by Otis Kirk

FAYETTEVILLE -- Dan Enos has returned to Arkansas for his second time as offensive coordinator.

Enos replaces Kendal Briles who left after three years to accept the same job at TCU. Enos was at Arkansas from 2015-17 under Bret Bielema. He and Sam Pittman were on the same staff in 2015. When Briles left Pittman wasted no time in reaching out to Enos.

"As soon as I found out that there was interest for Coach (KB) to leave," Pittman said. "Maybe, I don’t know, 10 minutes after that maybe, or 5 or 3. And then … I’ve had respect for Dan Enos for a long, long time.

"I talked to Jamie (Pittman) last night, and it’s just different. When I was here the first time, he was my boss and now I’m working with him in a different role. I think you hire good people that are confident in themselves, but yet confident in guys they’re working with, too. I was very comfortable working with him, and I hope he feels the same about me."

Pittman was asked what type of offense Arkansas will utilize under Enos?

"Offensively I think he can answer the question better than me, but Dan has always, whether it was here or Alabama or Maryland, they’ve always run on offense around their personnel and their talents, and all that starts, in my opinion, at the quarterback position," Pittman said. "Dan obviously knew coming here what we have at quarterback, and we’re going to just KJ’s (Jefferson) abilities to the fullest along with Rocket (Sanders) and all the other guys.

"I’m an offensive line coach for a reason. I like to run the ball and Dan fit in with that philosophy as well. The bottom line is we’ve just got to score more points than they do. Since Dan left Arkansas, he’s been in multiple formations, multiple sets, multiple offensive philosophies that I think he can adjust, and will, around any of the personnel that we have."

Enos has made stops at Michigan, Alabama, Miami, Cincinnati and Maryland since leaving Arkansas. He talked about how the offenses have changed since 2017.

"I think in this game the great thing about this game is it’s constantly evolving, and you can either adapt and evolve with it or you’ll find yourself on the outside looking in at times," Enos said. "So, through my career I’ve always tried to at least stay on the cutting edge of what people are doing and learning new things, but I think some of the experiences that I’ve had going to different places and learning the different things.

"The RPO world has kind of brought on a whole new realm of the game that we didn’t do a lot of. And then, obviously as Coach mentioned, I think you’re always going to try to do things that your personnel can do. When you have a quarterback that can run, you’re going to maybe do more things where he’s able to use his feet. If you have a quarterback that can’t run, and he’s a pure drop back passer, you’re going to streamline things to help him and use his abilities. But the big thing is that we’re going to evolve, and we’re going to use the talent that we have, try to get them the ball and try to find creative ways to be efficient on offense."

At Alabama, Enos was the assistant head coach and worked with the quarterbacks. Mike Locksley was the offensive coordinator at the time. Locksley is now the head coach at Maryland who Enos worked for there.

"I really think it’s just been more the experiences that I’ve had and the guys that I’ve been with," Enos said. "Going to Alabama when I left here and working with Mike Locksley. Coach was a spread guy, really. an RPO guy. I was kind of the prostyle guy in the room, if you will. It was just so neat the conversations that we had about football when we were kind of installing that system and doing what we were going to do that year. I learned a ton, and hopefully I was able to reciprocate that to some of the guys in the room. But we just did what we did and we just continued to evolve."

At Maryland this season, Taulia Tagovailoa passed for 3008 yards and 18 touchdowns. He is the younger brother of Tua Tagovailoa. Enos was asked if Jefferson reminds him of his Maryland quarterback?

"Yeah there actually is," Enos said. "KJ kind of reminds me of Jalen Hurts a little bit, too. I’m trying to like find comparisons, if you will. One thing I will say, I’ve coached a lot of quarterbacks over the years. This’ll be my 32nd season coming up as a collegiate coach. They’re all different. There’s not two the same. And I tell this to the guys all the time. The great ones I’ve coached and I’ve been around, there’s a lot of similar characteristics if you will, things they have in common. KJ’s a guy, like Taulia and like Jalen, is a very good passer and is very athletic.

"It’s actually kind of exactly what you’re looking for if you really, really want to put defenses in a bind is having a guy that can beat you with his arm and his brain but can also beat you with his legs. I’ve been very, very impressed watching the film of KJ. I’ve obviously watched Arkansas on TV and things like that, just obviously being a fan of Coach Pittman and rooting for him the last few years when we’re able to watch. I got a chance to see him, but then now studying the tape and everything, it’s been very impressive to look at his skillset."

Enos admitted getting to Arkansas, recruiting and settling in has kept him busy since accepting the job.

"It’s been a whirlwind, really, because it happened very very quickly, as what usually happens in this profession," Enos said. "But it’s been really good because I do have a lot of familiarity with Fayetteville. Just getting back and forth and everything when you take a new job usually that’s a struggle, so I haven’t had to use the GPS at least to do that. It really is, it’s a really special place.

"One of the reasons why it was so easy for me to come back is because of our experience here the first time as a family and just me as a professional too. The passion that the fans have and the people have for this university. Going to the basketball game a week or so ago and feeling that in that environment, and just being out with Coach Pittman and having all the people talking to coach, it’s just a very special, unique place. So it was very easy that way. But it’s been great to be back. I have a lot of respect for Coach Pittman, and him and I, we worked together here in 2015. He’s just been one of those guys that you work with and you’re just on the same page right from the get-go."

Arkansas will begin spring drills on March 9.