Hogs' Linebackers Antonio Grier, Chris 'Pooh' Paul
Arkansas Razorbacks linebacker Antonio Grier and Chris "Pooh" Paul after back-to-back solid games, now facing BYU Cougars on Saturday at Razorback Stadium.
Transcript
00:00 - Antonio, your first snap as a Razorback
00:04 winds up in a touchdown.
00:05 What were your keys on that play and how did it happen?
00:08 - My keys on that play, I was really just
00:13 just showing out in the box, apex,
00:15 and kind of just a gap opened up.
00:17 My D in kind of field 'cause it was pass.
00:19 You know, I got a great rush.
00:21 D-line, my two nose guards was getting a good push,
00:25 push on that O-line.
00:26 And then I kind of just scooted in the gap and just jumped.
00:31 - Yeah, how did it feel that, you know,
00:35 your first touch, so to speak, is a pick six
00:37 and it opens the scoring for Arkansas in that game.
00:40 - Yeah, I mean, it was a great experience for me.
00:43 Just coming out of the tunnel was amazing.
00:47 You know what I'm saying?
00:48 Seeing all those fans that's wearing the same colors
00:51 that I'm wearing and, you know,
00:52 they're cheering for me, for us, the Hogs.
00:54 I play for the Hogs, so that was a really good
00:58 opportunity there for me.
00:59 - Hey, Pooh, you looked pretty hungry
01:02 when you got in there in the second half.
01:03 Can you maybe just kind of talk about
01:05 your mindset for that game?
01:07 - The mindset that I had going in
01:10 was really just to dominate.
01:11 You know, I sought out the first half
01:12 due to a targeting call of last week,
01:14 so I didn't really get to play the whole game.
01:16 So going in, I just wanted to make an impact.
01:18 And that was, Coach Pittman put a real emphasis on that.
01:21 He came up to me, it was numerous times
01:23 he'd come up to me in practice and he was telling me,
01:25 like, you know, you're not going to be out there
01:26 the first half, but when you get out there,
01:27 you know, you need to, you know,
01:30 basically introduce yourself again and things like that.
01:32 So when I got out there, I just thought to myself,
01:35 I need to make plays, I need to put my name back out there.
01:37 - What'd you think of Antonio's play,
01:39 being in the right place right there?
01:41 - Man, if I give you all my honest reaction,
01:43 I was really like caught off guard when he caught it,
01:46 but like, it was just an instant.
01:48 Like, as soon as he jumped and caught it,
01:49 like, I just instantly started running down the sideline
01:52 with him, like a proud parent or something.
01:55 So I'm just chasing him down the sideline the whole time.
01:58 And man, like he said, it was just a electric atmosphere
02:01 and it was just a great experience.
02:03 - Okay, hey, I want to ask both of y'all real quick
02:05 about maybe a scouting report on BYU.
02:07 Pooh, you know, you guys won pretty handily there last year.
02:11 Is there, you know, a reason to, you know,
02:14 not have a letdown when you face them?
02:17 And can you talk about, you know,
02:18 the weapons they have on offense
02:20 and then Antonio, if you could.
02:22 - You know, we just treat every game,
02:24 we treat every game like we playing against ourself.
02:26 We play the Arkansas standard in every game.
02:28 BYU is a great team, by the way.
02:30 You know, they have a history of winning,
02:32 as we can see, you know, they have a great head coach.
02:35 The running back, they are pretty good,
02:37 number two and 20, they're two decent good backs.
02:40 They have a really good tight end, number 83.
02:42 And they also put number 99 back there,
02:44 tight end, he's a great run blocker and things like that.
02:46 They usually use him for like match protection
02:48 and things like that.
02:49 But overall, great team, highly, you know,
02:52 highly competitive and well coached.
02:54 - Antonio, any thoughts about facing BYU,
02:58 what you see out of them?
03:00 - Really pool-headed on the head, to be honest.
03:02 He kind of covered all aspects of them.
