The Hog Pod with Bo Mattingly

Ken "The Hammer" Hamlin definitely earned his nickname. Hamlin was a nightmare for opposing wide receivers, who knew that if they ventured into Hamlin's part of the field, they better brace for impact. He was an incredible athlete who found success at Arkansas, where he left as the school's all-time tackles leader and was beloved by fans for his hard hits and energy. After leaving the Razorbacks f...

1998 was an exciting year for Razorback fans. Led by first-year coach Houston Nutt, the Hogs put a much-needed jolt of excitement into the fan base. A big part of that was Arkansas' Code Red defense, led by first-year coordinator Keith Burns. But Code Red was more than a scheme—it was a way of life. And Burns was the perfect guy to lead it. For Burns, his passion for the Razorbacks began during hi...

Junior college football is the place where urban legends are born. Some of the best—past and present—went to a JUCO, including  guys like Aaron Rodgers, Warren Moon and Cam Newton. And while JUCO football was brought more into the mainstream by the Netflix series "Last Chance U," it isn't exactly glamorous. Just ask new Arkansas linebackers coach Rion Rhoades. Rhoades spent the past 14 seasons as...

Thirty years ago, something happened that would change the course of Arkansas athletics forever—the Razorbacks left the Southwest Conference for the SEC. It's a move that has been a boon for the Razorbacks—not only did they join what's become the best conference in collegiate athletics, but the financial benefits have allowed Arkansas to be nationally competitive with some of the best facilities i...

Basketball has taken David Patrick all over the world—literally. Born in Bermuda, Patrick grew up in Australia, where he discovered the game that would change his life. A high school move to America helped him catch the eye of coaches, and he would be part of a Final Four team at Syracuse before transferring to Louisiana-Lafayette to finish his college career. Then, it was on to a pro career that...

Tyler Wilson was always talented. He set records in high school as a quarterback and pitcher at Greenwood High School. Then, he came to Arkansas and rewrote the record books. After playing briefly as a true freshman in 2008, Wilson sat for two years behind Ryan Mallett, but burst onto the scene against Auburn in 2010 after an injury to the starter. And then in 2011, he quarterbacked Arkansas to it...

Under head coach Shauna Taylor, the Arkansas women's golf program has become one of the most successful teams on campus. Two of the biggest reasons why? Gaby Lopez and Maria Fassi. Though both hail from Mexico, Arkansas quickly became a second home. First for Lopez, who would win three times in college and become a two-time All-American, and has since won twice on the LPGA Tour. And then for Fassi...

Travis Swanson holds a rare distinction in Razorback football history: He's one of only a handful of guys who played for three different head coaches in his Arkansas career. Recruited by Bobby Petrino, Swanson was the starting center for the most successful two-year stretch in program history. But by the time Petrino was gone, Swanson still had two years of eligibility, meaning he played for both...

For most football players, making it to the NFL is the high point of their careers. Then again, Jake Bequette isn't like most football players. Sure, his football life reads like a movie script: He was a third generation Razorback from Little Rock who ended up playing a vital role on teams that went 21-5 over a two-year stretch. And perhaps the program's biggest win in the SEC era—against LSU to c...

In this special bonus edition of The Hog Pod, we catch up with Razorback baseball coach Dave Van Horn, the active leader among coaches in number of trips to the College World Series. We chat about what makes his teams successful in the postseason, relieve some of his favorite moments and talk about how the Covid-19 pandemic will affect college baseball.

Tony Bua has never lacked passion. That fire and competitiveness—and plenty of big hits—made him an easy fan favorite at Arkansas. So it's hard to imagine that the Razorbacks' all-time leader in tackles almost wasn't a Hog at all—and almost wasn't playing major college football. Bua was undersized and under-recruited in high school. So how did a move to a new state and new school right before his...

They're two of the best players to come through the Razorback basketball program. And they just so happen to be father and son. In fact, despite playing decades apart, Ron and Ronnie Brewer right next to each other on Arkansas' all-time scoring list, separated by just 24 points. They're also the first father-son duo to play at the same school and for the same NBA team in basketball history. One of...

