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Arkansas coach makes bold comparison about 2025 Razorback leadership

Originally posted on Arkansas Razorbacks on SI
By Daniel Shi | Last updated Aug 1, 2025 12:25 PM ET

No games have been played yet. Arkansas, like every other team, is undefeated and is doing its best to keep a positive outlook on the 2025 season in coach Sam Pittman sixth season.

Arkansas will be looking for new leaders on both sodes of the ball. The reigning SEC leader in receiving, Andrew Armstrong, is gone on the offensive side of the ball. Landon Jackson, an anchor on the defensive line for three seasons, also bid farewell for the NFL.

According to strength and conditioning coach Ben Sowders, that won't be a problem at all. He sees many similarities in terms of leadership between the 2025 Razorbacks with the 2021 Georgia team that went on to beat Alabama in the national championship. Sowders served as Assistant Director of Strength and Conditioning that year. He also described the offseason as "one of the best summers he's ever had in my coaching profession."

"The leadership within from the players has been the best since I’ve been here and probably the best since I’ve been in coaching," Sowders said. "It's Very comparable to the 2021 team when we were at Georgia. We set the standard and the guys just took it and rolled with it."

Sowders went on to explain that the accountability that is led by the players is something that stands out, and it's the first time in three seasons at Arkansas that he has seen that happen.

The Razorbacks have nowhere near the same expectations as the 2021 Georgia team. Even the biggest Razorback skeptic would likely be satisfied if the 2025 Razorbacks could come within the ballpark of what the Bulldogs achieved, beating Alabama in the title game that year 33-18.

The team is also taking a more straightforward approach towards improvement this year.

"We attacked the weights a little bit more than we probably did last year," Sowders said. "Some of the things that I thought would help us could turn out cute, and we took the cute out. Just straight get after it."

Pittman outlined what he would like to see as the team prepares for 25 practices ahead of the opening game against Alabama A&M Aug. 30. The Razorbacks named 10 "summer captains" based on "things that they've done in the past [and] what they've done in the spring", according to Sowders on the Chuck and Bo Show July 22. The staff used spring as an evaluation point going into the upcoming season.

Those ten captains in no particular order are Taylen Green, Mike Washington, Fernando Carmona, Corey Robinson, Devin Bale, Xavian Sorey, Stephen Dix, Larry Worth, Andreas Paaske and Cam Ball.

Notably, there are no wide receivers or defensive linemen listed on that list. Pittman conceeded that it could be more of a leader by committee.

"We’re going to be more leader(s) than just an Andrew Armstrong or TeSlaa a year ago," Pittman said.

More than just receivers, Pittman is looking for answers at other positions as well. The next 25 practices could hold the answers to whether the optimism is warranted and the 2021 Gerogia-esque leadership qualities come true, or the latest installment of Razorback fans being jaded by coachspeak.

"We’ve just got to find out who is going to be vocal," Pittman said. "They’re going to lead by example, but in every place we have the leadership, I want to see it come out. When it gets tough in practice, I want us to be better, not worse."

The Razorbacks start practice 6:20 a.m. Friday. Kickoff against Alabama A&M is scheduled for 3:15 p.m. Aug. 30. The game will be broadcast on SEC Network.