FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. - There is one defensive player who graded out as the most efficient of all Razorbacks Saturday and that is 5th-year linebacker Ben Bogle .
The 6-foot-1, 226 pound linebacker showed a lot of heart, speed and physicality in Arkansas' woefull 31-14 victory against North Alabama on Saturday. He ended up being one of the more talked about players postgame because he popped everywhere.
Teammates Bradley Shaw had plenty of praise for Bogle, because he practices exactly how he plays, 100 miles per hour with every snap.
Arkansas Razorback linebackers Ben Bogle (left) and Phoenix Jackson (right) talk during timeout at CommunityAmerica Razorback Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 5, 2026. | Nilsen Roman
"No sir. No, not surprising. No," Shaw said on Saturday. "I feel likeBenBogleis a great guy. In practice, he makes those plays, so I have nothing but complete, utter faith inBenBogle."
The linebacker spots had some depth concerns with just Shaw back who had extensive SEC experience. But Bogle, an All-American at the FCS level at Southern Illinois, shows great instincts and head coach Ryan Silverfield touts him as a true student of the game.
"Bogle's played some football," Silverfield said on Saturday. "But it was an opportunity to go out there and he just got into a rhythm. He did a really nice job, especially taking things to the perimeter and seeing what was going on. He does a great job of studying the film. We'll see [how much work he gets next week]."
There's an opportunity for him to receive more than just the 12 snaps he recorded on Saturday when he graded out with an 89.0 against North Alabama. While the sample size is limited, Bogle showed he isn't afraid to battle with every opportunity.
Bogle led the Razorbacks' defense with four total tackles, two tackle for loss, one pass breakup and one pass deflection against the Lions.
Cole Cubelic, who is his first season as a color commentator for ESPN after many years serving in sideline roles, was able to call the Razorbacks' game in person and seemed to come away impressed by Bogle. He said that his play reminded him of a "wild man" on Saturday.
SIlverfield doesn't know how many more snaps Bogle will receive on Saturday at Utah as Shaw and Ja'Quavion Smith played well in Week One. But he won't rule out some sort of contribution coming from the former West Virginia linebacker this week.
"A lot of it depends on how those first two guys are doing," Silverfield said. "If we need to get them in and out. It was good to see him making plays. It also gives you confidence that if he goes in, he's going to do what he needs to do."
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/arkansas as One Arkansas Player Who Could See a Bigger Role in Week 2 at Utah .
