Sports Talk With Bo Mattingly's Podcast

1998 was an exciting year for Razorback fans. Led by first-year coach Houston Nutt, the Hogs put a much-needed jolt of excitement into the fan base. A big part of that was Arkansas’ Code Red defense, led by first-year coordinator Keith Burns. But Code Red was more than a scheme—it was a way of life. And Burns was the perfect guy to lead it. For Burns, his passion for the Razorbacks began during his playing career under Lou Holtz in the early ‘80s. That passion is what led him to leave USC and join Nutt’s staff at Arkansas. And for two seasons, Burns and the Razorback defense didn’t back down from anyone. So how did it all come together and form a perfect storm that terrorized SEC offenses? It was the right coach in the right place at the right time.

Junior college football is the place where urban legends are born. Some of the best—past and present—went to a JUCO, including  guys like Aaron Rodgers, Warren Moon and Cam Newton. And while JUCO football was brought more into the mainstream by the Netflix series “Last Chance U,” it isn’t exactly glamorous. Just ask new Arkansas linebackers coach Rion Rhoades. Rhoades spent the past 14 seasons as a JUCO head coach, including 13 years at Hutchinson Community College. He’s seen it all. But how does a lifelong JUCO coach fit in at Arkansas, where he’s getting his first taste of the Power 5 level? And how have the fires he’s dealt with at the JUCO level prepared him for what he calls a dream job?

Thirty years ago, something happened that would change the course of Arkansas athletics forever—the Razorbacks left the Southwest Conference for the SEC. It’s a move that has been a boon for the Razorbacks—not only did they join what’s become the best conference in collegiate athletics, but the financial benefits have allowed Arkansas to be nationally competitive with some of the best facilities in the country. But the move didn’t happen overnight. It took thought, planning and vision from legendary Razorback athletic director Frank Broyles. Without him, who knows where Arkansas might’ve ended up? So how did everything come together? What were those meetings between Arkansas and the SEC like? And what made the Razorbacks attractive to a league looking to expand? In this episode, former SEC commissioner Roy Kramer takes us back to how it all happened… with the help of archived audio from the late Frank Broyles.

Basketball has taken David Patrick all over the world—literally. Born in Bermuda, Patrick grew up in Australia, where he discovered the game that would change his life. A high school move to America helped him catch the eye of coaches, and he would be part of a Final Four team at Syracuse before transferring to Louisiana-Lafayette to finish his college career. Then, it was on to a pro career that would take him to Australia, England and Spain. But along the way, he never had plans on being a coach. So how did a $5,000 job launch the career of one of the top recruiters in the country? He’s landed players like Patty Mills, Matthew Dellavedova and Ben Simmons. And after leaving his first head coaching job, he has his sights set on helping Eric Musselman build the Razorback basketball program. It’s time to get to know Arkansas assistant David Patrick.

Tyler Wilson was always talented. He set records in high school as a quarterback and pitcher at Greenwood High School. Then, he came to Arkansas and rewrote the record books. After playing briefly as a true freshman in 2008, Wilson sat for two years behind Ryan Mallett, but burst onto the scene against Auburn in 2010 after an injury to the starter. And then in 2011, he quarterbacked Arkansas to its first 11-win season since 1977, and entered 2012 as one of the top QBs in the country. And though things went sideways quickly for the Razorbacks in Wilson’s senior season, he still left Arkansas as one of the best to ever do it. But it almost didn’t happen. How did one of the best quarterbacks in school history almost never suit up for the Hogs? How does he look back on that fateful 2012 season? And does he still have lingering doubts that he picked the right sport?

Under head coach Shauna Taylor, the Arkansas women's golf program has become one of the most successful teams on campus. Two of the biggest reasons why? Gaby Lopez and Maria Fassi. Though both hail from Mexico, Arkansas quickly became a second home. First for Lopez, who would win three times in college and become a two-time All-American, and has since won twice on the LPGA Tour. And then for Fassi, who would help the Razorbacks win their first SEC title in 2018 and then win the NCAA individual title in 2019 in Fayetteville, all while becoming the first two-time winner of the Annika Award—the Heisman Trophy of women’s golf. With Taylor’s guidance and Lopez and Fassi setting the standard, this is a program that’s risen to be one of the best in college golf. How’d it happen? Find out as Taylor chats with Lopez and Fassi in this bonus episode of the podcast.

