The Hog Pod with Bo Mattingly

2020 has presented a unique set of challenges for college coaches everywhere. As the coronavirus pandemic continues to be a part of everyday life, Eric Musselman enters his second season at Arkansas with a lot of unknowns. What we do know is this: The pandemic has made getting an idea of where Musselman is in the program-building process more difficult than usual. And with so many new faces on the roster, what challenges does that present? And why is coaching basketball in a pandemic so different than football? What will this season look like? This is Basketball in a Pandemic with Eric Musselman.

Creating a nonconference basketball schedule is a game in and of itself. Few have learned to play that game better than Eric Musselman and his staff. Everything in his program is about finding competitive advantages—whether it's through using advanced analytics, marketing or, in this case, scheduling. And the guy making it all happen is director of basketball operations Anthony Ruta, who is tasked with crafting a schedule that will help the Razorbacks reach the NCAA Tournament. The amount of work that goes into putting that puzzle together is fascinating. And, make no mistake, it is a puzzle. So how does Arkansas use scheduling to build a competitive advantage? From building depth charts for every team in the country to projecting where teams will finish in their conference…this is how it works.

No player is referred to as Arkansas' G.O.A.T.—greatest of all time—more than Darren McFadden. And rightfully so: He's one of the best running backs in college football history. But for the Little Rock native, the path to greatness wasn't always apparent. For one, he had to overcome obstacles in his childhood. And that's where football came in, serving as an escape of sorts for McFadden and keeping him out of trouble. On the field, McFadden quickly proved to be an elite talent, but only had eyes for the Razorbacks. And after starting his Arkansas career down on the depth chart, McFadden quickly made a name for himself, setting a school freshman rushing record and earning SEC Freshman of the Year honors. As a sophomore, he would lead Arkansas to the SEC championship game and become the school's first Heisman Trophy finalist. He repeated that feat a year later, and wrapped up a three-year career having provided some of the most iconic moments in Razorback history. Is Darren McFadden the greatest of all time? That's for each Razorback fan to decide. But this is how he captivated a state and made the people of Arkansas proud.

There's no question that Sam Pittman has captured the college football world's attention. Pittman has already doubled Arkansas' SEC win total of the past three seasons. So what has he done that has the Razorbacks looking like an entirely different program? Pittman has earned the trust of his players, and is honest and up front. Making no secret that he's at Arkansas to stay, we go inside Pittman's first year on the job to find out what he's done and how he's doing it.

There's a certain respect earned from hard work and determination. For Arkansans, it's often referred to as the fighting Razorback spirit. It's grit, toughness, and most of all, the underdog mentality—when others doubt you, you get better. It's the DNA of Razorback linebacker Grant Morgan, who's been out to prove himself since Day 1. When tempted by doubt, Morgan just works harder and never quits believing in himself. After beginning his career as a walk-on, now, Morgan is a starter and captain who's earned everything. He's Arkansas built and Razorback tough. The kid from Greenwood is no longer being overlooked.

For some, football is a way of life. For others, it's just what they do, not who they are. And for Joe Dean Davenport, he's always been a rancher at heart. He didn't really get into football until junior high, and didn't even really know the rules until high school. For Davenport, it was more something to do than anything else. As it turned out, though, he was pretty good. He started getting recruiting letters and invited on visits. But Davenport only had eyes for the Razorbacks and a campus he grew up less than 30 minutes away from. In his time at Arkansas, he would turn into an NFL-caliber player. And even though there's one game he still hasn't watched, his time with the Hogs was a success. So why, when presented with an opportunity to play at the next level, would he simply walk away, only to come back to the NFL a year later? And how has his life taken him full circle, from the farm to the NFL and back?

There's something to be said for the "pull" of the Razorbacks. You come to the University of Arkansas from outside the state, and you end up never wanting to leave. And in Marvin Caston's case, that's exactly what happened, even though he didn't know it at the time. Caston is the product of hard work growing up in northern Louisiana. He worked from a young age to help provide for his family, and football provided a way to have some fun. And though his Razorback career wouldn't get off to the best of starts, he ended up being a part of Houston Nutt's 1998 and '99 teams that went 17-7 over a two-year stretch. And when the opportunities arose to keep helping the university and its community—first in the compliance department and now with the Razorback Foundation—he jumped at the chance. Marvin Caston may not have originally planned on being a Razorback, but Arkansas is lucky to have him.

In many ways, Madre Hill helped save Arkansas football. It's no secret the Razorbacks struggled in their last years in the Southwest Conference and the SEC had proven to be a challenge. Enter Hill. Considered the top running back prospect in the nation after a record-setting career at Malvern High, he had offers from all the big-time programs. But he chose Arkansas because he wanted to help rescue the program. And when Hill got his chance as a sophomore, he was as good as advertised. He ran for what was then a school-record 1,387 yards and 15 touchdowns, leading the Razorbacks to the SEC West title. But then…disaster. Hill tore his ACL in the SEC Championship Game and missed the 1996 season. Then, in the spring of '97, he injured his OTHER knee. But he kept fighting, came back for the '98 season and remarkably still made it to the NFL. It's worth wondering what might have been had Hill not suffered those injuries. Perhaps he'd be alongside Darren McFadden as the best to ever wear a Razorback uniform. But Hill doesn't dwell on the past. He's grateful for the time he had helping to rescue the Razorbacks.

Ryan Mallett is one of the best players in Razorback history. But his college career didn't start with the Razorbacks and from his perspective, there was a good reason why. Mallett's talent was evident at a young age. Michigan was the first to take notice and eventually earned Mallett's commitment, but after the legendary Lloyd Carr retired, Mallett's boyhood dream of becoming a Hog began to look like more of a reality. After sitting out a year because of transfer rules, it became clear that Ryan Mallett was a perfect fit for head coach Bobby Petrino. And in 2010, Arkansas made its first-ever BCS bowl appearance. Though there were ups and downs, missteps and misunderstandings. Ryan Mallett gave Arkansas some of its best SEC memories, culminating as an NFL starter and eight year league veteran. Now, he's doing what he grew up around: coaching ball.

To say it was a long and winding road that brought Feleipe Franks to Arkansas might be an understatement. Born into a military family and raised on farm tending to horses, values matter to Franks…even though past perception might be different. After originally committing to LSU, Franks ended up at Florida. He spilt time starting as a redshirt freshman, and then found success in 2018—leading the Gators to a Peach Bowl win. But questions about his maturity lingered. Then…heartbreak. In the third game of the 2019 season, Franks suffered a devastating leg injury that cost him the season. Following the injury, Franks realized his future lay elsewhere. After the decision to transfer, he's ready to start fresh at Arkansas AND leave the doubters in his rearview. How has he grown from mistakes to become a better leader—so much so that he's now an Arkansas team captain? Feleipe Franks is ready to make a lasting impression on the Razorbacks.