90. Jalen Catalon: Star in the Making
The Hog Pod with Bo Mattingly
Sport & Story
4.8 • 1K Ratings
🗓️ 9 December 2020
⏱️ 39 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
He's only been a full-time starter for a year, but Jalen Catalon has already become a fan favorite for his big plays—and even bigger hits. The redshirt freshman is already invoking memories of some of the safeties to ever play for the Razorbacks: Names like Atwater, Kennedy, Hamlin and Bua. And it's with good reason. Catalon is the first SEC freshman since Eric Berry in 2007 to record at least 86 tackles and three interceptions in a season. And if 2020 was a full, 12-game season, there'd be several freshman records in jeopardy. But, like the season, Catalon's journey has been anything but normal. Just like at Arkansas, Catalon got off to a fast start at the high school level, setting a school record for tackles in just his third game. He would play both safety and quarterback as a junior, earn Texas defensive player of the year honors, and earn a 4-star ranking. But then, just one game into his senior season, a torn ACL ended his high school career, one which some said could have been among the best in the state's storied history. It was devastating. Catalon's 'why' is to be one of the best. And if he has his way, this is a story that's just getting started.
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Just people don't realize to how dark of a place I was, you know, two years ago and to where I am now. |
| 0:08.0 | There was days where I just wanted to stop. It was tough because there's moments that you start looking at and you start realizing and get those thoughts in your mind that I might not be the same again. |
| 0:21.0 | Actually, there was times where I was broke down, like crying through rehab just kind of |
| 0:26.0 | of like in my car after it because I felt like I wasn't going to be the Hog Pot. I'm Bo Mattingly and this episode is made possible by |
| 0:44.9 | our friends at Core Brewing Company. First Security Bank, Serra's in Resort, |
| 0:49.6 | and Lindsay Golf. I'm going to tag him. |
| 0:53.6 | He's only been a full-time starter for a year, but Jaylan Kattalon has already become |
| 1:01.2 | a fan favorite for his big plays and even bigger hits. |
| 1:05.0 | Jackson caught it. |
| 1:07.0 | Cadillac Dective in the wicksland. |
| 1:09.0 | The red shirt freshman is already invoking memories of some of the best to play at Arkansas. |
| 1:14.8 | Names like Atwater, Kennedy, Hamlin, and Boa. |
| 1:20.4 | And it's with good reason. |
| 1:21.8 | Catalan is the first SEC freshman since Eric Berry in 2007 |
| 1:26.0 | to record at least 86 tackles and three interceptions in a season. |
| 1:31.0 | Arkansas's got another one. |
| 1:33.0 | That's what's going to turn into points. |
| 1:35.0 | And if 2020 was a full 12-game season, there'd be several freshman records in jeopardy. |
| 1:40.0 | I see there's a hog wall and I see all Americans and that's my motivation. |
| 1:45.6 | Every time we walk I see that I want to be that guy. |
| 1:48.9 | But like the season, Catalan's journey has been anything but normal. Just like at Arkansas, |
| 1:54.2 | Catalan got off to a fast start at the high school level, setting a school record for |
... |
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