UA’s Danish import rolls into near- starting spot
FAYETTEVILLE — Doberman, pit bull, bulldog are the typical canine metaphors applied to aggressively defensive football players.
Great Dane applies at Arkansas now. Especially with freshman Hjalte Froholdt impressing at No. 2 nose tackle and just a few days ago shadowed at a Razorback practice by TV cameras from his native Denmark much to his teammates’ amusement.
“Yeah, they have been giving me grief,” Froholdt said, smiling. “Calling me the superstar from Denmark like I am a legend or something. They are just messing around.”
Even as a January- enrolled freshman from a foreign country, Froholdt has fit right in, liked by his teammates and so impressing coach Bret Bielema and the staff that they had him set for active duty rather than redshirting even before spring ball was done.
Senior DeMarcus Hodge, the starter that Froholdt would unseat if he advances, has helped the most since Froholdt was moved from 3- technique tackle to nose over center.
“Hodge and Cordale ( Boyd) have helped me at nose,” Froholdt said. “Hodge definitely has helped me a lot.”
That’s what seniors do, Hodge said. Especially when it’s a rookie with an inquiring mind truly wanting to know.
“I can’t speak enough praise about him,” Hodge said. “We’ve gotten closer since he moved over to nose. He’s always in there asking questions, asking what can he do to get better?’ I’m giving him all I can to help him. I think he’s very open. I know the coaches love him. I’m not a coach, obviously, but I think he’s very coachable.”
As an exchange student at Ohio’s Warren G. Harding High School, Froholdt assumed he would learn American football on the JV.
Instead he so excelled that Taver Johnson, an Ohio native now at Purdue but then on Bielema’s staff, began recruiting him.
So did everyone else. After a mandatory post- student exchange year back home in Denmark, Froholdt, now 6- 4, 299, was back in the States playing for IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla., and then on to Arkansas last January. “It’s surreal,” Froholdt said of his experience. It is quite a story in the middle but then so is Hodge.
A fifth- year senior and Bobby Petrino era recruit redshirted in 2011, the 6- 1 Hodge conquered his battle of the bulge. Under strength coach Ben Herbert’s diet advice, Hodge slimmed from 353 to 325 and for the first time, after some promising springs finished as first- team nose tackle, held the position all summer and through Tuesday’s first practice in full pads.
“I needed to take pride in getting my weight down over the summer,” Hodge said. “I had good help from people around me, and I had coach
Herb pushing me all summer. I really think it’s benefited me. I’ve never played this low before … but I actually feel a lot stronger than I did last year.
While Froholdt shed pounds, junior Taiwan Johnson, last year’s nose moved to starting 3- technique tackle, muscled up from 255 to 290.
“I wish I could have just taken it off me and handed it to him,” Hodge said. “But it doesn’t work that way. I’ve lost my pounds, he’s gotten some, so I guess it evened up.”
It’s also probably helped Hodge for continuity that since the spring of 2014 he has played under the same defensive coordinator, Robb Smith, and same D- line coach, Rory Segrest.
“This is the only year I have had coaches two years in a row,” Hodge said. “You try not to think about it and adjust and vary with each coaching staff. That’s just kind of the way the world works.”
Starting defensive end Tevin Beanum and backup offensive tackle Brian Wallace, withheld by foot injuries when media last saw practice Saturday, both participated Tuesday following the mandated two completely noncontact practices and two practices with shoulder pads and thigh pads. Beanum celebrated with an interception.
“We did get two turnovers today,” junior first- team cornerback DJ Dean said. ” ( Senior safety) Rohan Gaines tipped the ball up and Tevin Beanum dove and caught it for an interception and I got an interception today during one of the team periods.”
Dean was asked how the young corners progress behind himself and junior starter Jared Collins, with starting nickel back Henre Toliver also considered a 1A corner.
“Ryan Pulley is definitely stepping up as a freshman,” Dean said. “He is doing a great job. Also Cornelius Floyd a returner ( sophomore special team letterman) from last year is doing a great job. And Nate ( Dalton, a freshman) he had to get used to the game a little bit. It was a little fast for him but now he is getting the hang of it.”