Arkansas defensive coordinator Travis Williams spoke to the media Wednesday about his linebacker unit, the rotation he desires and what impact freshman Bradley Shaw will have during the 2024 season.
With so many newcomers in the linebacker group, the Razorbacks have had to determine who's worthy of taking the field when the season kicks off against UAPB on Aug. 29. In an ideal scenario, Williams said he'd like to rotate four or five players in at the position.
"I would like to play all of them," Williams said Wednesday. "I’ve got a lot of them in there. So just being able to sub and being able to keep the guys fresh. Now, they’ve got to earn the right to be out there. But if we can get four or five of them out there and just continue to rotate them."
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Buried in the depth chart is Shaw, a 6-foot-1, 235-pound native of Alabama. His lower spot in the pecking order isn't due to talent, but because those in front of him are older and more experienced. Williams called the former-four star a "special talent."
"He can play," Williams said. "His football IQ is just out of this roof. You could tell that his high school, they'd done a great job with him. Like I said, he doesn't say a word, but when he's on that football field, he's a different type of person.
"But he could play all different positions. For him to be a freshman and us move him to different positions so he could play both the Money and the Mack and different things like that, he has a bright future. He's going to be a guy that — he'll play."
As a senior at Hoover High School, Shaw was selected to play in the 2024 All-American Bowl after recording 109 total tackles, four tackles for loss, three quarterback hurries and one pass breakup in 2023.
"You won't even know he's in the room," Williams said on Aug. 14. "Doesn't say much, very mature, very smart. He gets it. Has some really good 'FBI.' He has really good football IQ. It comes easy. So, we're dual-training him as well. He's a kid that has a bright future. He's doing some really good stuff."
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According to fellow linebacker Brad Spence, Shaw has already made a big impact despite only being a freshman. Though he's been seen playing mostly on the Hogs' third-team unit in fastball drills during fall camp, it seems Shaw will play a role in Arkansas' defense over the coming months.
"Most freshmen don’t get to play as much when they first come in," Spence said on Aug. 14. "I feel like he’s one of the ones that get to play their freshman year. I feel like he’s going to bring a lot of help to the defense this year. He’s got a lot of speed on him. It was natural that he became my buddy. Me and him got the same (name). Brad.”
Arkansas will kick off the 2024 season Thursday, Aug. 29, against UAPB at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock.
