Mamma Wagner won over

Mamma Wagner approves of son's decision to be a Hog

Arkansas offensive tackle Dalton Wagner and his mother, Nancy pose during a recruiting visit to Fayetteville. Photo courtesy of Nancy Wagner.

Offensive tackle Dalton Wagner publicly committed to Arkansas on July 29, but the process of him becoming a Hog started long before that.

He and his father, Brad visited Fayetteville in early March and came away impressed, but he wanted to make a a return trip so his mother, Nancy, could see what the Razorbacks had to offer.

Wagner, 6-9, 312 pounds, of Richmond-Burton High School in Richmond, Ill., picked Arkansas over scholarship offers from Missouri, California, Virginia, Purdue, Louisville, Illinois, Vanderbilt, Indiana and others.

He and his parents, along with other family members, visited Fayetteville on July 28. After meeting Coach Bret Bielema, offensive line coach Kurt Anderson and seeing the academic support, his mother was on board with her son being a Razorback.

At what point of the visit were you won over by Arkansas?

“Meeting and speaking with Coach B is what decided it for me. I was pleased with his genuine nature and transparency in his coaching style and team expectations. About midway through our talk in his office, I knew this was the right fit for us. We had all decided before our campus visit was over that the time was right for Dalton to commit. The funny thing was I missed it because our daughter and I were in the restroom. Dalton had a window of opportunity with Coach Bielema before he headed over to the Susan G. Komen event so he seized it.”

What won you over and why?

“The entire coaching staff won me over. I felt reassured that Dalton was in good hands and that Arkansas would treat him like family. There is a great cohesiveness among the staff which is important for leaders to have. The athletes we met seemed to have a great deal of respect for the coaches and for one another. Our family is very much devoted to core values revolving around faith, family, respect and hard work. We think these values are mutually shared by those we met, and we think Dalton is a good fit for the Arkansas culture.”

What were your thoughts on Coach Bielema?

“I was extremely impressed with Coach's focus on ensuring the players have all the tools they need to be successful on and off the field. His Midwestern roots show through in the values he has and instills in others, and that was important to me. Coach B's personal commitment to each of these kids is rare at his level, and his passion for them shows in all he does. He made a point of stating he isn't in this relationship with the players for the next four years; he is in it for life. I have no doubt he will do all he can to ensure a former/current player has all the resources he needs to become a productive member of society. Football may not last forever, but the values taught and experiences gained through this football family will shape each player for a lifetime."

What did you think about Coach Anderson?

“I loved his intensity and passion for Dalton and for the entire program. He is another Midwesterner who understands the importance we place on things like family values, staying true to your word and always working hard. To have someone who believes so much in our son is exciting. I think my favorite thing he said to us was that he isn't going to just tell you that you are doing something wrong, he is going to explain why it is wrong and what impact that wrong move will have on everyone else. He will ensure all his players understand fully how impactful their moves, plays, errors, behavior, etc., are to the entire team and beyond.”

Dalton said you really liked the academic center and the support given to the student-athletes.

“After touring the Jerry and Gene Jones Academic Center, I summarized the entire experience in two words: No excuses. Everything a student-athlete could possibly need to be successful at Arkansas is right in front of them. If you need a laptop to complete an assignment, they will loan you one. If you need to print a thesis, you can print it there for free. If you need help with a class, you can work with a tutor, study group or visit one of the labs for further assistance. If you need help deciding on a career path, they will expose you to more resources than you will probably know what to do with. There is absolutely no excuse for a student-athlete to not be successful at the University of Arkansas; the foundation has been laid, the tools are provided, and the support and guidance is always available. You cannot fail in this environment unless you want to fail, and if that's the case, you shouldn't be here anyway.”

You tweeted out #woopig shortly after getting to Arkansas. What made you do that?

I think it is an awesome catchphrase that I will plan on using as much as I can up north. I am sure it will drive my coworkers crazy, but that's OK — wait until I put on a pig snout! Seriously, though, we were so pumped to finally get to Arkansas after our long drive, and the anticipation that the #woopig was the exclamation that immediately came to mind. I love it."

You talked highly of the Arkansas fans. Why?

“I have never seen such 'fanatic' fans before. This entire state lives for this team and this school, and I think it is amazing. It is a hard thing to describe to someone who hasn't seen it in action. The outpouring we got on Twitter during the recruiting process was huge, but it completely blew up after the commitment was announced. Dalton actually counted 15 seconds after his commitment tweet before his Twitter blew up. I love the enthusiasm of the fans and the loyalty and support for this team (though I must say I am a bit nervous about what happens if they DON'T like you).

Any other thoughts you would like to share?

“We are so excited to be a part of the Razorback family and truly feel like it is going to be a home away from home. We are truly blessed and grateful that Dalton's hard work and leadership has paid off for him. The mix of Midwestern values and Southern charm I found at Arkansas was the perfect combination for this mamma.”