FAYETTEVILLE — The NCAA transfer portal madness this month has affected every position group on the University of Arkansas football team.
One group that has taken a few hits but will still be well represented for the Liberty Bowl against Texas Tech is the linebacker spot.
Starters Xavian “Slide” Sorey and Stephen Dix, who both transferred in prior to the 2024 season, are not only gearing up for the Hogs’ Dec. 27 bowl game in Memphis, but they’ve already announced they’re running it back with the Razorbacks in 2025.
The two sat together for a video conference with members of the media after Wednesday morning’s practice.
“Hey man, playing with Slide has been awesome, man,” Dix said. “He’s a ball player. Love him, man. He goes out there, he plays so hard, like it’s crazy.
“I’ll be telling him, ‘Dog, you play really hard.’ He hits really hard. I think me and him … we’re just building our chemistry day-in and day-out.”
Added Sorey, “Like he said, I think we’ll be able to grow closer together and learn from each other more and be, man, we’ve got to be that one-two punch.”
The pair did plenty of one-two punching in their first season together with the Hogs.
Sorey leads the Razorbacks with 89 tackles and is second on the team with 9 tackles for loss. The redshirt junior from Campbellton, Fla., who transferred from the University of Georgia, also had a pair of sacks, three quarterback hurries, a pass breakup and an interception.
Sorey has started all 12 games and Dix, a redshirt junior from Orlando, Fla., who transferred from Marshall, has started the past nine. Dix ranks third on the team with 65 tackles and added 2.5 tackles for loss, 2 sacks, 3 hurries, a pass breakup and a critical fumble recovery in the end zone during a 24-14 win at Auburn on Sept. 21.
“I think another year with us, we’re going to be … I think we’re going to be the best duo out there on the field next year in college football,” Dix said. “So just stay tuned for that, man. But it’s been awesome having to play next to him.”
The Arkansas linebacker room did lose four-game starter Brad Spence, as well as Carson Dean and Kaden Henley to the portal.
However, redshirt senior Anthony Switzer and true freshman Bradley Shaw will give the unit solid depth for the bowl game.
Dix and Sorey are both high on the potential for both of those players.
“Man, he’s looking good,” Sorey said of Switzer, who has missed time recently with an undisclosed injury. “He was striking something today, I’ll tell you that.”
Switzer, a native of Marion, which is just an 18-mile drive to Liberty Bowl Stadium, spent three seasons at Arkansas State before transferring to Utah State and then back to his home state.
“Switzer’s going to be out there and he’s going to be going ham, man,” Dix said. “I believe we’re going to his hometown in Memphis, so that’s going to be real good for him. I’m really happy to have let him have that opportunity to play in front of his hometown, his community. I think that means a lot to him.”
Shaw, a 6-1, 235-pounder from Hoover, Ala., has come on strong lately. He has 12 tackles, including a sack and a quarterback hurry in limited duty.
“Brad, he’s just steady climbing,” Sorey said. “Every day, every week, he just gets better and better. I’ve been saying, I think he’ll ball out. I know he’ll ball out. … Being around and watching him grow, it’s nice.”
Said Dix, “That young-un, man, me and Slide have both sat down and watched him in practice and we’re like, ‘Dog, he’s going to be really, really good.’ We said it, ‘Dog, we think he’s going to win a Butkus (Award) before he leaves here.’ That’s the kind of potential you see from him at a young age.”
The Butkus Award is given annually to the top linebackers in all levels of football, from the prep ranks to the NFL.
Dix and Sorey said they did not discuss returning to the Razorbacks together.
“It kind of just happened,” Sorey said. “I feel like for both of us, we’ve kind of got to do what’s best for us and that was best for both of us to come back. We didn’t talk about it before.”
Sorey said being around defensive coordinator and linebackers coach Travis Williams and his teammates for another season were the biggest motivating factors that led him to return.
Added Dix, “I mean whatever he does, I’m on board with it. … I think we’ve got so much respect for one another, so whatever he did, hey, it is what it is. But we ended up coming back and it worked out for the best. I’m really happy to be playing by him again for another year.”