03:06 They're a great team, like he said.
03:07 And the main thing that I just took from what he said was,
03:10 we playing the Hogs, you know what I'm saying?
03:11 We go out and play to our standard
03:14 and really not focused on the opponent.
03:15 We'll have a good game, we'll dominate these guys.
03:19 - Trey.
03:20 - Yeah, both you guys have, you know,
03:23 kind of dealt with injuries from fall camp and stuff.
03:26 And Pooh, you had obviously the suspension.
03:29 How frustrating was that to, you know,
03:31 with so much competition at the linebacker room
03:33 and just how eager were you guys to finally get out there
03:35 when you had the opportunity, just for both of you?
03:38 - Honestly, you know, I really didn't look at it
03:41 as a frustrating aspect.
03:43 I just looked at it, you know,
03:43 as sitting back and just being a leader,
03:45 just sitting back and just coaching up the guys
03:47 that's sitting there like Brad Spence and things like that.
03:50 And then, you know,
03:51 just keeping the energy alive on the sidelines.
03:53 You know, I understand that I was, you know, injured
03:55 and I understand that I had got the targeting call
03:57 and things like that.
03:58 But, you know, that doesn't stop
04:00 the leadership aspect of things.
04:02 And so I just prided myself on, you know,
04:04 just being vocal with the guys and keeping spirits high.
04:06 So, you know, there wasn't really any frustration
04:09 'cause I knew that the defense was in great hands
04:11 with the guys that were displayed out there.
04:12 They did a great job during the week preparing themselves.
04:15 So I was confident.
04:17 - Antonio.
04:18 - Me, it wasn't frustrating at all.
04:22 I always keep God first in my life,
04:24 you know what I'm saying?
04:24 Whatever he has for me will be for me.
04:27 So it was just like another obstacle
04:28 that I was just throwing in my way.
04:30 And there was a phase by it.
04:32 Got upset here and there, but not much.
04:34 I just kept God first, stayed prayed up,
04:36 and I just took it day by day.
04:38 - When you look at BYU and Arkansas too,
04:42 I mean, Arkansas has had a little bit more success running,
04:44 but both teams kind of not getting off the ground
04:46 the way they want running the ball.
04:47 What have you guys seen when you look at BYU
04:50 running the ball?
04:51 And, you know, I mean, I'm sure you guys see some areas
04:54 where they could probably improve and probably have.
04:56 - Just watching film on those guys.
04:59 Like I said, they have a great team.
05:01 So, you know, like those guys, you know,
05:03 they take it day by day,
05:04 I can tell just by watching the film.
05:06 And they also have a great offensive line
05:08 and things like that.
05:09 You know, they got some guys that returned.
05:10 They lost a few people,
05:11 but they replaced them with some good competition up front.
05:14 So, you know, as long as we go out there
05:15 and we play to the standard, we should be fine.
05:18 - And Tony, you got kind of like a throwback look out there.
05:20 You got the neck roll from like the '90s
05:22 and single digit linebacker.
05:24 Is that something that you play into on purpose
05:28 or is that just a style thing?
05:29 What's the neck roll for?
05:30 - Yeah, I've just been doing that since high school.
05:32 Always wanted to be like Ray Lewis growing up.
05:35 My dad used to send me videos of him
05:36 and just motivational speeches.
05:37 Always just watched him growing up,
05:39 wanted to imitate McCain after him.
05:41 So that's kind of just where I get it from.
05:44 - Thanks, fellas.
05:45 - Hey guys.
05:49 Hey, Pooh, I get that you wanted to keep a positive attitude
05:53 when maybe you're a little banged up and had to sit out,
05:56 but just from a physical standpoint,
05:58 I guess, are you 100% just,
06:01 it looks like now there's nothing to restrict you,
06:04 whether it's your knee or the targeting deal,
06:06 just how anxious you just get out there
06:09 and kind of just go off on somebody?
06:13 - Man, I'm highly excited.
06:15 This is my first real game,
06:17 it's playing a full game and things like that.
