkansas football program and wipe the slate clean heading into 2023.