By Otis Kirk
FAYETTEVILLE -- A pair of juniors who are roommates and standouts on the lines are anxious that preparation for Cincinnati begins Thursday.
Defensive end Jashaud Stewart, who is from Jonesboro, and offensive lineman Ty'Kieast Crawford are key members of the line on each side of the ball. Stewart is running first-team end and Crawford is second-team right tackle and guard. Right now, he is working with the first unit some at guard with one of the starters, Brady Latham, injured.
"It's been pretty smooth with the defensive line," Stewart said. "We're just coming together with everything. Footwork, technique. We're just ready. We're really excited about working and prepping for Cincinnati."
Just like at Jonesboro High School, Stewart isn't big, but he has an unbelievable motor that allows him to attack the offense relentlessly.
"Yes sir. I feel like if I don't go 100 percent, I'm just letting my teammates down," Stewart said. "I just feel like if I don't stay going full speed in everything, I won't be satisfied when I come off the field because I know I'll be letting somebody down if I'm not going 100 percent and being my best. You know what I'm saying? That keeps me going."
On the other hand, adding size wasn't the issue for Crawford. It was just the opposite.
"The biggest thing for me at first was just losing weight," Crawford said. "I came in overweight, like 380. I didn't like it. They didn't like it either. I'm down to about 315 now, so a good 70 pounds I lost. Honestly, just because Brady is hurt doesn't mean anything. We're just next man up. I can play any position they want me to play. I'll go out there and do it for them."
Stewart has played in 21 games with one start in his first two seasons at Arkansas. Last season he played in all 13 games. He has accumulated seven tackles so far. He talked about the wait and how it is now paying off.
"Well, I feel ready," Stewart said. "I just feel like during the preparation, just trying to do my job. It helped me a lot, learning from our other teammates. They believe and really helped me with this transition of running with the ones."
Getting to play now with a chance to start is more than just being patient. Stewart talked about what he has done to be in a position to play and start.
"I'd say how I changed a lot was by getting a little bit bigger," Stewart said. "After last season, my sophomore season, I was like 235 and I bulked up to like 250. I gained weight, then Coach (Deke) Adams coming in teaching different techniques, it just made me a better player."
Adams is the third defensive line coach for Stewart in three years, but it sounds as if the third time is a charm
"He's going to be on you, but at the same time, he's going to teach you about life," Stewart said. "We're not just watching film. We watch film, but we talk off the field stuff too about family, different other things after football. We don't just talk about football. Then, he'll be joking with you one minute, then the next minute you mess up a little bit and he'll be like, 'come on, you're better than that.' He's always on you, he always wants you to be better. He's good at just motivating you."
For Crawford, he's pleased it's game week with the No. 19 Hogs now preparing for No. 23 Cincinnati.
"I’ve been ready since the season ended last year," Crawford said. "I’ve been ready for the season to start. I’ve been so ready to go, like studying film over Cincinnati."
Stewart also talked about starting to prepare for the Bearcats on Thursday.
"I’m just excited about it, working toward Cincinnati," Stewart said. "We’re going against each other a lot, but I feel like I’m ready for Week 1 and when we go against Cincinnati. I’m ready to start prepping."
While he hasn't ever been maybe the biggest lineman on the field and he won't be this season, but Stewart is someone known to play with a lot of heart and effort.
"I really just care about my teammates," Stewart said. "Ever since junior high, high school, just building those relationships. I really do it for them, me and my family. So, that’s where it comes from."
Crawford talked about how he lost 65 pounds to get down to where he's at now.
"For me, my feet," Crawford said. "As you’ve seen, you said I could always move light. But at the same time, moving light is not always good. You’ve got to always make sure you’re dominant. I wasn’t really dominant. I would go around blocks. I wasn’t really trying to hit. So, losing weight, it helped me get my body the way I needed to be so that when I have to strike somebody, I can strike them."
The first SEC game this week will be Saturday night when Vanderbilt travels to Hawai'i.