06:19 Just to get in front of the Razorback crowd,
06:21 just the atmosphere and just the energy that they bring,
06:25 I just know, man, it's going to be a great Saturday.
06:27 I sat back and I just prided myself on,
06:31 once I come back, I got a lot to make up for.
06:35 I got a lot to make up for and that's fine.
06:37 I just want to sit back and just, first off,
06:39 like Antonio said, just thank God for everything
06:41 and go out there and play my best brand of football.
06:43 I'm excited, I'm anxious, I'm ready.
06:46 - Yeah, I think in the old,
06:47 I didn't really pay attention to see on the sideline,
06:49 but I think in the old days,
06:50 if players got ejected for targeting,
06:53 they had to stay in the locker room or something,
06:55 but you were able to be out there the whole half,
06:57 and if so, kind of what was it like watching?
06:59 - So I was able to stay on the sideline.
07:05 I was able to stay on the sideline.
07:07 Just to me, like I said earlier,
07:10 it wasn't anything for me to just keep on leading those guys
07:14 and just keep being that positive role model
07:16 for those guys and things like that.
07:17 So even though I had got thrown out of the game
07:19 and I knew what I had done was wrong at the time
07:22 and I talked to coaches and the players
07:24 and things like that and I apologized to them,
07:25 but I sat back and I just kept bringing the energy.
07:29 They came over, I showed them things that they could do
07:31 that'll help them put them in better position
07:33 and things like that.
07:34 So I just kept the leadership aspect alive
07:37 once I got taken out of the game.
07:39 - And then Tony, you've been here a few months now
07:41 and gotten to know Pooh pretty well, I assume.
07:44 But you're older, but he's been here longer.
07:47 And he seems like a team leader for a young guy.
07:49 What's your take on Pooh, just from a total standpoint,
07:53 as a team guy, kind of linebacker he is?
07:56 - Real standup guy, you know what I'm saying?
07:59 Not only is he my teammate, my brother,
08:02 he's also my fraternity brother.
08:03 I was able to watch him go through things
08:07 within his fraternity journey
08:09 and was able to help him out.
08:11 And that was a great experience for me as well as for him
08:13 and kind of brought our bond together off the field,
08:16 which is for sure more important
08:18 'cause I for sure fight for him even more on the field.
08:21 But he's a great guy, great kid, you know what I'm saying?
08:25 Standup guy, like I said.
08:27 I know he'll go for you.
08:28 I know that for sure, you know what I'm saying?
08:30 Great leader.
08:31 You don't stop talking on the sidelines.
08:33 Sometimes I'll be telling him to be quiet.
08:35 He don't stop talking.
08:36 Good, energized guy, always energized,
08:38 whether if it's lift or always asking questions in meetings
08:42 and taking notes and stuff like that.
08:43 So he's a great person
08:44 and really great person to be around.
08:47 - Thanks.
08:48 - Jackson.
08:49 - Well, after all those nice words from Antonio,
08:54 I just want to check, Pooh,
08:56 are you saying you were caught off guard
08:58 because you were surprised he caught the ball?
09:00 Like why were you caught off guard
09:02 by Antonio's interception on the touchdown?
09:06 - It was just like,
09:07 it was just a great instinct to play.
09:10 And like, you know, sitting there,
09:12 you thinking, you know, he ran up, you know,
09:14 things like that.
09:15 'Cause he put himself in perfect position.
09:17 Like I didn't know, you know,
09:18 that he was just going to run up and just, you know,
09:20 vertical jump and intercept the ball.
09:22 So when he did catch it, you know,
09:24 all I could do was just jump up and just start like,
09:27 like I said, just start running down the sideline with him.
09:29 Like, you know, like, so when he caught, I just jumped up,
09:32 I dropped my helmet, jumped up with him,
09:33 and I ran to the, like ran down the sideline with him
09:36 until he was in the end zone.
09:37 So I was just, it wasn't, I knew he can catch.
