Arkansas getting the Braylen Russell it needed in fall camp
Sophomore running back Braylen Russell didn’t have the spring he wanted, nor the one his coaches did either.
Despite shedding some weight before spring ball started, the coaches were hoping to see more from the Benton alum who appeared in 10 games and rushed for 354 yards and three touchdowns in 2024.
That prompted a sit-down conversation with Russell and the coaches, and running backs coach Kolby Smith said the difference is remarkable.
“We did not have the explosive runs,” Smith said. “We did not have the finish. We didn’t have the right reads. The speed on tracks, none of that was where it needed to be. Just a total night-and-day difference from where he is today, than where he was in the spring.”
Russell said he appreciated the honesty from the coaches during that sit-down meeting.
“Best thing to do is just go back to watch yourself in that and just be like, ‘Yeah, you’re not giving full effort on that, steps wasn’t right on that,'” Russell said. “Just going back and watching myself and just and then also watching the players they sent me and just going and having a better day, every day, taking it step by step and just day by day.”
Russell was still learning in spring ball
Despite getting ample playing time last season in a reserve role behind Ja’Quinden Jackson, Russell was still a true freshman with a lot to learn.
Russell explained that was something that held him back in the spring, and he’s playing better now than he was then.
“Still learning myself, seeing what I can do, what I can’t do, getting better at what I couldn’t do,” Russell said. “Now I’m getting better at what I couldn’t do in the spring.
“Running hard, explosive, catching balls out the backfield and stuff like that. So I’ve learned more in this camp doing what I could do in the spring.”
In college football, though, the competition for the top spot in the depth chart is fierce. Arkansas has two other guys — Mike Washington Jr. and Rodney Hill — who are gunning for the same spot Russell was.
Smith said “maturity” was part of the issue for Russell’s poor spring performance, and he understands now that the lead back spot isn’t something that will be given. It has to be earned.
“In college, you have to work,” Smith said. “You have to earn what you do every day…now that he knows and understands that, I think with Rodney having a year of experience under his belt, with Mike coming in, all of them gunning in for that No. 1 spot, it made him realize, ‘hey, it ain’t just going to be given to me, I got to earn it every day.’
“Now that he sees that, we’re getting the Braylen that we need to have. And that’s the tough, tough-minded, battle strong, ready to go, I know what I’m doing, you don’t have to tell me twice attitude and mindset.”
ALSO READ: Mike Washington Jr. describes game: ‘I can make you miss’
Arkansas coaches and Russell’s player comp
Over the offseason, one of the things the coaching staff did with Russell was send him videos of running backs that resembled his player archetype; Guys with size and speed.
Some of the names rattled off were guys like Mike Alstott and Leonard Fournette and Derrick Henry.
“We’re always sending him Twitter videos, mostly from Coach Petrino, of how we see him as a player here and what’s expected of how he needs to play,” Smith said. “Just guys that resemble that size and how they play, that mindset and that toughness, so that’s what we want from him.
The Razorbacks will hold their first scrimmage of fall camp on Saturday. The scrimmage is closed, but head coach Sam Pittman will meet with the media afterward to recap.
Visit our homepage for more Razorback coverage and follow HawgBeat for in-depth coverage throughout fall camp. Subscribe to HawgBeat right now for $1 and also receive a from year of The Athletic for new members.
