Hogs' Hodge carries his weight

MEMPHIS -- Arkansas nose guard DeMarcus Hodge knows how to make himself heard in a crowd even though he's not one of the team's more talkative players.

"He's just one of those guys," senior safety Rohan Gaines said. "He doesn't say much, but when he does speak, it's powerful. He'll get everyone's attention."

Such was the case before a team meeting during fall camp. The Razorbacks were waiting for Coach Bret Bielema to come into the room to address them, but first Hodge spoke up.

"That's the day everybody heard DeMarcus' voice," junior defensive end Deatrich Wise said. "It was like a voice that came out of nowhere."

Hodge smiled when asked about the situation.

"People know I don't say something unless it's really important to me, so usually I'm yelling it," he said. "It's a scary voice, because they're not used to hearing it."

Hodge was yelling at his teammates to collect their trash after practice -- such as tape and bottles they left on the ground -- because he was tired of picking it up.

Strength and conditioning coach Ben Herbert had instructed Hodge to clean up after his teammates.

"He knew eventually I'd get ticked off about doing it and say something to the other guys," Hodge said. "So I stood up in the meeting and yelled, 'Hey, make sure y'all pick up your trash next time or we're going to have some problems!' "

Defensive coordinator Robb Smith wasn't in the meeting room at the time, but wasn't surprised by what Hodge did.

"DeMarcus is a really big thinker," Smith said. "When he does say something, there's been a lot of thought put into it and how he's going to deliver it.

"Usually any time he has something to say, it's a pretty good message."

Hodge said his talk took care of the trash problems.

"DeMarcus was very mad, and whenever he's mad, that's not a good thing," junior linebacker Brooks Ellis said. "Everybody listens and you're going to do what he tells you to do."

Wise said Hodge can scare his teammates at times, but he's popular with them.

"DeMarcus is a very personable guy that everybody likes and respects," Wise said. "He's one of the backbone guys for this team.

"He always does things the right way and is very positive."

Hodge, a fifth-year senior from Monroe, La., has been among the Razorbacks' most productive defensive players this season while becoming a starter for the first time.

Going into Arkansas' Liberty Bowl matchup against Kansas State on Saturday, Hodge has 27 tackles, including 7 for losses totaling 26 yards.

"He's a huge part of our scheme," Ellis said. "He disrupts everything up front."

Hodge said he tries not to pay attention to stats.

"Nose guard is a very selfless spot, so it's not like I'm out there making a lot of extravagant plays," he said. "Of course, I want to, but I'm doing what's best for the team.

"Certain jobs I have to do, just because it has to be done. If I need to take on two blockers for the linebacker to run free, then that's what I do."

Hodge, 6-1, 330, increased his strength and stamina in the offseason by losing 25 pounds.

"I think the biggest thing with DeMarcus that you see is the determination and focus that he's had," defensive line coach Rory Segrest said. "We had a meeting following spring practice and we talked about either he was going to make up his mind that he was going to be ready to play in the fall or he wasn't.

"I told him, 'You're going to tell me everything I need to know based off what you weigh when you come back for camp. Obviously, he had made up his mind. He was going to be ready to play, and he's had a great year."

Being at a lower weight has allowed Hodge to stay on the field for more plays.

"At one point in time there might have been a knock on him that he was a first- and second-down player," Smith said. "He actually gave us some things in pass rush and was able to play all three downs at times this year.

"That was a big positive. He's played his best football, and that's special to see happen for a senior player."

Gaines said Hodge asked for his teammates' help and support in his weight-loss program.

"He came to us and was like, 'Hey, I want to lose weight. Help me,' " Gaines said. "It takes a strong man to do that, to talk about his weakness and talk about getting better, and he did that.

"He took the bull by the horns and he lost weight and now he's one of our best players on defense."

Hodge said he's tried to set a good example for his younger teammates.

"I wanted to give them the right keys, the right resources they need to not just make it in football, but make it in life," he said. "I tried to share any knowledge I could give to them.

"I'm always there to listen to what they've got and help them whenever they've got problems."

Sports on 01/01/2016