Sports Talk With Bo Mattingly's Podcast

When you’re handpicked by Sam Pittman to be his offensive line coach, you must be doing something right. And if you’re Cody Kennedy, the best thing you can do is to watch, listen and learn from one of the best. Originally hired as the tight ends coach at Arkansas, Kennedy was quickly reassigned to the offensive line when the job became available. And he hasn’t looked back. A Broyles Award semifinalist last season and one of the game’s up and coming position coaches, Kennedy has four returning starters along the o-line and says stability will help the Arkansas program take the next step. In this episode, Hogs+ senior contributor Clay Henry sits down with the Razorbacks offensive line coach for a wide-ranging conversation—from building relationships to finding the winning recipe up front.

Bea Franklin has settled in nicely at Arkansas. The senior transferred from Notre Dame prior to last season, and helped guide the Razorbacks to a third-straight SEC title and the program’s first ever trip to the Elite 8—thanks to a win over her former school in the Sweet 16. Franklin has found a home in Arkansas and with the Razorbacks, and gives credit to the culture that head coach Colby Hale has built. A self-described serial hobbyist, Franklin is interested in a little bit of everything—from snow skiing to serving as Arkansas’ Student-Athlete Advisory Council president. Franklin feels like she’s gotten a second chance at Arkansas, and so far, she’s taking full advantage of it.

He might just be the next big WWE star, but Dalton Wagner is perfectly comfortable on the football field right now. Wagner, a 24-year-old super senior, is the elder statesman for the Razorback offense. He’s been a model of consistency, starting in each of the past four seasons and improving throughout. It’s no surprise the WWE came calling with an NIL deal. After all, at 6-foot-9, Wagner looks the part. But for now, he’s focused on football. And with four returning starters along the offensive line and KJ Jefferson back at quarterback, Wagner looks at last season’s 9-4 mark as the baseline. In this episode...Hogs+ senior contributor Clay Henry visits with Wagner and gets to the bottom of what’s in store for him this season and how he ended up becoming one of the longest-tenured Razorbacks.

After a standout junior season that saw him earn All-SEC honors, Ricky Stromberg had a decision to make: move on to the NFL, or come back for one final season with the Hogs. Stromberg anchored Arkansas’ offensive line at center, blocking for an offense that led all Power 5 schools in rushing at nearly 230 yards per game. It’s no wonder that Head Hog Sam Pittman is excited to have him back. And Pittman isn’t the only one who’s fired up. Stromberg, a preseason All-American pick, is ready to go to work with the guys up front. The senior from Tulsa isn’t shying away from high expectations, either. Not for himself, or for this team. In this episode, former Razorback and NFL offensive lineman Travis Swanson sits down with Stromberg to talk about why he came back to the Hogs, his goals for his senior season, and the attention he’s getting from preseason watch lists.

If you were building a Mount Rushmore of important figures in Arkansas football history, there’s no doubt that Frank Broyles would be on there. But right there with him would be Harold Horton. Horton’s ties to the Razorbacks—and the state of Arkansas—run deep. He was part of three Southwest Conference championship teams in the early ‘60s under Frank Broyles, who then hired him as an assistant coach—a position he would hold for 13 years. After an unceremonious end to his time as a Razorback assistant and two years in the business sector, Horton was hired as the head coach at Central Arkansas, where he would win two NAIA national championships in eight seasons. He would return to Arkansas in 1990, working in football operations, before eventually serving as the president of the Razorback Foundation. All told, Horton had a major impact on the Hog football program for nearly 40 years. In this episode, Hogs+ senior contributor Clay Henry tells the story of Razorback great Harold Horton, with help from former Arkan

Britton Wilson is having the time of her life. The standout hurdler for the Razorback women’s track team set nine school records in 2022, was named SEC Outdoor Runner of the Year, won a national championship, and is competing for Team USA at the World Championships. But the success hasn’t come easy. Britton struggled to find her way as a freshman in college, and decided that she needed to make a change. And that change was transferring to Arkansas. Her decision to join the Razorbacks has been life changing. Had she not made the change, Britton knows what her life might’ve been like. Wilson is glad she didn’t quit. So, too, are the Razorbacks. And as she continues her record-setting pace, she has dreams of representing the U.S. in the Olympics. Dreams that are close to becoming reality.

