FAYETTEVILLE — Hearing the same things over and over again, and day after day can become monotonous.
It’s especially true for several of Arkansas’ players as they continue to push through preseason practice.
Understanding that fact, Razorbacks coach Chad Morris, who has preached positivity and teamwork since his hiring in December, brought in a pair of motivational speakers in the past week to reinforce those messages.
Jon Gordon, author of the book Energy Bus, met with the team before practice last Wednesday, and Todd Gongwer, author of Lead… for God’s Sake, stood before players and the coaching staff after Monday’s practice. Sophomore quarterback Cole Kelley, one of a handful of players to be given Gordon’s book by strength coach Trumain Carroll to read over the summer, has taken a lot from the speeches — and the book.
“That book has done things to me already. It’s a great book, so when (Gordon) came I had a bunch of questions, and if you haven’t read it, you need to,” Kelley said. “You don’t have to be going through anything. It really helped not even just as a leader, but as a person waking up in the morning and wanting to be the best you can.
“It’s changed me a lot for sure. We had another guy (Monday) night, but he had some really good lessons, too, just about the same stuff coach Morris and the coaches tell us on a daily basis; it’s just a different voice saying it and a different point of view saying it. It’s about being where your feet are and being a good teammate. So it’s cool that Coach Morris does that for us a lot.”
Junior quarterback Ty Storey said the speeches have centered a lot on teamwork and the necessary steps needed to become a connected team. Gongwer’s message, which focused on the ‘Why?’ in players’ lives, struck a cord with Storey and one of his offensive linemen.
“There’s obviously a lot of 'Whys?' (for me),” Storey said. “A lot of the people doubting, that’s a big why for everybody, but for me especially. Also my family back home, I know they’ve done a lot for me. Those are two pretty big 'Whys?”
The ‘Why?’ in right guard Johnny Gibson’s life is easy to find. A quick glance at his left forearm, where a No. 19 tattoo made up of immediate family members’ names is inked, provides all the motivation he needs.
The 19 represents his grandmother’s 19 grandchildren, of which Gibson is the youngest.
“It helps me remember who I’m doing it for — for my family,” he said. “I’ve taken from them that not everyone is the same. One of the biggest things you need to know is your ‘Why?' Remember why you do this, why you play this sport.
“They should always be striving to be the best person they can be, and when you can be the best person you can be, you can be the best player you can be. When you’re the best player you can be, then you can be a great team."
Brenda Tracy, founder of #SetTheExpectation, a campaign dedicated to combating sexual and physical violence, will speak to the team Thursday. Tracy met with Morris' previous teams at SMU, and Morris has been with her "since day one," she wrote on Twitter.
At SMU, Morris and the Mustangs hosted a 'Teal game' two seasons ago to raise awareness for sexual and domestic violence. Tracy served as the team's honorary captain.
"Men have to take a stand against sexual and domestic violence," Morris told the Houston Chronicle in 2016. "I want to do what I can to help young men. Brenda Tracy is starting a revolution by telling her story. A life touches a life touches a life and so on."