Arkansas has new blood coaching defensive backs
FAYETTEVILLE — The Arkansas secondary has a lot of work to do, and it has a new leader as defensive backs coach.
Nick Perry is in his first season as the defensive backs coach at Arkansas. He comes after two stints with NFL teams — the Seattle Seahawks and Atlanta Falcons — but he also has experience playing for one of the greatest in college football.
Perry met with the media on Tuesday and said the energy was high at practice.
“My voice is a little gone, it was third down day, and we were getting after it in the secondary,” Perry said. “So, this is a good thing, where my voice is hoarse, that’s a positive thing. But it’s been a blessing. It’s been a crazy ride, coming from Seattle, coming to Arkansas, but we started with a bang.”
Three defensive backs — Jaheim Singletary, Julian Neal and Kani Walker — said the energy from Perry has been a breath of fresh air. It also helps that he played the position he currently coaches.
“He knows what it’s like out there, so he’s not going to get onto us about certain stuff,” Neal said. “He wants us to be our best at all times, but he knows how it is out there. And being able to learn under Coach Perry has been great for the past few months. I’ve learned a lot, and he’s pushing me to be my best. So that’s all I can say.”
Perry no stranger to Fayetteville
A Prattville, Alabama, native, Perry played his college ball at Alabama. He traveled to Fayetteville back in 2010 and 2014, and remembers the environment he played in.
“Pig sooie,” Perry said when asked what he remembers most about that game. “I don’t think I had pork for the next two months after that game. It was a wild atmosphere, and once again, coming in and Arkansas was throwing the first punch. They did that.
“We knew going in we always respected Arkansas. And knowing they’re going to play hard. It’s going to be tough. This is a tough place to play at. With the fans there and the pig sooie it can get a little wild.”
Playing defensive back at Alabama means he also played for one of the greatest coaches of all-time in Nick Saban. Asked what he learned from Saban, he said — interestingly — to have fun.
“Enjoy the process,” Perry said. “This is fun. This is the best time of their lives as well. At the end of day, they get to continue playing the game that they love. They’ve been playing since they were a kid. It can be very businesslike at times.
“But keep the main thing the main thing. Playing football is fun, and so if you don’t look at it as a job, you don’t look like, ‘Oh, I have to be here.’ Look at it as you’re playing a sport that you love. You get to go to work every day and play football. I get to go to work every day and coach football. What’s better than that?”
Last season, the Razorbacks finished 89th in the Football Bowl Subdivision in turnovers gained with just 15. Heading into 2025, the focus for Sam Pittman and his defense has been to increase that number.
“We’re getting our hands on the balls and that’s always a positive,” Perry said. “Now we have to have the confidence and the savviness to feel comfortable playing the ball in the air, OK. Or making those contested catches. We’re working that every day and we’re going to continue to drill that.”
The Razorbacks will get a much-needed day off on Wednesday before the full pads come on for the first time this fall on Thursday.
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