09:39 He be catching all the passes,
09:41 the Indians, stuff like that.
09:43 So, you know, he got great hands.
09:44 So I knew he would catch it
09:45 if he did get his hands on the ball,
09:47 but it just caught me off guard in that aspect.
09:50 - I gotcha. Just wanted to clarify.
09:51 For both of you, I mean,
09:52 it's been a pretty good start for the defense,
09:54 and this is kind of like the biggest, you know,
09:57 no offense to the other two teams,
09:58 but the biggest test of the year so far.
10:00 Just what are you liking most
10:02 from what you've seen from the defense
10:03 that you feel like can kind of be consistent
10:06 throughout the season?
10:07 - Guys who just want to compete, you know,
10:12 people that, you know, just love the game of football
10:14 and just love what they do
10:15 and do it with a passion and things like that.
10:17 So, you know, that's one thing I can say
10:18 we've been consistent on, you know,
10:20 it's always going to be something
10:21 that you have to fix after the game.
10:22 No team is perfect, no game plan is perfect,
10:25 things of that nature, everybody mess up.
10:26 But the way that we go out there
10:28 and we carry ourselves and mentality that we have,
10:30 you know, that's what stays consistent.
10:32 That's what keeps me excited every weekend, every day.
10:35 - Demetrius.
10:37 - I know Antonio Greer kind of mentioned
10:46 his connection with Omega Psi Phi.
10:47 Can you talk about the celebration
10:49 that everybody kind of did on that play
10:50 with you, Cam Ball, and Greer out there
10:52 and, you know, what it means to be out there
10:54 with your frat brothers?
10:56 - Well, first of all, it was a great play by Poole's goal line.
11:01 It was really trying to run the ball down our throat.
11:04 Man, I was, personally, from my point of view,
11:08 I was kind of just sending the edge, coming up the edge,
11:11 and all I just hear is just, "Kalah!"
11:14 And that's just Poole Paul coming down here, man,
11:17 making a great play, and I was more than excited for him
11:20 because, I mean, because we practice that drill so much.
11:23 We do it in Indy, and then just to see that translate
11:26 from Indy or from practice to the game,
11:28 it was great to watch it.
11:30 And it was a great play.
11:32 It was a great play.
11:33 And just having the guys out there, man,
11:36 it's just, you know what I'm saying?
11:39 I can't even explain it, to be honest,
11:40 which was, it's a great experience.
11:41 And one in a lifetime, to be honest,
11:43 which we would have three dogs on the field like that,
11:45 I mean, the picture was amazing that we had,
11:48 and for all of us just to be out there,
11:49 and the brotherhood that we share together
11:51 is also amazing.
11:52 So it was really good, good experience.
11:55 - Paul, can you comment on that as well?
11:58 - And honestly, as far as the celebration standpoint,
12:01 it just shows that the love that we have for each other
12:04 runs deeper than just ball and things of that nature.
12:06 Like he said, we have great relationship off the field.
12:08 So, you know, it pushes us to go harder
12:11 for each other on the field and things like that.
12:13 So us doing the celebration wasn't just, you know,
12:15 just doing that just to look cool and things like that.
12:17 It was just for us to show the genuine love
12:19 that we have and the excitement that we have for each other.
12:21 So that way, as far as the celebration aspect.
12:25 - No, so for everyone watching,
12:26 please don't like, you know, try to do that.
12:29 (laughs)
12:30 It's kind of like a taboo, disrespectful for us.
12:33 I just want you all to know that.
12:35 - Daniel.
12:38 - Guys, I wanted to touch on BYU for a second.
12:42 What specific challenges does the quarterback
12:45 present to y'all?
12:46 He's been well-traveled for a while
12:48 for either of you who wants to take it.
12:50 - Just a great leader.
12:52 You could tell the offense revolves around him.
12:56 And he's really just a, probably just a great overall guy.
13:00 I can see that everybody, like I said,
13:01 I can see everybody on offense respects him,
13:03 respects his game.
