FAYETTEVILLE — There was a conversation at a remote spot in Arkansas over dinner in early summer that covered the demise of the Arkansas defense over the last 10 years.
There was a simple question that covered the crux of the hour-long discussion: Will the Razorbacks finally blitz?
With as much emphasis as I could muster, I explained that the very core of John Chavis is to apply pressure. If there is a blitz that can be called, the defensive coordinator they call "Chief" is going to install it in his scheme.
Finally, the man on the other side of the table said, “I'll believe it when I see it. I guess I am doubtful because I haven't seen an Arkansas defensive coordinator call a blitz since Keith Burns.”
In case anyone has forgotten, Burns was Houston Nutt's first Arkansas defensive coordinator, 20 years ago.
So that was at the heart of my only question Saturday as coach Chad Morris and his players hosted the media from around the state following the second practice of fall camp.
Simply, what would you tell an Arkansas fan who doesn't believe that the Hogs are going to blitz?
“Anyone who knows John Chavis would be chuckling at that,” Morris said. “He wakes up thinking about the blitz. That's what he is.”
Morris has fielded questions from media three different times this week. Almost always it has been about the retention level of his offense after the summer. It has been good, Morris keeps saying.
I asked the last question Saturday and it was about the retention level of the defense and all of those blitzes that were installed in the spring.
“It's been very similar to the (retention) of the offense,” Morris said. “We've had two days of installs to go with what they had been given in the spring. It's been good.
“When you look at guys like Randy Ramsey, (De'Jon) Scoota Harris and Dre Greenlaw, I'm really pleased. They've retained a lot.”
Of course, the Hogs haven't put on pads. The contact doesn't start until Wednesday. That's when the tackling begins and things will be easier to define at that point.
So I stuck with the Xs and the Os of the defense Saturday. Will the Hogs blitz?
The players responded with a resounding yes. It wasn't just a consensus, but unanimous from players on both sides of the ball.
What would Ty Storey tell the man who doesn't believe the Hogs will blitz?
“That man doesn't know what Arkansas football is going to look like this season,” Storey said.
Storey was chuckling as he said that. He's taken the most snaps as the first-team quarterback. It has been ones against ones for the most part in every practice. Morris believes in “good on good.”
Storey added, “If it's not a blitz, then it's not our defense. We are going to blitz. I see Dre and Scoota laughing on the other side because they know they are about to blitz. It's coming. Get ready, because they are coming.
“It's a cat-and-mouse game. You try to pick up tendencies, but it's hard. You see them get excited and you try to read that. But they know how to disguise it, too.”
Cole Kelley, battling Storey for the starting job, didn't chuckle. But he said he sees the same thing as Greenlaw and Harris take their cues from Chavis, also the linebackers coach.
“You know they love playing for him,” Kelley said. “I see it in their eyes. They are excited.
“To be honest, I'm excited, too. I saw the other team's quarterback sit in the pocket with no pressure last year. They had all day. They aren't going to be sitting there any more. Someone's coming.”
Greenlaw is having a blast.
“Chief will listen to you,” Greenlaw said. “If you have a blitz, he'll add it. He wants you to have fun. He makes it fun for us.
“If someone is out there doubting he'll blitz, they are wrong. He's going to call a blitz on the first play. Trust me.
“Chief is going to roll the dice. If we are up 20, he'll blitz. If are down 20, he'll blitz.”
Greenlaw said it's the dream scenario for a linebacker.
“Now, you better get there,” he said. “You like playing this, but you need to make the play.”
So there is pressure on linebackers if there is going to be a called pressure.
“There sure is,” Greenlaw said. “I do know the idea is to cause some heck. You want to be moving and cause things to happen and you better make plays.
“Obviously, I like to blitz, so I'm telling Chief, 'Call the will blitzes. I'll get there.' It's fun.”
There isn't a linebacker in football that wouldn't say the same thing.
“I want to attack,” Harris said. “I know Chief likes to bring it.”
Again, the linebacker has to get there.
“I was told last spring that I had to increase my explosive ability,” Harris said. “So to get there, I have to be more explosive.
“Chief told me to get in the Yoga classes and commit to them. He said it would help me open up my hips and add to my explosive ability. I'd heard that before so I know he was telling me right.”
Harris has known of Chief's reputation since his prep days in the New Orleans area. Older players from his high school played for Chavis at LSU.
“I was an LSU fan so I followed him and as a young player I went to some one day camps at LSU and he was my coach,” Harris said. “So I knew some of the terms that he used.
“I was excited when everyone starting saying that Chief was coming here. Even before the announcement, I got some Texas A&M tape. They were running every pressure you could imagine. I knew we'd be blitzing and I liked that.
“We didn't pressure last year. We lacked depth and we played tentative. I don't think that will happen with Chief. He's going to pressure.”
Depth at linebacker has improved, but Harris said he's ready for more snaps this year. That's likely because the Arkansas offense will try to speed up the game.
“My problem in the past was when I got fatigued,” Harris said. “Chief showed me what happened when I got fatigued. I stood straight up. So I've tried to correct that. I think the Yoga has helped with my flexibility and I'm in better shape in every way.”
The blitz is coming in every way.
“It sure is,” Harris said. “They are coming. I think what we are doing is going to give us chance to make some plays.
“We are coming downhill in the run game. Last year, the idea was to go sideline to sideline. This year we are coming downhill.
“It's more downhill for the linebackers and that's going to free up the defensive line to make more plays. That wasn't the case last year.”
Seeing is believing.
“Oh, you will see it,” Greenlaw said. “It's coming. You might not where it's coming from on one play to the next, but it's coming.”