FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas and head coach Sam Pittman entered 2024 with an unenviable task: Replace last season’s top four tacklers at linebacker.
Jaheim Thomas (Wisconsin), Chris “Pooh” Paul (Ole Miss), Antonio Grier (expired eligibility) and Jordan Crook (Arizona State) are no longer with the program. Their departures left a 228-tackle void at the second level of the defense.
Brad Spence, a 6-2 and 240-pound sophomore, is the leading returning tackler at the position. He finished with 16 stops in 2023.
Though fairly inexperienced, Spence showed promise in a handful of games as a true freshman. And he is now being looked to to lead and play a key role for defensive coordinator Travis Williams.
“Going into this year, my mindset is really just take that leadership role for the young guys,” Spence said. “I had to step up this year, step up to the plate. [Williams] was echoing this to us in the meeting, so all of our young guys, it’s time for us to step up to the plate.
“It’s a blessing for me to be where I’m at right now in this position.”
On Day 1 of spring practice Thursday, Spence worked at first-team linebacker during the team’s Fastball Start period.
“As a linebacker, I feel we should take the role of being the quarterback of the defense [by] us getting everybody in line, knowing what’s going on with everybody else’s job, your job,” Spence said. “It takes [a lot] for a young guy, for me, to do that. That’s my goal.”
Spence was joined by Georgia transfer Xavian Sorey, a 6-3 and 224-pound redshirt junior. He had 19 tackles for the Bulldogs last season, including a career-high 6 against UAB and 5 against Alabama in the SEC Championship Game.
Pittman on Tuesday said Sorey has been a “good addition to the room.” Spence agreed, and added Sorey is “very mobile in the box.”
“With Sorey coming in, he gave me a lot of new tips, you know, as an older guy that’s been in the game for a while,” Spence said. “He’s shown me and told me some tips and reminders that I can take on with my game.
“It’s good having him in the room with me and the other guys. It’s just a bunch of learning.”
Arkansas’ second-team linebackers Thursday were sophomore Alex Sanford and redshirt freshman Carson Dean, and the third team consisted of Kaden Henley and Brooks Both, neither of whom record a tackle last fall.
Others at the position include freshmen JuJu Pope and Justin Logan, and redshirt freshman Brooks Yurachek. Class of 2024 signees Wyatt Simmons and Bradley Shaw have not yet arrived on campus.
“I told T-Will we’ll wait and see after spring ball what we’re going to do in the portal,” Pittman said. “[Our linebackers] can run, they’re all big enough, they’re all physical. They just haven’t had the opportunity to get out there yet.
“We’ll find out what we have. I think we’re going to find out we’re pretty good there.”