13:05 He has good vision, great arm, by the way.
13:08 He does a great job with selling out his space
13:11 and things like that.
13:12 So it's going to be a challenge for us.
13:12 Just we can be ready for it.
13:14 - Bob, last one.
13:17 - Oh, okay.
13:20 Yeah, Puff, I forgot to ask you about that fourth down play.
13:23 I mean, you made quite a few plays
13:24 once you were able to get out there,
13:25 but what was your perspective on that play at the goal line?
13:28 I think maybe it was the second down.
13:30 I might be wrong about that.
13:32 - It was third.
13:33 It was a third down play, yes, sir.
13:35 Like I said, it was just really just going back
13:37 on when I was saying, man, just going out there
13:39 and having a dominant performance.
13:40 You know, like I sat back the whole first half
13:43 when I came back and, you know, I told myself,
13:44 I got to make it up to these guys.
13:45 I got to make me some plays.
13:47 And my pops always told me,
13:49 big time players make big time plays
13:51 when it comes down to it.
13:52 And so I came down and I made a big time play.
13:55 And, you know, yeah, it was just really exciting.
13:59 - And Antonio, I think that'd be the dream
14:01 of any defensive player to score a touchdown,
14:03 but you scored one a couple of years ago.
14:05 You had a pick six against, I think it was Tulsa.
14:07 How cool is that to score two touchdowns
14:11 as a defensive player?
14:12 - To be honest with you, I'm looking to score more.
14:16 That was just a great start that I had,
14:20 great for my D-line and my DBs that was out there
14:23 that was covering very well.
14:24 And, you know, the D-line getting a great push up front.
14:26 So I can jump in the window and catch up and catch the ball.
14:30 And even though blocking for me,
14:32 for me to be able to get into the end zone.
14:34 And we practiced that a lot as well.
14:36 We do it before games.
14:37 So it was, like I said, it was really good
14:38 to translate that from practice and things like that
14:41 to a real life game experience.
14:43 And it was, I mean, the best thing I like was the crowd.
14:46 Like it was, it was crazy.
14:48 I mean, it was unbelievable.
14:49 I can't wait to get to BYU this weekend
14:53 and see the atmosphere.
14:54 I know the fans are going to be out there.
14:55 It's not going to be as hot and it's going to be a great,
14:58 I just can't wait.
14:59 It's going to be a great experience.
15:00 - And Poole, you've had two games,
15:02 two linebacker pick sixes.
15:04 Is there any kind of competition going on between you guys?
15:07 Like, do you feel like, well, man, I got to give me one too.
15:10 - Man, okay.
15:11 I'm glad you said that.
15:12 Cause I sat back, I sat back on the linebacker
15:15 in the linebacker room the other day and I told him,
15:16 I said, man, I gotta be next.
15:19 I gotta be next to catch a pick six, you know?
15:22 And so like, I was just messing around with those guys
15:25 and I was telling them, you know,
15:26 Brad Smith's first series, he caught a pick six.
15:30 And then Antonio's first play up,
15:32 like of him being a Razorback was a pick six.
15:35 So I was like, man, I got to be next.
15:38 So, you know, it's not really,
15:39 it's not really a competition.
15:40 We all, you know what I'm saying?
15:41 We all, we all happy for each other.
15:44 Like I said, like once Antonio caught a pick six,
15:46 man, you could see like the happiest people out there
15:49 was the linebacker.
15:50 Cause we like to see a success from each other.
15:52 But yeah, I'm going to be next.
15:55 - And Antonio, can you make that sound effect again?
15:57 You said when Pooh hit the guy, what was that word you used?
16:01 - Claw!
16:01 (laughing)
16:04 Oh yeah, yeah, yeah.
16:05 We talk about that like all the time in team, team room,
16:08 stuff, team, and just.
16:09 - Okay, thanks.
16:12 That was very, you have to tell me how to spell that.
16:15 - Okay then, I got to learn how to spell it too, boss.