FAYETTEVILLE — Safety Santos Ramirez and cornerback Henre’ Toliver have seen new Arkansas defensive coordinator Paul Rhoads get fired up numerous times over the course of the last 2 years.
Rhoads has been the duo’s position coach since he arrived on campus last year, so they’ve seen their fair share of emotion from the 50-year-old during practices.
“He’s crazy,” Toliver said.
They’ve also seen video clips from when Rhoads was the roaming the sidelines as Iowa State’s head coach. There are some memorable outbursts.
Paul Rhoads was in the coaches box on game days last year. Hopefully he'll be down on the sidelines now that he's the defensive coordinator. pic.twitter.com/fCjeY1hVCD
— Jimmy Carter (@NWAJimmy) January 22, 2017
Part 2. This is fantastic. pic.twitter.com/6ZHM94D7lN
— Jimmy Carter (@NWAJimmy) January 22, 2017
“I just want to see that on game day,” Toliver said.
That wish will come true this fall, with Rhoads set to coordinate the defense from the sideline. He worked from the press box during games last season, but the transition to the field follows in the footsteps of his predecessor, Robb Smith.
Rhoads’ players are expecting no shortage of fiery moments.
“I already know it’s going to come,” Ramirez said. “Coach Rhoads is a very passionate, intense guy. I know there’s going to be times where things, he may disagree with them. All I can say is I’m anxious to see coach Rhoads on the sideline. No matter what, we ride behind our coach.”
That emotion and direct nature is what has drawn the players to Rhoads. They’ve made no secret of their appreciation for his demeanor since he was promoted in January and tasked with installing a new 3-4 scheme in order to bounce back from a subpar defensive performance in 2016.
“He’s just a great coach, man,” Toliver said. “He really cares about us. He knows what he wants. He’s watched previous years and knows what not to do. He’s just enthusiastic, he knows what to do, he knows what he wants with this defense.
“He knows the holes of the defense, so us as a defense, we don’t panic. He empowers this defense, so that’s what I think the biggest difference is.”
In addition to being excited about witnessing Rhoads’ potential sideline antics, both players prefer having the defensive coordinator on the field.
“He knows everything,” Toliver said. “He’s the dictator of the defense. He’ll sit here and tell me specific things he sees from the sideline.”
“That can really help us if we have any confusion on the field,” Ramirez said. “He can get us back right and get our minds back right.”