FAYETTEVILLE -- Sophomore running back Braylen Russell is making progress this preseason as he prepares to build on his freshman season.
On Friday, Russell worked with the first unit on offense. Russell and transfer Mike Washington in a battle for who runs out first against Alabama A&M though both along with Rodney Hill are expected to play big roles this fall.
Russell was third on the team in rushing last fall behind Ja'Quinden Russell and quarterback Taylen Green. Russell carried 67 times for 354 yards and three touchdowns. The former Benton High School standout caught three passes for 18 yards. His best game came against Mississippi State when he rushed 16 times for 175 yards and caught a pass for 11 yards. He also led the team in rushing in an upset win over Tennessee when Russell had eight carries for 62 yards with much of his success on the game-winning drive.
Kolby Smith, who coaches the running backs at Arkansas, talked about Russell's progress following Friday's practice.
"The competition has really ramped up in our room, which has everybody playing at a high level, especially Braylen," Smith said. "The spring that we had wasn't what we wanted, and we sat down and we talked about it. He knows that he has to go hard every day in practice to earn what he wants to get."
Smith talked about how the spring for Russell wasn't what they wanted.
"We did not have the explosive runs," Smith said. "We did not the finish. We didn’t have the right reads. The speed on tracks, none of that was where it needed to be. Just a total night-and-day difference from where he is today, than where he was in the spring."
What was the cause of the spring not being what Russell or you wanted in your opinion?
"Just maturity," Smith said. "You know what I mean? And college, you have to work. You have to earn what you do every day, no different than what we’re doing. I’m out here trying to earn my job because I know somebody else wants to be the running backs coach at the University of Arkansas, so that’s how I attack it every day. Now that he knows and understands that, I think with Rodney having a year of experience under his belt, with Mike coming in, all of them gunning in for that No. 1 spot, it made him realize, ‘hey, it ain’t just going to be given to me, I got to earn it every day.’ Now that he sees that, we’re getting the Braylen that we need to have. And that’s the tough, tough-minded, battle strong, ready to go, I know what I’m doing, you don’t have to tell me twice attitude and mindset."
Smith had extra praise though for Russell as a pass blocker which isn't the case with all the running backs.
"Oh he’s always been a good protector," Smith said. "Always been a good protector. He’s the best at it because he’s strong, big and physical. Nobody can really get by him and once he gets his hands on them, it’s lights out."
Smith named the running backs that he sent video of them to Russell.
"Yeah, so we sent videos of Mike Alstott, we sent videos of (Leonard) Fournette, just guys that resemble that size and how they play, that mindset and that toughness, so that's what we want from him," Smith said.
Russell agrees with Smith that the competition in the running back room has benefitted all of them.
"I feel like our competition is great," Russell said. "We have a very good diverse room. We all can do different things. So I feel like us competing in the room is just getting us better for what's to come out there on the field."
Russell admitted the videos the coaches sent him helped.
"I would say just watching the people they sent me and just piggybacking off what— because they sent me some bruisers, and they sent me some bruisers that are fast, and I was, like, piggybacking off of that, just going, watching and seeing what he did on this why he's that great," Russell said. "So that's probably why I'm having a better camp than I did in the spring."
Russell had his own opinion on what held him back in the spring.
"I would say maybe learning, still learning myself, seeing what I can do, what I can't do, getting better at what I couldn't do," Russell said. "Now I'm getting better at what I couldn't do in the spring. Running hard, explosive, catching balls out the backfield and stuff like that. So I've learned more in this camp doing what I could do in the spring."
Russell and the Razorbacks will have a closed scrimmage on Saturday morning in Razorback Stadium.