Travis Swanson holds a rare distinction in Razorback football history: He’s one of only a handful of guys who played for three different head coaches in his Arkansas career. Recruited by Bobby Petrino, Swanson was the starting center for the most successful two-year stretch in program history. But by the time Petrino was gone, Swanson still had two years of eligibility, meaning he played for both John L. Smith and Bret Bielema, as well. Despite the Razorbacks going just 7-17 over his final two seasons, Swanson continued to develop. How did he go from being an unheralded prospect out of Houston to one of the top offensive linemen in the country? Swanson would take a strong work ethic all the way to a five-year career in the NFL. And then, all of sudden, he went out on own his terms. How did one major life change have such a profound impact on Travis Swanson that he decided to put his football career in the rearview? It’s been a memorable ride for Swanson, who’s always ready to outwork everybody else.

For most football players, making it to the NFL is the high point of their careers. Then again, Jake Bequette isn’t like most football players. Sure, his football life reads like a movie script: He was a third generation Razorback from Little Rock who ended up playing a vital role on teams that went 21-5 over a two-year stretch. And perhaps the program’s biggest win in the SEC era—against LSU to clinch a Sugar Bowl berth—came in his hometown, in the stadium where he played in high school. He topped off his Razorback career by getting drafted by the most successful NFL franchise of the past two decades—the New England Patriots. But his four-year NFL career was marred by injuries, and when he retired in 2015, he knew what he wanted to do: Join the Army. And it’s been the culmination of a longtime goal for Bequette, who has completed Ranger School and served a tour in Iraq as a First Lieutenant in the 101st Airborne Division. While many Razorback fans will remember what he did on the field, Bequette hopes to one

In this special bonus edition of The Hog Pod, we catch up with Razorback baseball coach Dave Van Horn, the active leader among coaches in number of trips to the College World Series. We chat about what makes his teams successful in the postseason, relieve some of his favorite moments and talk about how the Covid-19 pandemic will affect college baseball.

Tony Bua has never lacked passion. That fire and competitiveness—and plenty of big hits—made him an easy fan favorite at Arkansas. So it’s hard to imagine that the Razorbacks’ all-time leader in tackles almost wasn’t a Hog at all—and almost wasn’t playing major college football. Bua was undersized and under-recruited in high school. So how did a move to a new state and new school right before his senior year change everything? Once he got a chance, Bua did everything he could to make an impact, and his career with the Razorbacks was nothing short of electric. He was part of Arkansas teams that won seven games against top 25 teams, played in two seven overtime wins and won an SEC West title. Razorback fans won’t forget Tony Bua anytime soon.

They’re two of the best players to come through the Razorback basketball program. And they just so happen to be father and son. In fact, despite playing decades apart, Ron and Ronnie Brewer right next to each other on Arkansas’ all-time scoring list, separated by just 24 points. They’re also the first father-son duo to play at the same school and for the same NBA team in basketball history. One of the Triplets, Ron helped lead Eddie Sutton’s Razorback teams to new heights, including as the top scorer on the 1978 Final Four team. And 28 years later, it was Ronnie’s turn to be the leading scorer on an NCAA Tournament team. What was it like to grow up as a standout basketball player who just so happened to be the son of an Arkansas legend? Their relationship is just as much about life off the court, including a focus on giving back to the community through the Ronnie Brewer Foundation. It’s part of what makes the two of them stand out, and what makes their bond as father and son so strong to this day.

Heston Kjerstad was the SEC Freshman of the Year, an All-SEC and All-American performer during his Razorback career, in which he hit .345 with 35 home runs and 124 RBI over 145 games. But as good as he was in his time at Arkansas, did you know Kjerstad wasn’t highly touted or recruited as a high schooler? Dave Van Horn and his staff knew they had something special on their hands with the Amarillo, Texas, native. And Kjerstad delivered time and time again for the Razorbacks. He helped lead the Diamond Hogs to back-to-back trips to the College World Series, and became a fan favorite for his mammoth home runs. And while his Arkansas career was cut short due to the Covid-19 pandemic, his future in baseball is brighter than ever.

Chuck Barrett has been a voice fans have known since 1992, when the lifelong Razorback fan began calling Arkansas baseball games, and helped establish a statewide radio network for those broadcasts. In 2008, he added football play-by-play responsibilities, and basketball soon followed in 2010. While he no longer handles Razorback baseball play-by-play, Barrett is responsible for some of the program’s most memorable calls. And the same can be said for football and basketball. In this bonus episode of The Hog Pod, we relieve the moments that stand out to Chuck, what makes them great, and what they meant to Razorback nation.

