Lawson doing what he does best

FAYETTEVILLE -- If Arkansas' men's team had needed Jarrion Lawson to run the 1,600-meter relay at the SEC Outdoor Track and Field Championships last Saturday, he was ready to go in his fifth event.

"I was tired, but my body was feeling good," Lawson said. "When I'm feeling good, I run good."

Lawson skipped the meet's final event because he already had done enough to help Arkansas clinch the team title.

The senior from Texarkana, Texas, won the long jump (25 feet, 11 1/2) inches, ran a leg on the Razorbacks' second-place 400 relay team (38.96), took fourth in the 100 (10.24) and sixth in the 200 (20.56) at Alabama's Sam Bailey Track Center.

Lawson was credited with scoring 20 points -- the winning margin for Arkansas over second-place Texas A&M, 121 to 101.

"People talk about the term 'teammate,' but Jarrion understands the definition," Razorbacks Coach Chris Bucknam said. "He sacrificed some individual performances and put himself out there to help the team."

Bucknam said that as a coach at Northern Iowa and Arkansas, he's had other talented athletes who weren't as selfless as Lawson, a three-time NCAA champion and 15-time All-American.

"Jarrion's an elite enough athlete that he could have said he was only going to do one or two events," Bucknam said. "We've had that happen before where you've got a guy big-timing you and saying, 'I'm just doing this.'

"That's happened more than you think, but Jarrion will do whatever you ask."

The SEC Championships were the first time Lawson had competed in the long jump and run the 100, 200 and 400 relay at the same meet, but he said he didn't have a fear of failure.

"I really don't put any extra pressure on myself," Lawson said. "I don't worry about other people's expectations.

"I go out there and jump and run and let things happen on their own. I just kind of catch the train and roll with it."

Lawson competed in the long jump and ran in five races -- including heats of the 100 and 200-- over three days of the SEC meet.

"Jarrion was consistent in all those events, and that's what the SEC is really all about," said Arkansas assistant Doug Case, who coaches the sprinters. "You have to do your thing at the SEC meet. You can't have a down event -- even in a prelim.

"You have to be on every single time you're on the track. So for him to do everything he did at the SEC level is pretty amazing."

Arkansas field events coach Travis Geopfert credited Lawson with staying focused throughout the weekend.

"I think what he did mentally is even more impressive than the physical component of it," Geopfert said. "He did a fantastic job of managing all the stuff, the competing, the warming up, the cooling down."

Lawson said a key to handling the heavy workload is allowing himself to be coached.

"Being able to sit down and listen to the circle you have working around you as far as weight coaches and trainers and event coaches," he said. "Just doing everything I needed to do from their perspective whether it was hydrating, getting treatment, taking an ice bath or just relaxing whenever I could.

"All that, and then going out there and doing what I do best, and that's compete."

Lawson said he takes being a team captain to heart in a sport centered around individual performances.

"Ever since I was in middle school, I've been a team-oriented person," he said. "I love to add to the energy of the team, so I was very happy to participate in four events.

"I think as a captain you've got to motivate your teammates, give them that adrenaline. Once they see you doing good, they want to do good, too."

Arkansas won its 19th SEC Outdoor title in 25 years since joining the conference.

"Jarrion wants to compete for the team and help us win titles," Geopfert said. "You look back at why he chose to come to Arkansas, that was because of us always being in the mix for championships.

"It's fun to be part of something that's bigger than yourself, and he embraces that, the history we have at Arkansas and what the guys have done in the past."

Last year at the NCAA Championships, Lawson took third in the long jump and 100 and ran legs on the winning 400 relay and sixth-place 1,600 relay teams.

Arkansas' coaches are still discussing whether to have Lawson run the 200 in addition to those other events at the NCAA West Regional, held May 25-26 in Lawrence, Kan.

"I've got more speed to get to and more ground to cover," Lawson said. "But I think the SEC meet was a good starting point for me."

Sports on 05/18/2016