 Bret Bielema's first radio show of the season featured two Arkansas players who hope to make big improvements in their junior seasons.

The Arkansas head coach said safety Santos Ramirez and left guard Hjalte Froholdt have taken their games “to another level.” The players joined Bielema on Thursday at the Catfish Hole, one week from the season opener against Florida A&M at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock.

“We have a chip on our shoulders,” Ramirez said about the defense making a change to a 3-4 scheme after giving up 39 rushing touchdowns last year, a school record by 14.

“We pride ourselves in being a blue collar unit, playing with juice.”

Ramirez said he's made his improvement after becoming better at learning the details under new coordinator Paul Rhoads.

“It's the small, little things,” he said. “That's what makes the difference. I didn't know what I was doing last year. I can play faster now. I had to think about things last year. I was over thinking it. Knowing it allows me to play faster.”

Ramirez redshirted as a true freshman because of a hamstring injury. He's made a big transition on the mental side since then.

“I got off track for a bit,” Ramirez said. “I think maybe when I first got here I was cocky and arrogant. Finally I realized that what I was doing wasn't going to get the job done to get to where I wanted to go. At this level, mental preparation is everything.”

Ramirez was voted captain in the spring.

“That was very humbling,” he said. “I wanted to show my leadership and inspire my teammates. I'm a very passionate guy. I just want my passion to rub off.

“I think with the move to the 3-4 we just have to be way more accountable to each other. We needed what we call extra 'championship time.' That's extra tape work. We had to become our brother's keeper.

“What we've learned from our coach, Paul Rhoads, is that there can be no complaints. We move forward and dominate.”

Froholdt moved from nose tackle to the offensive side last year. He started all 13 games, but often missed blocks on blitz pickups or stunts.

“I know I still have a long ways to go, but the game has slowed down,” said Froholdt, who was named third-team preseason All-SEC by coaches on Wednesday. “It's slowed down from when I first came over to the offensive line. It doesn't just happen immediately.

“We are so much smoother in the way we operate in the offensive line on the blitz pickups. For instance, I know everything about the man next to me. I know what Colton Jackson is going to do on every situation next to me at left tackle and I've learned so much from Frank Ragnow at center.

“I have heard that someone said that we are playing with a chip on our shoulder in the offensive line. That is true. We want to prove we are a good offensive line and we don't want to be seen as the weak point of the team, like people thought last year.”

Bielema said Froholdt's transition to the offensive line was inevitable.

“From the first time I saw him, I thought he was going to be an offensive linemen,” Bielema said. “I just didn't want to tell him because he wanted to be a defensive lineman.”

Froholdt said, “I saw it coming. The offensive linemen would say, 'Hey, you better start packing on the pounds because you are coming over here.' I guess they saw it as a natural move.”

The first show of the season was also a time to reflect on the passing of Pat Gazzola, co-owner of the restaurant with his wife Janie. Ramirez is a former worker at the restaurant.

“I can say that everything about working here was a truly a blessing,” Ramirez said. “It was a great experience. To be here and work here was great. The people here are great. I hung out with them away from work here. It's a great place.”

Bielema told of the way Gazzola hosted recruiting weekends, both at the restaurant on Friday nights and on Saturday nights when steak and fried chicken were served at Reynolds Razorback Stadium.

“I'm not sure everyone knew they were getting Pat's food two nights in a row, but they eventually learned it,” Bielema said. “I can tell you that when I first took the job, my wife and I spent some time on Google trying to make sure we had the Hog Call right. We could have saved some time by just calling Pat.”

During the time with the audience, Bielema was asked about the rash of foot injuries, including a couple this fall.

“I asked our trainers the same questions,” Bielema said. “We studied it. We checked the stats with schools around the country and with Nike, our shoe company. Some schools had double our number. It was primarily with tight ends and linebackers, the bigger and faster players. It's the positions where the most speed and power is packed onto the frames.”