What do you do when the worst moment of your career is on display for all to see? Carson Shaddy relied on everything he had learned in his baseball career and did what any leader would do: He owned it. And it’s that leadership trait—not one moment—that defines Shaddy’s Razorback career. He started his career as a non-scholarship player and made appearances at every position except pitcher, shortstop and first base. He wore his emotions on his sleeve, and came through time and time again with big hits in clutch situations. For a Fayetteville kid who grew up wanting to be a Razorback so much that he’d do anything to make it happen, it’s been a wild ride—filled with the highest of highs and the lowest of lows. But through it all, Carson Shaddy was the same guy every day of his Arkansas career: a relatable leader who endeared himself to Hog fans.

Did you know that, statistically speaking, Jarius Wright is one of the best players in Razorback history? Wright holds the school record for career receiving yards AND the single-season record for touchdown catches. And he did it all despite being one of the smallest guys on the field. Coming out of Warren, Ark., alongside teammates Greg Childs and Chris Gragg, Wright was first recruited by Houston Nutt and decided to stick with Arkansas when Bobby Petrino was hired. It turned out to be the right move. He was a key cog on Arkansas’ most successful teams of the Razorbacks’ SEC era in 2010 and 2011. Those teams went a combined 21-5, and Wright was front and center. So how’d he do it? How did a small kid from a small town in Arkansas end up making big play after big play for the Razorbacks, and then in the NFL? This is Jarius Wright’s story.

Few former Razorbacks have had as fascinating a pro career as Joe Kleine. After all, how did a kid from Slater, Mo., end up playing alongside guys like Larry Bird, Charles Barkley and Michael Jordan over the course of a 15-year NBA career? As it turns out, his journey would intersect with Jordan’s multiple times—in the NBA, in the Olympics, and at Arkansas. How he got to Arkansas is a story in and of itself, but once he transferred in, he established himself as one of the best big men in Razorback history. He would go on to win a gold medal at the 1984 Olympics, and was the No. 6 pick in the 1985 NBA Draft. He would play for seven different teams, but most memorably, he had a front-row seat to “The Last Dance” as a member of the 1998 Chicago Bulls. So what was it like to play with Michael Jordan? How was Scottie Pippen? And what about the always-colorful Dennis Rodman? This is the story of one hell of a ride that led Joe Kleine to the last dance.

From a talent standpoint, it’s no surprise Frank Ragnow has found success at the highest level. He was a 4-star prospect with offers from some of the best programs in the nation, an All-American and All-SEC performer at Arkansas, and was a first-round pick in the 2018 NFL Draft. Ragnow is a guy who loves life and is the same person every day. But that doesn’t mean his journey to becoming a starting center in the NFL has been easy. During his sophomore year at Arkansas, his mom was diagnosed with cancer. And while she has recovered, the news rocked Ragnow. As a senior, he suffered a season- and college career-ending ankle injury that required surgery. But it was during his junior year when his world shattered: His dad suddenly passed away after a heart attack. And dealing with the grief has understandably been a struggle. Through it all, Ragnow is driven by the desire to compete against the best. Just don’t expect him to change who he is.

Often times, they’re the unsung heroes of a coaching staff or administration. And they’re as important to the heartbeat of a program as anyone. Of course, we’re talking about the coaches’ wives. They’re the unofficial moms for so many student-athletes. They make Arkansas feel like home. But you don’t often hear their side of the story. In this bonus episode, Danyelle Musselman leads a wide-ranging conversation featuring Jennifer Yurachek, Karen Van Horn and Jamie Pittman as they talk about what they love most about being at Arkansas to balancing careers and everything in between.

Danyelle Musselman didn’t envision herself being where she is today. That’s not surprising given her past career as a national sportscaster, working for the likes of ESPN and Fox Sports. But sometimes, life takes you in a different direction, and you end up on an unexpected but rewarding path—in this case, being a mom and a coach’s wife. So how did Danyelle and Eric Musselman meet? And how did one big decision—and a career sacrifice—impact the entire Musselman clan, and put them on the path that led to the University of Arkansas? This is her story.

Arkansas men's and women's basketball coaches, Eric Musselman and Mike Neighbors, sit down for an exclusive and authentic conversation, guided by Musselman. The two of them share some crazy ideas, lessons learned along the way, and revealing details of running a program. All with no coach speak.