Die-hard Hog: Pool now leader for program he cheered growing up

Arkansas linebacker Bumper Pool is shown during a July 2020 workout in Fayetteville.

— For Arkansas linebacker Bumper Pool, there was really only one choice when it came to where he was going to attend college.

The 6-2, 225 pound junior from Lucas, Texas, had multiple offers, including Alabama, LSU and Texas A&M, but he had always dreamed of being a Razorback.

“I’m a die-hard Razorback fan who got the opportunity to play football for them,” Pool said.

Being a Razorback is a bit of a tradition in the Pool family. Pool’s grandfather, dad, two aunts, multiple cousins and his siblings have all either graduated from Arkansas or are attending now.

Older sister Maddie was already in school at Arkansas when Bumper was rising on the ratings of the recruiting services while at Lovejoy High School.

“Arkansas is actually the only place I applied to college,” Maddie said. “My counselors in high school would always pull me aside and say, ‘Hey, have you thought about applying to Texas?’ I was like, ‘No, I’m good. I’m good with Arkansas. It’s a family thing.’”

Not only are all three Pool siblings either current or former Razorbacks, but now all three are associated with the Razorback football team: Bumper as a linebacker, Maddie as an Associate Director of On-Campus Recruiting and Harper, Bumper’s younger brother, as an equipment manager.

“Honestly, it’s like a dream come true,” Maddie said. “I mean, I never would have pictured this. I never would have thought just us all three being able to be together. We couldn’t ask for anything better.”

Bumper beams while explaining the family tradition.

“We’ve grown up as Razorback fans our whole life, never once did I think that we all three would be working for the same university,” Bumper said. “I think it makes our parents proud.”

Growing up with two brothers, Maddie quickly found out they were going to do what interested them.

“I would like to play teacher and I would like to dress (Bumper) up, but that didn’t last very long because he quickly got bigger than me,” Maddie said. “I think I had about a solid year when he was around 3-4, and then after that when he turned 5, he was a big boy and I just listened to what Bumper did. And then we had a younger brother, Harper. So then I was just way outnumbered and did whatever the boys wanted to do.”

What the boys wanted to do was play sports.

Maddie parlayed that love of sports into working for the Razorbacks. She takes on many roles in her job, but one in particular is helping with communication between parents and players.

“If (parents) ever have a question or if they need a liaison to get some quick information, they’re able to contact me and I’ll do whatever I can to get them an answer,” Maddie said.

Bumper remembers his sister being an important part of his support system in Fayetteville.

“I see my sister all the time,” Bumper said. “She’s kind of my little mom up here. She’ll bring us dinner every now and then. I know my freshman year I counted on her a lot and she was great.”

Maddie made sure Bumper was eating right, prepared for tests and checked on his well-being. All of those things started to add up, though.

“I called my mom afterward and was like, 'Mom, I’m going to be honest, I don’t know how you had kids,'” Maddie said. “'This is stressful. This is just a lot of responsibility.' She said, ‘Maddie, you’re still the sister. It’s OK.’”

With the support of his sister and his entire family, Bumper played in 10 games his freshman season, starting four.

He used that experience to earn a starting spot in all 12 games last season despite being slowed by a back injury.

“You only get so many opportunities to play college football games,” Bumper said. “So if I could run, tackle and make plays, I was playing. There was no doubt about that.”

Bumper originally committed to play for former Arkansas coach Bret Bielema, but decided to stay after Chad Morris was hired.

“I love the Razorbacks, I always will,” Bumper said. “Coaches are always going to change, position coaches are always going to change, but when you love a university and feel at home there, I think it’s just a big decision that a lot of kids should go to that school.”

Bumper is used to change at the head coaching position. Counting his eighth-grade year, his high school had three different head coaches while he was there. He thinks there is something to be learned from every coaching staff.

“You can realize that there is good from every person that comes into your life,” Bumper said. “Everyone is going to have a new perspective. It’s going to lead to you ultimately being more successful in your life. I love the challenge of a new head coach, (and) a new system because it just brings more tools to your game.”

Pool is the likely starter at weakside linebacker, with Grant Morgan perhaps getting the nod at middle linebacker. They are learning a new system as installed by defensive coordinator Barry Odom. Their new position coach is Rion Rhoades.

With a new scheme to learn, and no spring practice to learn it in because of covid-19, it would seem likely that the Razorbacks would be behind in their preparation for the season.

He believes the virtual meetings will actually put Arkansas ahead of schedule.

“Obviously having spring ball would have been huge,” Bumper said. “You can’t discredit those reps, but when you have guys that are brand new to the program, and really we’re all brand new to the system, we can sit back, ask questions, (and) we’re not rushed for time. I think we’re going to be ahead of schedule of where people would have thought.”

Without his teammates to push him during the last few months, Bumper admitted working out at home wasn’t as challenging as if he would have been on campus. But he also didn’t have to look far to search for motivation.

“When you realize what you’re playing for it makes it a lot easier,” he said.

What is he playing for? He wants to restore the pride in the Razorbacks.