Fitter Wallace embracing role

Brian Wallace (left) and Silas Robinson, Arkansas offensive linemen, participate in a drill Wednesday, Aug. 8, 2018, at the Arkansas practice field in Fayetteville.
Brian Wallace (left) and Silas Robinson, Arkansas offensive linemen, participate in a drill Wednesday, Aug. 8, 2018, at the Arkansas practice field in Fayetteville.

FAYETTEVILLE -- No University of Arkansas football player may have transformed himself physically more than offensive lineman Brian Wallace going into today's season opener against Eastern Illinois.

"B-Wall is a completely different human being," Razorbacks center Hjalte Froholdt said.

Brian Wallace at a glance

SCHOOL Arkansas

CLASS Fifth-year senior

POSITION Offensive tackle

HEIGHT/WEIGHT 6-6, 313 pounds

HOMETOWN Florissant, Mo.

HIGH SCHOOL Christian Brothers

AGE 22 (born Feb. 3, 1996)

NOTEWORTHY Will make his 18th career start today, but first to open a season. Started the final 10 games in 2016 and final 7 games in 2017 … Backup in 2015 after redshirting as a true freshman … Chose Arkansas over numerous scholarship offers including Alabama, Georgia, Missouri, Michigan State, Iowa and Nebraska … Rated among the top 10 high school offensive tackles nationally in the 2014 recruiting class by 247Sports, ESPN and Rivals.

Wallace, a fifth-year senior from Florissant, Mo., is still 6-6, but his weight is down from 323 pounds in January to 313.

A more significant change, strength and conditioning coach Trumain Carroll said, is that Wallace decreased his body fat by more than 5 percent from 25.5 to 20.3.

As Carroll put it, Wallace essentially shifted about 15 pounds of his body from fat to muscle.

"I feel a lot better," said Wallace, the starter at right tackle. "I move a lot better, too."

Senior right guard Johnny Gibson plays alongside Wallace.

"He's always been that explosive, freakish athlete," Gibson said. " Only now he's a prolonged freakish athlete.

"With the program Coach Tru threw at us, Brian did everything he could to become more conditioned, and now it's just scary to watch him attack people."

Arkansas sophomore quarterback Cole Kelley said it's been impressive to watch Wallace block in practice.

"Honestly, he's a physical specimen," Kelley said. "He's an NFL player already. When he focuses in and does the right thing, he's dominant."

Wallace said he appreciated Kelley's comment.

"I feel happy and honored about that, but me personally, I always like to stay humble," he said. "I always feel there's more that I can learn. Even if I go to the next level there's more that I can learn."

Razorbacks offensive line coach Dustin Fry said before the start of preseason camp that he expects a big season from Wallace.

"When we started workouts in January, he'd fall out a little bit," Fry said. "You wondered how much he'd push through. But that changed over the summer. ... He always wears a tank top now, so I think he's feeling pretty confident.

"When he walks around it's like, 'Dang, man, you used to cover up. Now you're letting everything show.' He's really leaned up. You can see it in his chest and his shoulders. You can see it in his stomach."

"You have to feel some type of confidence," Wallace said of his attitude going into the season. "I've been here going on 4 1/2 years so I have no choice but to feel that way."

Wallace will make his 18th career start today. He started the final 10 games of his sophomore season in 2016 and was expected to stay in the lineup last season, but didn't start until the final seven games.

"Last year, I didn't necessarily look at it as something that would make me be down," Wallace said of not starting the first five games. "I just looked at it as something I needed to work on."

Wallace said he enjoyed being able to make a fresh start with a new coaching staff.

"Everybody has a clean slate," he said. "[The coaches] get everything out of you. You have to give it your best all the time."

Arkansas linebacker Dre Greenlaw said Wallace can make it tough on defenders.

"If he puts hands on you, you're done," Greenlaw said.

Razorbacks Coach Chad Morris said Wallace has practiced well with his reshaped body.

"I think Brian has the potential to be just as good as he wants to be," More said. "I think he's extremely athletic.

"The way he carries himself and his confidence level, I think it's been a great opportunity for him. He sees it. He feels it. I'm excited about watching this young man.

"He's been consistent all camp long at right tackle. ... The sky's the limit for him."

Wallace was rated a four-star recruit and his scholarship offers included Alabama and Georgia. With that kind of hype coming to Arkansas, there's a perception he's underachieved since becoming a Razorback.

"I know in the past Brian's gotten some heat, but that kid is a pleaser," Fry said. "He just wants to be as good as he can be. He wants to do what's right. He's always asking for extra stuff, what he needs to work on."

Wallace said he's glad to be opening the season as a starter.

"This is my last rodeo with the Razorbacks this season," he said. "The last time I'm going be able to play with my teammates. So it means a lot to me."

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Sports on 09/01/2018

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