293. Bobby Wernes: Big Game Bobby

The Hog Pod with Bo Mattingly

Sport & Story

Arkansas, Hogs, Sports, Razorbacks

4.8 • 1K Ratings

🗓️ 14 May 2025

⏱️ 51 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

In a Hog Pod first, this episode was recorded live on location at Tusker’s Tavern in Fayetteville, bringing fans face-to-face with the energy of the show. Host Bo Mattingly sits down with Razorback baseball assistant coach Bobby Wernes for an unforgettable conversation that spans his playing days, coaching career, and the life-changing moments that brought him to Arkansas.

Wernes shares the incredible story of how a random encounter at a Christian sports camp in Branson led to an offer from legendary coach Dave Van Horn — a moment he credits as divine intervention. He opens up about the misery of junior college baseball, nearly quitting the sport altogether, and how perseverance reshaped his future.

The conversation dives into his transition from standout third baseman for the Hogs (2014–2015) to minor league pro, and eventually to a coaching role that now has him manning third base once again — this time from the coach’s box. Wernes also discusses the intensity of coaching at Arkansas, the quirks of sending runners home, and the overwhelming pride he feels working under Van Horn.

Transcript

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0:00.0	Welcome to Tusker's Tavern for the first ever hog pod live.
0:20.9	What a great crowd.
0:22.4	Let me hear you.
0:25.1	Okay, we're gonna do this real quick.
0:27.9	The hog call takes a while.
0:30.5	So I wanna see if you can do something
0:32.5	just sort of on the fly here.
0:33.7	We're gonna call an audible.
0:35.1	Just do the last part of it. Can you do that? You ready?
0:39.0	Here we go. Woo. That's it. I think we might have just introduced something there. Like in a pinch,
0:50.7	in a hurry. That's the elevator hog call right there. We're going to have a great time talking to Bobby Werdes and getting his story. So glad you're here. I first want to thank the owners of Tusker's Tavern here on the east side of Fayetteville near Mission and Crossover, Todd and Marty Martin and Zach and Natalie Wakefield. Thanks for supporting the hog pot. Thanks for having us.
1:12.3	Let's give them a big round of applause.
1:13.2	What a great place.
1:18.0	Check out Tuskers' new summer food and drink menu.
1:21.6	And this is just a unique experience here. If you've never been in Tuskers, it's a little bit like a Theo's if you've been in there.
1:26.9	It's got a little bit of a country club, nice vibe.
1:30.1	And there's an upside down bevo horns down, actual the skull of bevo on the wall,
1:37.3	which just kind of does something for your soul.
1:40.3	And so if you just need, like you're having a bad day and you just need a breath.
1:45.0	That's really good.
1:45.9	How about that sweep of Texas, by the way?
1:47.6	That was fun.
	...

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