Australian saw Razorbacks as better option in long run

FAYETTEVILLE -- Jack Bruce expected to improve as a distance runner when he made the decision a year ago to transfer to Arkansas.

That's why Bruce gave up a full scholarship at UALR to join the Razorbacks as a walk-on.

The sophomore from Brisbane, Australia, just didn't figure he'd run this fast so soon and be counted on as a key scorer for the No. 4 Razorbacks going into the SEC Outdoor Track and Field Championships, which begin today in Tuscaloosa, Ala.

Bruce is ranked fourth in the SEC in the 1,500 meters (3:41.56) and 5,000 (13:34.15) and will run both events this weekend.

In the fall, Bruce ended the cross country season by leading the Razorbacks with a 23rd-place finish at the NCAA Championships.

"I couldn't have imagined any of it," Bruce said of his sudden impact for Arkansas. "You have goals as an athlete, but when you exceed any kind of thought you had, it's kind of crazy.

"After the outdoor season is done, whenever I'm able to look back on this year, I'll probably go, 'Holy crap! Did I really do all that?' "

Bruce, 21, has improved his time in the 1,500 this year by nearly 10 seconds and his cross country time in the 10,000 by more than a minute. He went from finishing 63rd in the NCAA South Central meet as a freshman to 13th as a sophomore.

"I've done some things I never thought would be possible," Bruce said.

Bruce's emergence as a walk-on has been helpful to the Razorbacks in a sport limited to 12.6 scholarships.

"Jack's been a pleasant surprise for us and a big boost for our program," Arkansas Coach Chris Bucknam said. "I'm excited to see what's going to happen the rest of this season and then moving forward, because he keeps raising the bar.

"He's not a settler type of guy. He's hungry. He's just come alive since he's come here."

Bruce said he appreciated the opportunity to attend UALR, but he believed Arkansas would offer a better chance to develop his running career. He didn't know anything about the state of Arkansas or the college athletic programs when a coach at his high school in Australia arranged for him to run for UALR, but Bruce said he quickly learned about the Razorbacks after moving to Little Rock.

"You see the Hog everywhere," he said. "Coming from Australia, you're going, 'What is this?'

"But I found out in a hurry about the Hog. I was like, 'Oh, this is a big deal.' Whenever Arkansas plays a football game, everything else pretty much shuts down."

Bruce's father is a dentist, and his family can help him pay for college in the U.S. After Bruce was granted his scholarship release from UALR, he contacted Bucknam about transferring to Arkansas.

"I could have looked around at some other schools, but once Buck showed interest in me, I thought, 'OK, this is it,' " Bruce said. "In my mind, I was like, 'The head coach of one of the biggest programs in the NCAA wants me to come here.'

"It was a no-brainer, really."

Bucknam said he didn't know anything about Bruce before his call, but he was impressed by his enthusiasm.

"I could just hear in his voice how much he wanted to be here," Bucknam said. "He was so excited."

Bucknam got excited when he first saw the 6-5 Bruce run last fall.

"Our first cross country practice, you could tell, 'Holy smokes, this guy can run,' " Bucknam said. "He's tall and has a beautiful stride. He gets great turnover."

Bruce gradually improved during the cross country season, but he didn't take first among the Razorbacks until the NCAA meet.

"He passed 20 guys in the last 2,000 meters," Bucknam said. "You can't coach that. He just put the hammer down."

Bucknam said Bruce has a good closing kick on the track as well.

"You always want guys that can smell the finish line," Bucknam said. "That's Jack."

A stress fracture in Bruce's left foot cost him several weeks of training during the indoor season, but he's bounced back strong outdoors.

"When I opened up the outdoor season, I found my feet again," he said. "I had my fitness back."

Bruce credits Bucknam's coaching and training with the strong contingent of runners at Arkansas and for his huge improvements the past several months.

"When you train with a lot of guys that are all really good, you feed off each other's energy," he said. "It's a lot easier doing it with a group of people than doing it on your own."

Bucknam said Bruce has transformed himself physically to become faster and stronger.

"His engine's getting bigger," Bucknam said. "He's got more horsepower because he takes advantage of every workout."

After a full year of training with the Razorbacks, Bruce is eager to see how well he can finish the outdoor season and what he can achieve as a junior.

"I've got all this good work to build on," Bruce said. "I'm not sure what I can do next year, but I know I want to be one of the best, and I think I'm in the right place to do it."

Sports on 05/12/2016