FAYETTEVILLE — Linebacker Bumper Pool needs 14 tackles to break the all-time tackles record at Arkansas currently held by Tony Bua with 408.

Pool commented on what breaking the record would mean to him on Tuesday. Sam Pittman also talked about it on Wednesday.

“Football is such a physical sport, and linebackers have to be tough,” Pittman said. “Bump has went through a lot of injuries and things of that nature to get to this point in his career. I had a talk with him about his kids when he grows up and what his kids are going to be able to say. I think one of the greatest things they’ll be able to tell their buddies at school, hopefully he can get the record, that my daddy had more tackles than anyone else in the history of Arkansas football. I think that would be really cool. I think that would mean something to him. He certainly has earned it. Played through a lot of games he didn’t feel particularly well. I hope he gets it, and he certainly has earned it if he does.”

Pool is a captain, in his fifth year, his sister works in the recruiting office and his parents are avid Razorbacks fans. Pittman spoke about that.

“Well he’s very bright,” Pittman said. “A leader. Going to have great success in life because he knows how to work and knows how to treat people. His family, obviously Maddie is working here, his mom and dad are great supporters of the University and the football program. Just about as perfect a kid as you would want to have on your team. Big-time leader and when things are going south he will get it redirected. When things are going good, he will credit his teammates. That’s always good in a young leader.”

Safety Simeon Blair also knows what Pool brings to the Razorbacks. Blair is pulling for Pool to get the record.

“I’ve been here since Bump got here,” Blair said. “He’s been playing since his freshman year. Just the way he approaches the game, none of that surprises me. It’s a blessing to be able to play behind him. Because he does exactly what he tells everybody else to do. Then he saves me from having to make a lot of those tackles because he’s making saving tackles before they get to the last part of the secondary. Just playing with a captain like that and a guy that always does what he says it’s truly a blessing and you get to learn a lot from guys like that.”

In 2020 when the Razorbacks defeated Mississippi State in Starkville, Pool had 20 tackles. He will get a chance to break the record there on Saturday. Kickoff is set for 11 a.m. and televised on the SEC Network.