FAYETTEVILLE -- The second spring scrimmage at Arkansas on Saturday reportedly produced a better day for the offense than the previous one.
The scrimmage was closed, but sources indicted the offense had two passing touchdowns and one rushing. Sophomore defensive back DJ Hairston Jr. had a pick-6 as well. No details were provided on which quarterback threw the interception Hairston returned for six points.
Both quarterbacks, KJ Jackson and AJ Hill, had touchdown passes. Jackson found wide receiver Chris Marshall for a 19-yard touchdown. Hill hit wide receiver Courtney Crutchfield for a 16-yard touchdown. Running back Cam Settles powered it in from the 2-yard line.
Junior linebacker Bradley Shaw is one of the key returning defenders from last season. In 2025, Shaw had 50 tackles, including 24 solo, two sacks, forced a fumble and recovered a fumble for a touchdown. Shaw, who had a tackle for loss in the scrimmage, also provided his thoughts on Saturday’s scrimmage.
“Really just how we compete, how we always want to come out and get better,” Shaw said. “And we’re an eager team that always wants to get better, and we want to compete to the highest level that we can, whether it be special teams, offense, defense, two-minute, short-yardage, or simply playing games. We’re just a team that wants to compete and get better in everything we do. I mean, we take the same approach to every scrimmage and everything that we do.”
Shaw also talked about what the defense did successfully in the first scrimmage that carried over to the second one.
"Something that we've been doing well is communication, just being on the same page," Shaw said. "As far as getting the checks, getting everybody lined up and stuff like that, we just want to make sure we're sound in everything we do. I feel like really just the communication part, communicating, making sure everybody's on board, because if you don't talk as defense, you don't have no defense. So, you got to make sure you're on the same page."
In the transfer portal, Arkansas landed Howard linebacker Ja'Quavion Smith, who is a junior and has worked with the first unit some this spring.
"Really amazing things. He's a guy that loves ball," Shaw said. "He's eager, eager to learn, and he's a really good compliment, I feel like, with this linebacker room. We're a very, very deep room, and I feel like everybody can contribute in the way that the team's gonna benefit from So, Ja'Quavion, I just feel like, he's a guy that just like wants to learn football. Not even learn football, but a guy that knows football. Aguy that's like a reactive player. You can't teach reaction. You can't teach first step. That's the thing that he has. I feel like he's a great addition."
Among the returning linebackers is Harding Academy redshirt sophomore Wyatt Simmons. Simmons had 17 tackles in 2025 including eight solo. He has impressed Shaw.
"Tremendous strides," Shaw said. "I’d say he’s made strides everywhere, just playing ball. I’d say, like he’s going. He’s getting his feet wet. He’s moving. He’s going to be something to see."
Shaw also provided the difference in a Ron Roberts defense opposed to what the Razorbacks have done previously. Roberts also coaches the linebackers as well as serving as defensive coordinator.
"Pretty much I’d say, a backer is going to be a backer wherever you go," Shaw said. "You’ve got to make calls. You’ve got to make checks. Got to make sure everybody’s lined up and different things like that. Something I would say, Coach Roberts, he’s going to make it easy for you. He’s going to talk to you and different things like that and he’s going to make sure you understand. He sends me text messages of stuff I could do better, stuff I could help people get lined up. Just little clips and things he sends after practice, pre-practice. Just like meetings, outside of players meetings, just everything you could use to get better."
Shaw also talked about how he sees his role in this defense. Shaw also reflected back on what he was able to take from Xavian Sorey Jr. and Stephen Dix Jr., two senior linebackers in 2025.
"I feel like my role is a Mike backer," Shaw said. "Make the calls, make the checks, get everybody lined up.
"Really just being that vocal leader the tone setter," Shaw said. "You’ve got to get everybody to the ball, make sure everybody’s motivated. You’ve got to make sure the checks are right. If something’s not right you’ve got to make it right. That’s something that I took from Stephen Dix. And Sorey, just his motor. Just his go, go, go. Just the motor he has."
In addition to Hairston's pick-6 and Shaw's tackle for loss, some other defenders made key plays Saturday. Caleb Bell had two tackles for loss. Danny Beale and Steven Soles Jr. each had a tackle for loss. Carlon Jones had a sack. Ian Williams also picked off a pass.
The Razorbacks will hold their spring game on Saturday, April 25, at 2 p.m.