After seeing the field on occasion as a true freshman in 2023, Arkansas safety TJ Metcalf was tabbed by co-defensive coordinator Marcus Woodson as highly improved from last year to this year.
Last season, the Birmingham, Alabama, native appeared in all 12 games for the Razorbacks, primarily on special teams. Metcalf totaled 15 tackles, with five of those coming late in the season against Auburn.
After making strides in the spring, Metcalf has consistently been a second team safety this fall camp. The 6-foot-1, 200-pound sophomore has his sights set on more, though.
"If there's such a thing as most improved from last year to this year, it would be TJ Metcalf," Woodson said. "He's had a phenomenal camp. He's a self-motivating individual, and that's what you like to see as a coach, and he shows up to get better every day."
Metcalf said he felt like where he's grown the most since arriving on campus is more mentally and less physically.
"Last year, I wanted to go in and take somebodies position," Metcalf said. "Now I'm just embracing being on the field with my guys. I take it more as a blessing. Just growing, now I got my brother out there with me, just pushing me a little bit harder."
Football runs in the Metcalf blood. TJ’s younger brother, Tevis, is also a Razorback after joining the program as a three-star recruit in the class of 2024. Their cousin is DK Metcalf, a wide receiver for the Seattle Seahawks.
Woodson said both Metcalf boys have impressed him during fall camp.
“Tevis is as good of a freshman that I've had a chance to coach in in in a long time,” Woodson said. “I mean, he has some position flexibility. He played corner in in high school, and he's really come along in terms of just competing. He's running some with the twos right now, and I've been really, really impressed with Tevis Metcalf.
“TJ, I mean, it's TJ. Like, I know exactly what those two are gonna bring to the building whenever they do show up. They're consistent. That's one thing that we're putting the emphasis on just in terms of being able to sustain the grind of camp, and show up every morning and leave every night knowing exactly who you're going to be.
TJ’s teammate in the secondary, safety Jayden Johnson, said he’s also noticed the jump in play from the older Metcalf brother as well.
“Yes, I definitely agree with that,” Johnson said of Woodson’s comments about TJ. “Just his speed, his mental and his detail to the play calls and the tools that come with hit. He just wants it. Like, he really wants it.”
That attention to detail is something the entire defensive secondary is focused on in fall camp, according to Metcalf.
“Just buying into the playbook a lot more,” Metcalf said. “because like all of the tools that Coach Woodson and Coach Wilson give us, we go out there and we try to implement them a lot more and I feel like that has helped us a lot from last year to this year.”
The Arkansas Razorbacks will continue camp on Tuesday ahead of the season opener against UAPB at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock on Aug. 29. Stay tuned to HawgBeat for the latest news in Arkansas football.
