Confident Calloway relishes starting cornerback role

Arkansas defensive back Chevin Calloway defends during a drill Tuesday, Aug. 7, 2018, during practice at the university practice fields in Fayetteville.

— While Saturday’s Arkansas football scrimmage was closed, Razorback coaches and players raved about the standout defensive play - a one-handed interception sophomore cornerback Chevin Calloway made off of Ty Storey near the sideline.

All in a day’s work according to Calloway (5-10, 190), a former Dallas Bishop Dunne star who is scheduled to start this season after choosing Arkansas over Alabama, Auburn, LSU, Ohio State, Michigan, Notre Dame, Oklahoma and a host of others.

“So basically we were in a ‘mix’ call,” Calloway said. “I don’t want to go too in depth on that. But I’m reading No. 2. They did a crossing route. No. 1 came out and he did a back shoulder pass.

“I just looked up for the ball and saw it was in my reach, so I just reached up and grabbed it. Kind of mentally, I told myself I need to drag this foot, so I dragged that foot and just caught the ball.”

A consensus four-star and the 120th-best high school player nationally in 2017, per ESPN, Calloway played in all 12 games last season, was in on 152 snaps on defense and recorded 10 tackles while backing up fellow true freshmen Kamren Curl, who is now a starting safety.

“I just think from last season, just coming from not really starting and playing that backup role, I definitely learned a lot,” Calloway said. “It was a big jump for me. I’m excited for the season coming up.

“I’m getting a lot better. I’m adjusting more to the speed, I’m jumping more routes, I’m just adjusting, learning the playbook, I’m learning film, learning different tendencies and different things like that.”

He played a season-high 63 snaps in the regular season finale against Missouri, recording five tackles and two pass break ups - a performance that helps him come into this season very confident in his ability.

“I have complete 100 percent confidence in myself,” Calloway said. “I think it just comes down to me continuing to learn, watch film and study my craft. (Now) in practices, I might get beat, in the process I might get beat, but overall when it is gameday and the lights are on and it is time to make big plays, then I know for sure that I can hold my own for sure.”

Ironically, Calloway was so highly-recruited that then-SMU head coach and current Arkansas coach Chad Morris didn’t recruit him.

“It’s actually funny because coach Morris - they didn’t even recruit me,” Calloway said. “I think in high school at the time I had about 33 offers, but they didn’t offer me one. It is kind of weird that they were right down the street and then I come here and then he comes.

“I was like, ‘I wish I would have met him, I probably would have ended up committing to SMU or something.’ It’s just who coach Morris is as a person, who he is as a coach, what he does is something that I like a lot.”

Arkansas has redshirt junior Ryan Pulley and Calloway running first-team in preseason drills with redshirt freshman Montaric Brown and junior Britto Tutt, true freshman Ladarrius Bishop and redshirt freshman Jordan Curtis - who is currently injured - all working in reserve.

Brown was moved from safety during the first week of practice and Calloway sees him being a big help at the position.

“I think Montaric is going to be big-time for us,” Calloway said. “God forbid I go down or Pulley goes down, I do trust him coming in and doing well with that position.

“This was only his third day - the scrimmage was his third day playing corner - so him just learning that and being there for us, we are going to get a lot of reps in on gamedays. I do think coach plans on us rotating, so I think that can be a plus.”

The depth in the secondary - even with sixth-year senior Kevin Richardson out injured - is better this season, per Calloway.

“For sure,” Calloway said. “Like I said, the reps - just during the season - we are probably going to need guys that are going to come fill in whenever we get 100-plus reps in a game, and coach mentioned that to us earlier. They can step in, help us out and be a key.”

The Arkansas defense gave up some record-setting numbers last season, but Calloway feels like a influx of youth and experience will change things this season.

He notes the hiring of new defensive coordinator John Chavis and his more aggressive style of defense as a key in that progress.

“I think we can make a huge improvement,” Calloway said. “Just with the blitzing and off the edge. With the Dime formations we have in and Mustang with more DBs on the field covering and everything like that, I think just with these guys it is going to be a huge difference and you will definitely notice for sure.”

Arkansas will play more press converge this season instead of giving receivers a chance to catch the ball and then make a tackle.

“Oh yes, a lot more,” Calloway said. “Last year we did more off-man, a lot of ‘catch’ techniques. A lot of times we were getting beat a lot because we were playing that catch. Now that we can observe it, just a lot more technique from coach Chavis helps us out a lot with coach Chavis’ defense.”

Chavis and secondary coaches Ron Cooper and Mark Smith are now in charge of the defensive backfield.

Chavis has had 81 defensive players drafted by NFL teams, including defensive backs such as Patrick Peterson, Tyrann Mathieu, Deon Grant and Morris Claiborne - something that gives Chavis credibility with the players.

“We listen a lot more,” Calloway said. “If they can get those guys in the league and they are coaching us and telling us this guy was doing this when he was at your position or this time, it gives us that confidence.

“He definitely knows what he is talking about. Not saying the other coaches didn’t, but you are kind of more in-tuned, listening to what he is saying more.”