Ian Geffrard making most of opportunity in spring

FAYETTEVILLE — Redshirt sophomore defensive tackle Ian Geffrard has made strides this spring on Deke Adams’ line.

Geffrard, 6-5, 389, had 12 tackles in 2024 including four solo. Geffrard came to Arkansas from Mableton (Ga.) Whitefield Academy as a three-star prospect who is positioning himself this spring for a bigger role in 2025. With standout senior Cam Ball not practicing this spring that has allowed Geffrard and others to show what they can do.

“Yeah, I’d say that,” Geffrard said. “Just the fact that like it’s a new year, I’ve been put into the fire way more. But I’ll say that with Cam Ball being out, he’s like another coach pretty much. We’re also getting David Oke back today too, so our numbers are good. The snap counts are really good. Personally I like the number of snaps that I’m getting. From there it’s just about everybody else and seeing if we can get more numbers for everybody else who needs them or what we think will be best to put on the field.”

Pittman recently praised Geffrard, Danny Saili and Quincy Rhodes Jr. for the job they are doing this spring.

“Quincy Rhodes, Ian Geffrard and Danny Saili,” Pittman said. “Those are 3 guys that I think, they didn’t play a lot. But those three are as improved as anyone that we have on the team. They’ve done a really good job in there. Obviously we’re without Cam and Oke inside.”

The practice today will be the first since in over a week since the Razorbacks were off last week for spring break.

“It’s just like taking a break, that’s pretty much all it was so clean slate right now for the practice we’re about to have,” Geffrard said. “It’ll be just like getting back to the basics so we can get our footing back, but from there it’s just like getting back to it.”

Geffrard talked to the media prior to Tuesday’s practice and talked about where he feels he’s made the biggest strides since playing in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl.

“Just technique really,” Geffrard said. “I’d say the most strides that I really had was … me and Coach Adams talk a lot about just being violent and knocking back. Just textbook football really and so it’s funny because it’s not supposed to be that hard to just push a guy back. But at the same time it took so many days to get here and realize like, ‘Oh, I can do this better. I can do this better.’ From there it’s just about fine tuning and then from there it’s playing to the best of my ability.”

Obviously Geffrard’s weight has been a constant talking point surrounding him.

“I hit the scales today at 382,” Geffrard said. “So down a couple of pounds from what y’all probably know about. But I’d say for a fact I came in at 397. But even then my composition was like way off the charts. But now it’s like definitely much better than it used to be. My body fat percentage I’d say … well, last time I did the scan it was about a month ago and it was like 32 percent body fat. That’s where I’m at right now. But me and coach (Ben) Sowders are still working, still working to get it down. My goal is to be about 370 by maybe the end of spring ball. I don’t know about that one but we’ll see. We’ll see what happens when we get to the summer workouts.”

Pittman has repeatedly praised Geffrard’s athleticism.

“Yeah, I try to be at least,” Geffrard said. “I always bring up the hand stand I did on my OV, my official visit. But even then, I just do what I do. It’s not like… There’s no proof to the pudding. It’s just whatever you put in, it comes out.”

The hand stand something you’ve always been able to do?

“I kind of just winged it,” Geffrard said. “I tried a little bit… I knew I could do a cartwheel, so I was like, ‘It’s easy. Just stand still next time. Don’t go all the way.’”

Geffrard admits his weight plays a role in his motivation each day as he prepares for an expanded role in 2025.

“The motivation is just what I do now, you know what I’m saying?,” Geffrard said. “My ‘why’, personally, I would say is my mom and my sister back home, to begin with. So, whenever I’m trying to work to a goal, specifically my weight goal, they’re the two I think about. And then just from there, the opportunities that open up to me and everything else that God offers me, too.”

Tuesday will be Oke’s first day to practice. But he enrolled at midterm. Geffrard likes what he has seen from the Abilene Christian transfer so far.

“I’ve seen him in the weight room,” Geffrard said. “He’s strong. He’s fast. I expect him to be a really good addition to the d-line. It’ll be like, nothing’s really changing if me or Danny couldn’t be able play.”

With Landon Jackson and Anton Juncaj headed to the NFL the Hogs will have new defensive ends this season. Rhodes, Charlie Collins and Kavion Henderson return from last year. Two new defensive ends from the transfer portal are Justus Boone (Florida) and Ken Talley (Michigan State).

“Coach Adams has a saying that we always say in the room,” Geffrard said. “He says, ‘the expectation does not change no matter the people in the room’. Even if Charlie, Quincy or Kavion can’t meet their standard, they still have to, one way or another. But what I believe, or I would say the room believes they can all step up to the challenge and end up, probably even exceeding those expectations as well.

“I’d say so, Boone and Talley. Boone can’t really, like, I know Boone has this tendency of standing up before plays, but it was like a couple tweaks and stuff that we had to take out. So now he has to put his hand in the dirt. But other than that, the only thing that, I mean, nobody really, of course, you can always work on stuff, but from what we’ve worked on since we got here from last season, it’s a big jump from where we- It’s a good start to where we could be when the season starts.”

Saili is another defensive tackle who has seen first-team reps with Geffrard this spring. He came to Arkansas from BYU last year at midterm. He finished with four tackles last fall, but looks like a different player this spring.

“Way more focused and technical, I’d say,” Geffrard said. “At first, I feel like Danny was kind of just trying to hit whatever he see. It was like a bull in a china shop. And compared to what I’ve seen with him, like from him in the practices recently, it’s like night and day. And he’s much more technical and much more focused in what he’s trying to do.”

Arkansas will practice Thursday and then again Saturday morning. The spring game is set for Saturday, April 19, at 1 p.m.

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