SOUTHEASTERN CONFERENCE FOOTBALL MEDIA DAYS

July 18, 2024

Andrew Armstrong

Arkansas Razorbacks

Press Conference

ANDREW ARMSTRONG: Being my senior year SEC media day in Dallas. I told my mom it's very ironic, so I'm very excited that I'm here. I get to see the people, get to see the view from the Omni. I really appreciate that from my head coach.

THE MODERATOR: Do you get the feeling the season is getting closer, getting the itch? How much have you practiced so far?

ANDREW ARMSTRONG: It's been great. The team camaraderie, the player-led it's been fun, exciting. We've been working extremely hard this summer going day-by-day. Getting closer to fall camp, the only thing we can do is focus on the next day and getting better at doing that.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Tell the people about a Bobby Petrino offense. What does it mean for the wide receivers? How do you like your new transfer from Boise State?

ANDREW ARMSTRONG: It's been great. He's been helping us with the plays. We playing, we're trying to be explosive this year. With Taylen Greene coming in, the leader he is -- he is 6'7". Looking at him you can already think he is a leader. He's been great.

Talking with the players, talking with the team has been exciting.

Q. I want to ask you about Luke Hasz? What does he bring to the offense? I know he had a shortened season last year. As a young player, what can he do to help the offense?

ANDREW ARMSTRONG: The biggest word I can say about Luke Hasz is consistent. He is one of the most consistent players on the team with his hands, route running, his ability to learn the plays and stay locked in.

Luke, like I said, we've seen him. Even with the short spurt of games he's played in, just imagine if he played all the whole season. He's been great.

He's still young. For him to play at the ability that he's playing at his age is astounding.

Q. I know as a Texas native you probably know all about UT and all the things like that. Is the game against Texas something family and friends are talking about a little bit? What do you expect with everything you've heard about this rivalry starting back up?

ANDREW ARMSTRONG: I know the last time they played them it was one of the seventh most -- like the attendance there was extremely high. I feel like coming back with this year, we got Bobby Petrino back. It might even jump back.

I'm just ready to play. I'm just ready to play them as well. It's going to be a very fun, fun game. Early 11:00 a.m. game.

Q. Andrew, you decided to come back to Arkansas for another season. What went into that decision? What makes you confident in this Razorbacks team?

ANDREW ARMSTRONG: We were extremely confident last year. Looking at how the team was last year with those close losses that we had, I feel like we can build on top of that. I feel like if I would have left, I would have just left, like tried to get to the NFL and things like that, but I feel like it was unfinished business here.

I feel like we can do something extremely great here, and that's why I came back.

Q. What were the toughest parts of making the jump from A&M Commerce to the SEC, and what were some things that came easily?

ANDREW ARMSTRONG: I said one time in an interview last year, man, them workouts. That first day workout when I first got to Arkansas almost called my mom and asked is there any way I can go back to Commerce? Those workouts was extremely -- that first week for everybody is just -- you got to be mentally tough because if your mental isn't there, it's going to be one of the most hardest things you've ever went through.

I have a way of making up words, so I'm going to say one of the "hardedest" things I've ever went through when I first got here, so...

Q. Is the mental part of the game as difficult as the physical part, or is it more difficult?

ANDREW ARMSTRONG: Mentally is one of the most -- I want to say 80%, 90% of the game. You can work out and do all those things, but if you're not mentally tough, if you're not mentally there on the field, you got to think about what plays you're going through.

You can be tired, and you got to think about what type of route you're going to run, your dip. I feel like mental is one of the most, like, prestigious things when it comes to the sport of football.

Q. You played Alabama, very tough game last year. Why? Why did that happen?

ANDREW ARMSTRONG: Why was Alabama a tough game?

Q. No, why did you play them so close last year?

ANDREW ARMSTRONG: Like I said, it was a lot of games that we had where it was one-score games that we just didn't finish it. I feel like we can compete with anybody in the nation last year. It's just the finishing aspect of it. We had a lot of one-score games that could have went our way but didn't. It could have changed the season around, like with our confidence and things like that.

I feel like we played -- we just played to the best of our ability.

Q. If you don't mind one more question about Luke. What's that neat relationship about him having a twin brother on the team, and what do you see from it as an outsider about those two? How do they get along?

ANDREW ARMSTRONG: They love each other. That's the twin brother love you see from a lot of twin brothers. You know, they work out hard. They're extremely -- they're vocal leaders and things. So I feel like with Luke and Dylan coming in helping the team, it just builds on. Builds on to the team camaraderie.

Q. What can you tell us about what else Arkansas has at the wide receiver position and anybody that you think could really break through this year? Anybody that's really impressed you with the work they've done this offseason?

ANDREW ARMSTRONG: We have Tyrone Broden, 6'7", fastest dude on the team. You don't see that a lot. He's good at getting down on his brakes and catching the ball in traffic and good at going up and catching the ball.

He has been extremely, extremely, extremely locked in this year. We also have Isaiah Sategna, Jaedon Wilson, Davion Dozier, CJ Brown, a lot of young guys, as well, Dazmin James, Jordan Anthony.

Like I said, Jordan Anthony, we talked about the NCAA game, and he is an absolute cheat code because he has a 98 speed, and you can say down, set, hut, and throw the ball, and he is just going to run under it and catch it.

But I feel like our receiving room as a whole has been, like, great.

Q. With the tough losses last year, what was the message during that tough time, and how is the message going into this year?

ANDREW ARMSTRONG: Next day. Next day was the message. We can lose a game, but the game is lost. Like, there's nothing you can do about -- you can't harp or be sad about it.

Just like if I drop a ball in the game, like, me getting mad at dropping the ball isn't going to do anything but mess up my mental during the game. So if I drop a ball, I just have to say, next play because that next play can be a 90-yard catch, but I just dropped a 5-yard catch which could have turned into the a 15-yard.

You just have to stay focused and keep your mind on a swivel.

Q. Arkansas is, I believe, the first conference road game this year at your stadium in Auburn. You weren't on the team the last time Arkansas went to Auburn, but I imagine you've heard about playing before. What have you heard about making the trip to Auburn?

ANDREW ARMSTRONG: I haven't heard a lot about going down there and playing. Like I said, we had that long stretch last year of the five away games. With that being my first year in the SEC, I'll be kind of used to taking the travel and playing in away games. I feel like it's going to be great. It's going to be fun.

Q. Obviously to get the ball you have to have Taylen Greene standing. What can you say about the offensive line and how they've improved from last year to this year to make sure that you're getting the targets that you deserve?

ANDREW ARMSTRONG: Man, the O-line is one of the most together O-lines I've ever seen. They come in together on the weekend, seven days a week, in the training room together, in the pool together, doing rehab together.

They're not even hurt. They're just in there doing rehab to make themselves better and making themselves better is going to make the team better, make the offense better, and also make the defense better because that defense has to go up against the O-line.

I feel like the O-line has took a dramatic step.

Q. What can you say about your transfer at quarterback? What can you tell us about him that people will be excited when he steps on the field?

ANDREW ARMSTRONG: Taylen Greene is one of the most happy guys I've been around. He's ready to play. He's ready to -- he loves when he messes up because it helps him. It builds him. It builds him, and he's that leader that a team needs.

Everybody can go to him, ask him a question about a route, and he knows everything. You can tell he's been in the playbook, and he's locked in.