Much of the preseason attention regarding the Arkansas defensive line has been on three transfers – former Missouri defenders Tre Williams (6-5, 255) and Markell Utsey (6-4, 290) along with Illinois State standout John Ridgeway (6-6, 320.
It would be understandable if holdovers like junior Zach Williams (6-4, 260) would be a bit miffed, but that’s not the way he chose to approach things.
“It’s healthy competition and I respect that,” Williams said. “They are going to make us fight for our spot every day and that’s going to make us all better.”
Williams, a four-star prospect from Joe T. Robinson, chose Arkansas over Alabama, Georgia, Florida and Tennessee among others.
Williams, who had 97 tackles, with 56 solo stops a whopping 31 tackles for lost yardage as a high school senior, believes the Arkansas defensive line has bonded on and off the field.
“...Outside of practice, we all mix very well,” Williams said. “Just like tonight, everybody is trying to get together and we haven’t really done that before.
“I think they are differences in football relationships and outside relationships and I think we are equally good about both.”
Williams, the son of former Razorback linebacker Rickey Williams (1984-87), is coming off a 2020 season in which he played in nine game with four starts.
He had a career-high seven tackles in the season opener against Georgia and 22 tackles (9 solo), a sack, a quarterback hurry and 1.5 stops for lost yardage for the year.
Williams’ 2020 saw him get in on 305 defensive snaps and 40 on special teams, up from 130 and 14 the previous campaign.
The Razorbacks ended a 20-game SEC losing streak with a 21-14 win over Mississippi State on 0ct. 3 in what turned into a 3-7 season.
The Arkansas defense gave up an average of 451.7 yards per game with 192.1 of that coming and 259.6 via the air.
Williams believes the revitalization of the defense and team will continue this year due to head coach Sam Pittman.
“The belief is that Coach Pittman just inspires a lot of things that previous people haven’t,” Williams said. “He is really down to earth and is a guy you want to fight for. That’s really all I have to say about that.
“But once we did win those few games, it just gave us a drive that we haven’t felt in a while. Even in the games we lost, they were close, they weren’t blowouts. That is what we all like to feed off of.”
The trio of transfers join holdovers Williams, Isaiah Nichols, Dorian Gerald, Eric Gregory, Matao Soli, Marcus Miller, Taurean Carter, Jashaud Stewart, Andy Boykin, junior college transfer Jalen Williams and freshmen Cameron Bell and Solomon Wright and walk ons Morgan Hannah and Jon Hill as defensive linemen on the roster.
“We have the people,” Williams said. “We can be really great this year.”
Williams has continued a transformation that saw him arrive on campus at just over 200 pounds and played at 245 last season.
“Currently I am 260,” Williams said. “But when I came here, I was 204. So that’s a big jump, but I feel like it has really helped me a lot like staying on the line...You can’t just be 200 pounds. I feel like the strength has helped me stay on my guy and help me take it to the next level.”
Williams noted he cut out snacks and just had big meals of healthy food and combined that with weight room work to put the pounds on his frame.
“I feel a lot better because I have gained a lot of confidence, not only because of the weight, but because of the time I have put in,” Williams said.
Arkansas senior offensive lineman Myron Cunningham (6-6, 325) has watched Williams grow both physically and developmentally.
“When I first got here, both me and Zach were both a little under weight, but throughout the years, he has definitely got better,” Cunningham said. “He has got a lot more physical in both the run game and the passing game, especially with the added weight he has put on. He is harder to move out of there.”