FAYETTEVILLE — Early in fall camp, defensive tackle Jonathan Marshall said there was only one player on Arkansas' roster who could push him for the title of strongest player.
That player was redshirt freshman offensive lineman Beaux Limmer, a former three-star prospect from Tyler, Texas. In his first interview this preseason Monday, Limmer pulled back the curtain a bit on the Razorbacks’ unofficial strongman contest.
“We’re pretty neck and neck,” added Limmer, who totaled 30 snaps in four games in 2019. “I think he’s probably got me on squats, but everything else we’re really close. Back in the summer, we were always having a little friendly competition in the weight room.
“We stay together pretty well.”
When pressed for the amount of weight he was putting up during the offseason, Limmer said he benched roughly 430 pounds, squatted 565 pounds and power cleaned 325 pounds.
His work in the weight room has apparently translated to the practice field and Arkansas’ scrimmages. With less than two weeks until the Razorbacks’ season opener against No. 4 Georgia, Limmer appears to be the frontrunner at right guard.
Although he did not see the field regularly as a true freshman, he says that limited experience was still invaluable and provided him confidence entering this preseason.
“You never really know what it's going to be like until you're actually in there playing against the best D-linemen in the nation,” Limmer said. “As far as coming into this season, everybody has been working their butts off. That's me included.
“It's anybody really, you just put your head down. You've got to work hard and you'll end up where you want to be.”
During the third week of the preseason, offensive coordinator Kendal Briles complimented Limmer’s quick-twitch ability and his aggressiveness, adding that he will “strike you, and he’ll finish you.”
“He's a sharp kid. He's got a lot of want-to, and he's got some ability to back it up," Briles said. "I think as young as he is, he's going to have a tremendous career."
Asked if his personal mean streak manifested through studying an offensive lineman at the next level, Limmer said no. Instead, he pointed to a pair of teammates he hopes to join in the starting lineup for Week 1: Ricky Stromberg (likely at right guard) and Brady Latham (left guard).
Last week, Arkansas coach Sam Pittman said Latham likely leads the Razorbacks in fights started in camp. And that is after toning it down from last preseason, according to Limmer. As a true freshman, Stromberg played 700-plus snaps and started the final 11 games of 2019.
“(Latham has) got a mean streak for sure,” Limmer said. “He likes to come off the ball and hit people really hard. I really like double-teaming with Ricky, because he’ll come off and put a shoulder on (a defender) and we get some pretty good double teams in there.
“It's been real fun. Me, Brady and Ricky, all three of us are all real good friends. We all came in together, so we kind of bonded especially the first summer we were here. Communication is always really good. We're just in sync with each other.”
With the week-to-week uncertainty regarding player availability because of covid-19, Arkansas has cross trained a number of offensive linemen. A majority of Limmer’s reps are coming at right guard, but he has also worked at center.
He is one of six players Pittman has had snapping the ball this preseason.
“(Working at multiple positions) definitely helps a lot just to get a better understanding of the entire playbook,” Limmer said. “At guard, you kind of have to rely on the center a little bit to know what your assignment is. But at center, you have to know everything.
"It’s been good cross training at center just to be certain for sure on every assignment. That really helps everybody.”