Heston Kjerstad was the SEC Freshman of the Year, an All-SEC and All-American performer during his Razorback career, in which he hit .345 with 35 home runs and 124 RBI over 145 games. But as good as he was in his time at Arkansas, did you know Kjerstad wasn't highly touted or recruited as a high schooler? Dave Van Horn and his staff knew they had something special on their hands with the Amarillo,...

Chuck Barrett has been a voice fans have known since 1992, when the lifelong Razorback fan began calling Arkansas baseball games, and helped establish a statewide radio network for those broadcasts. In 2008, he added football play-by-play responsibilities, and basketball soon followed in 2010. While he no longer handles Razorback baseball play-by-play, Barrett is responsible for some of the progra...

What do you do when the worst moment of your career is on display for all to see? Carson Shaddy relied on everything he had learned in his baseball career and did what any leader would do: He owned it. And it's that leadership trait—not one moment—that defines Shaddy's Razorback career. He started his career as a non-scholarship player and made appearances at every position except pitcher, shortst...

Did you know that, statistically speaking, Jarius Wright is one of the best players in Razorback history? Wright holds the school record for career receiving yards AND the single-season record for touchdown catches. And he did it all despite being one of the smallest guys on the field. Coming out of Warren, Ark., alongside teammates Greg Childs and Chris Gragg, Wright was first recruited by Housto...

Few former Razorbacks have had as fascinating a pro career as Joe Kleine. After all, how did a kid from Slater, Mo., end up playing alongside guys like Larry Bird, Charles Barkley and Michael Jordan over the course of a 15-year NBA career? As it turns out, his journey would intersect with Jordan's multiple times—in the NBA, in the Olympics, and at Arkansas. How he got to Arkansas is a story in and...

From a talent standpoint, it's no surprise Frank Ragnow has found success at the highest level. He was a 4-star prospect with offers from some of the best programs in the nation, an All-American and All-SEC performer at Arkansas, and was a first-round pick in the 2018 NFL Draft. Ragnow is a guy who loves life and is the same person every day. But that doesn't mean his journey to becoming a startin...

Often times, they're the unsung heroes of a coaching staff or administration. And they're as important to the heartbeat of a program as anyone. Of course, we're talking about the coaches' wives. They're the unofficial moms for so many student-athletes. They make Arkansas feel like home. But you don't often hear their side of the story. In this bonus episode, Danyelle Musselman leads a wide-ranging...

Danyelle Musselman didn't envision herself being where she is today. That's not surprising given her past career as a national sportscaster, working for the likes of ESPN and Fox Sports. But sometimes, life takes you in a different direction, and you end up on an unexpected but rewarding path—in this case, being a mom and a coach's wife. So how did Danyelle and Eric Musselman meet? And how did one...

Arkansas men's and women's basketball coaches, Eric Musselman and Mike Neighbors, sit down for an exclusive and authentic conversation, guided by Musselman. The two of them share some crazy ideas, lessons learned along the way, and revealing details of running a program. All with no coach speak.

Former Arkansas Razorbacks guard Dusty Hannahs has made a career of proving the doubters wrong. He's heard the criticisms, and it just makes him work harder. Make no mistake: Hannahs excelled at Arkansas, leading the team in scoring in his two seasons on The Hill after transferring from Texas Tech. Now he's finding success in the G League and has twice made it to the NBA—the pinnacle of the sport—...

He's one of the best tight ends in the NFL, but Arkansas Razorback fans will always remember Hunter Henry for the 4th & 25 play at Ole Miss. He gives us inside look at that play, his NFL career & more in this BONUS episode.

Chris Crutchfield knows how to recruit. He helped Oklahoma land eventual top-six NBA Draft picks in Buddy Hield and Trae Young, and he's now aided Eric Musselman in putting together a top-six signing class at Arkansas. So how has he done it? What's the key to being an elite recruiter? We chat with him about those topics and more—including why he decided to join Musselman's staff—in this all-new ep...

Corey Beck was the heart and soul of the Arkansas Razorbacks' 1994 national championship team, and was beloved by fans for his toughness, grit and grind. But he also feels misunderstood. In Part 2 of our two-part story, we talk with him about his post-Arkansas playing days in the CBA (where he would run into Eric Musselman), the struggles he sometimes faced in his life after basketball, and how on...