Averaging only 25 points per game, the Arkansas defense has been a surprisingly feisty unit so far in 2023 after giving up in the 30s the last few seasons under defensive coordinator Barry Odom. With Odom moving back into the head coaching ranks, the Razorbacks went out and made a sneaky high-potential hire of the young Travis Williams.
A former lineacker for Auburn, Williams was a linebacker and co-DC with Kevin Steele at Auburn in 2016-2020 before getting a full time DC job with Central Florida. The Knights were giving up 33 points per game in 2020, and Williams improved that up to 24 ppg in this two seasons there.