Arkansas Walk-on Nathan Bax Just Became Darling of Every Mom in Razorback Nation

In the most "awe shucks" manner possible, he laid out his journey from walk-on transfer from Illinois State to being a major factor in the tight ends room this season. 

"Coming in I knew it was going to be a challenge as any walk-on has a mindset of, Bax said. "You know you’re going to have to come in and put in extra work. It’s just a lot of day-in and day-out you’ve got to do your job, but you’ve also got to do extra. You’ve got to be consistent as well."

That's all anyone is going to get out of Bax about himself and his contribution to getting out of the tuition line and into the scholarship aisle. He just brought his lunch pail and everyone else did the rest.

"It wasn’t just what I did, it’s the resources around me," Bax said. "Coach [Dowell] Loggains too. He really guided me to take that next step and do things from a different point of view, do the detail things. Like I said there’s a support around me that really helped me out a lot. That’s what really lifted me up to make that next step."

Of course, there's also his muse – former tight end Blake Kern.

"Kern’s awesome," Bax said. "He was a guy I was always around. He had that same path as me starting as a walk-on. Just learning from him is something I really tried to do." 

Seeing someone achieve your goal by traveling the same road you are on is going to lead to questions on how to get it down. However, that's not where the similarities end.

"I’d say we have very similar traits as far as inline blocking," Bax said. "From a mindset I tried to pick his brain when he was here because he went through the same stuff I did. Whatever I could take from him I did because he was a huge help. That is something I tried to really take advantage of this past year."

While he's been in Fayetteville for two years, the extent of his experience has been on special teams. However, when the opportunity finally does come, Bax said he's more than prepared in a way that would make Captain America proud.

"I think whenever my number is called I’m going to do my best to produce for the team," Bax said. "I think Coach Loggains has prepared us to take advantage of the opportunities we have. If my number is called, I’m going to do my best to put our team in the best possibility to win."

Unless something unexpected happens, Bax is finally going to get a chance to catch a pass as a Razorback. But, until then, someone get this man some fresh fried chicken and a cold glass of tea.