Jalen Catalon is one of the best defensive backs Arkansas has seen in quite some time. He’s the first Razorback DB to make First Team All-SEC since Chris Houston in 2006. And he’s already joined Ken Hamlin and Kenoy Kennedy as the only Hog safeties to ever be named an All-American. But his fight to bounce back from injury is just as important as his quest to be one of the all-time greats. Catalon missed the Hogs’ final seven games—including the Outback Bowl win over Penn State—in what was shaping up to be a stellar sophomore season. But Catalon knows what it takes to bounce back. He’s dealt with injury and disappointment before, tearing his ACL and missing nearly his entire senior season at Mansfield Legacy High School in Texas. In this episode, Hogs Plus senior contributor Clay Henry talks to Catalon about his recovery from injury, working to get better, and how he hopes to take his place alongside some of the all-time Razorback greats.

KJ Jefferson isn’t sneaking up on anybody. After a standout season in which Jefferson amassed more than 3,300 total yards and 27 touchdowns, the secret is out: Arkansas’ QB1 is a big-time player. But, despite leading the Razorbacks to its first nine-win season in a decade, it wasn’t always easy. After a 4-0 start to the season, Arkansas lost three straight. The team—and its captain, Jefferson—vowed to turn things around. Arkansas won four of its final five games in the regular season, with the only loss being a close call at Alabama. And Jefferson starred throughout. In this episode, Razorback radio analyst and former star quarterback Quinn Grovey talks to Jefferson about dedicating the offseason to taking his game to the next level and being ready for whatever opposing defenses throw at him.

For Barry Odom, Arkansas—and coaching alongside Sam Pittman—is the place to be. Odom has helped Pittman engineer an incredible turnaround at Arkansas, and has helped a once-maligned defense turn into one of the better units in the country. After the Razorbacks gave up more than 30 points per game for five straight seasons, Odom’s 2021 group allowed less than 23 a game to rank in the top half of the SEC. And perhaps no game showcased the improvement more than the win over Texas, when the Razorbacks smashed the Longhorns all over the field. The Razorbacks bookended that performance with a second-half shutout of Penn State in the Outback Bowl, setting the stage for more to come. In this episode, Arkansas radio analyst Quinn Grovey sits down with the Hogs’ DC to talk about his unit’s improvement, working alongside Sam Pittman, and why the Razorbacks are a destination in college football.

Dave Van Horn leads by example. His quiet confidence comes from being one of the best at what he does. His work ethic is second to none. And he has a burning desire to bring Arkansas baseball its first national championship—something he promised Razorback fans in his introductory press conference. That level of passion has been there in every team he's coached, but something changed at the end of this season and it's a big reason why Arkansas was able to punch their ticket for a return to Omaha. In this exclusive conversation with Dave Van Horn, Phil Elson—the Voice of Razorback Baseball—sits down with the skipper and talks about the team's growth over the course of the season, how players and coaches feed off of one of the most passionate fan bases in the country, and what he sees in this squad that makes him believe this is the year he can fulfill that press conference promise he made nearly two decades ago.

When you think about the fact that Evan Taylor grew up in Florence, Alabama, as a big Crimson Tide football fan, you wonder how he ended up a Razorback. But that’s the national pull this program has under Dave Van Horn. When you’re consistently one of the top programs in the country, that’s what happens. And Taylor became enamored with the Razorbacks during their 2018 College World Series run. But it’s not easy to join a top program. Taylor struggled early, pitching fewer than 15 innings in his first three seasons combined. That led to a conversation with DVH that helped turn his career around. This season, Taylor has turned into one of the most reliable arms in the Razorback bullpen, posting a 3.38 ERA and 47 strikeouts in 37 1/3 innings. The struggles—and the worries that came with them—are a thing of the past.

If it wasn’t for today’s transfer market, Michael Turner would likely have never been a Razorback. After four years at Kent State, where he earned All-MAC honors, the Ohio native decided to put his name in the transfer portal. There were other options closer to home … then he heard from the No. 1 team in the country. And Turner has been blown away by his experience at Arkansas, likening the fan support and atmosphere to what he’s only experienced at college football games up north. Turner has emerged as one of the best hitters on the team, with a .298 batting average and a career-high seven home runs. And even though the regular season didn’t end the way these Razorbacks had hoped, they’re ready for the challenge of the postseason.

