FAYETTEVILLE -- Arkansas Gov. Mike Beebe addressed the Razorbacks before Friday's workout while he was in town for Saturday's graduation ceremonies.
"He's a fan, and he's rooting for us," senior safety Alan Turner said, referencing the Razorbacks' Texas Bowl game Dec. 29 against Texas.
It marked the second time Beebe, a 1968 Arkansas State graduate, addressed the Razorbacks this season. He also did it before Arkansas' 30-0 victory against No. 8 Ole Miss on Nov. 22 .
"He's excited about us," quarterback Brandon Allen said. "I think the last time he came and spoke to us was the Ole Miss game and we happened to win that game, so a little superstitious kind of thing. Every time he's spoken to us we've won, so why not give it a shot?"
Other players also appreciated the encouragement.
"It was cool, especially a guy around here everybody knows, a local guy like that," senior tackle Brey Cook said. "It's cool to feel that recognition from around the state."
Defensive tackle Bijhon Jackson said Beebe talked about the Texas rivalry and how much he hated losing.
"The coaches were telling us it was crazy, that he knew everything," Jackson said. "He does a good job encouraging us. It was great to hear from him."
Welcome to Austin
A few hours after Arkansas' matchup with Texas in the Texas Bowl was announced Dec. 7, Coach Bret Bielema and defensive backs coach Clay Jennings were in Austin -- home of the Longhorns -- on a recruiting trip.
"It was a lot of fun getting heckled everywhere we go," Bielema said, laughing. "We're dragging our Razorback gear into the hotel and people are cussing us."
Jennings said a Texas fan accused the Razorbacks of being there to spy on the Longhorns.
"There was one comment made to Coach B that we were in Austin trying to get a playbook," Jennings said. "I think we were there just trying to find a bed and find something to eat."
All business
Defensive end Trey Flowers was a freshman when the Razorbacks made their last postseason appearance, a 29-16 victory over Kansas State in the Cotton Bowl to cap the 2011 season.
Flowers, a team captain, was asked his advice for the Razorbacks experiencing their first bowl trip in Houston.
"I would just tell them to stay level-headed and understand it's a big-time city," Flowers said. "You've got the clubs and the girls and things like that, but understand it's a business trip and we're going to take care of business.
Longhorns' line
Texas defensive tackle Malcom Brown, an Outland Trophy finalist who is expected to declare early for the NFL Draft, tackle Hassa Ridgeway and ends Cedric Reed and Naashon Hughes are getting a lot of scrutiny from the Arkansas offense.
"It reminds you of some of the SEC teams that we've played," Arkansas offensive line coach Sam Pittman said. "They're really big, and they're really physical."
Pittman compared the Longhorns' front to that of Mississippi State.
"They're concerning," he said.
"The guys in the middle, definitely big boys," Hogs guard Sebastian Tretola said of the 6-2, 320-pound Brown and the 6-4, 307-pound Ridgeway.
"He's a great defensive lineman," tackle Dan Skipper said of Brown. "Being the only defensive guy on the Outland, that obviously speaks volumes."
Who walked?
The list of Arkansas football players scheduled to receive their diplomas Saturday were Brandon Allen, Patrick Arinze, Brey Cook, Alan D'Appollonio, AJ Derby, Trey Flowers, Drew Gorton, John Henson, Jonathan McClure, Braylon Mitchell, Alan Turner and Carroll Washington.
Former Razorbacks who have completed degree requirements and were set to graduate were receiver Anthony Eubanks and offensive lineman Ray Gervasi.
Chin jungle
Senior tackle Brey Cook is sporting a thick winter beard that isn't going anywhere anytime soon.
"It for sure will make it through the holidays," Cook said. "I haven't bought any razors in a long time, and I don't plan to, so it's going. I'm working with it."
Props to Hogs
Alabama Coach Nick Saban, whose team edged Arkansas 14-13 on Oct. 11 in Fayetteville, gave the Razorbacks extra credit recently for helping put a spur in his Crimson Tide.
At a news conference for the Sugar Bowl shortly after Alabama was paired against Ohio State in one of the College Football Playoff semifinal games, Saban was asked if his team's 59-0 demolition of Texas A&M on Oct. 18 was the turning point of his team's season
"I really think that our team came together in the Arkansas game," Saban said. "It was a rough day. Bad weather. Arkansas is a very good team. Probably an underrated team.
"We were in a real dogfight with them and made some plays at the end of the game to win the game, and I saw an energy and enthusiasm in our players that I hadn't really seen before. I think we really became a team."
Sports on 12/21/2014