Linnie Malkin loves hitting bombs. That approach worked for Malkin, who led the SEC and was top-10 nationally in homers in her senior season. At Arkansas, she found happiness on and off the field. It was a journey to get here, featuring a complicated relationship with her dad, and a trip from Colorado to get noticed. But head coach Courtney Deifel and the Razorbacks have Malkin living her best life. And there was plenty of good this season for Malkin and Arkansas, including a first-ever SEC Tournament title.

KB Sides is a lot of things. Kendall Beth. Razorback. SEC Player of the Year. And, most importantly: Herself. But her journey to figure that out hasn’t been a straight line. After her career at Alabama came to an unexpected end, Sides debating giving up the sport before deciding to seek a new home. And a phone call with Arkansas coach Courtney Defiel changed everything. Sides and Arkansas have been a perfect match. Her 28 steals this season were 24 more than the Razorbacks had all last year. And she’s the latest example of the Razorbacks becoming a destination for the nation’s best. KB Sides took a chance on Arkansas and rediscovered her love for the game—and herself—in the process. And as the SEC Player of the Year, she’s going out on top.

When Courtney Deifel arrived at Arkansas ahead of the 2016 season, the Razorbacks were one of the cellar dwellers of the SEC. The program had won just 18 total SEC games in the three previous seasons, and Deifel’s first team won just a single conference game. But she saw the potential for a turnaround. Since that first season, Deifel and her team have been setting records, including winning the program’s first SEC titles in 2021 and 2022. But winning isn’t everything. Deifel’s program is making an impact on softball, especially in the Natural State. Winning the SEC—while a remarkable achievement considering where the program was—isn’t the end game. This program, under Courtney Deifel, is ready for new heights.

Kendal Briles has found a home at Arkansas. Entering his third year with the Razorbacks, Briles has served as the offensive coordinator at Arkansas longer than at any of his previous stops. And it’s paid dividends. Razorback fans have a lot to be excited about on offense with Briles at the helm, and it starts with quarterback KJ Jefferson as the returning starter. In this conversation, Quinn Grovey sits down with Kendal Briles to talk about why Arkansas is a great fit for him, working with a quarterback like KJ Jefferson, and why he thinks this program is ready for big things.

Ayden Owens may be the best athlete on campus at the University of Arkansas. And it’s something he’s been training for his entire life. Owens developed a love for multiple sports as a kid, and had dreams of playing for his home state Pittsburgh Steelers. But Owens found a different outlet for his competitive nature…on the track AND in the field. His hard work paid off, and he’s now the collegiate record holder in the decathlon. But along with his success came a difficult choice: Who to represent on the international stage…the United States, or his family’s homeland of Puerto Rico. The decision has paid off for Owens, who has lofty Olympic aspirations. And after stops at USC and Michigan, he’s found a home at Arkansas, a place that knows a thing or two about producing Olympians.

Pride in the Razorbacks is a big part of life in the Natural State. When the Hogs are winning, it affects everybody in a positive way. And thanks to Sam Pittman, that pride in Arkansas football is back. The Head Hog has the program on an upward trajectory after a nine-win season, and fans are getting to experience some great moments once again. In this conversation, Quinn Grovey sits down with Sam Pittman to talk about revitalizing a program, bringing the pride back to Razorback football, and what it’s been like to be the coach at Arkansas.

The guy they call Zeb might be the most interesting man in the world. Besides a unique name, the fifth-year senior pitcher speaks parts of multiple languages, will compete with you in ping pong or bowling, and played basketball with multiple guys who made it to the NBA. Don’t expect to see Vermillion on the basketball court, though. He has emerged as a standout reliever for the nationally competitive Razorbacks. It’s a role that’s been built through hard work and an incredible culture that permeates every aspect of the program. And while Vermillion’s Razorback career didn’t get off to the best of starts, he’s turned into one of the most consistent—and confident—performers for Dave Van Horn’s team. With that kind of confidence, it’s easy to see why Vermillion has found success this season and is destined to leave an impact on Razorback baseball.

Danielle Gibson is an RBI machine. She’s the Arkansas school record holder for career RBI, and isn’t slowing down in her last season on campus. The fact that she even ended up with the Razorbacks is a bit of a surprise, considering she’s from California and started her collegiate career at Arizona State. But ever since she set foot in Fayetteville, she’s been dynamite. In this conversation, Quinn Grovey and Matt Zimmerman sit down with this Razorback standout to talk about her life, being a married student-athlete, and her aspirations to be a coach and help change lives in the process.