When Cam Ball committed to the Arkansas football team in 2020, he stated that he and his whole family committed to the Razorbacks.
Ball recited a story that exemplified that commitment on Thursday.
Last year’s final game watched by Charles Ball, Cam’s father, before his death was Arkansas’ 19-14 win over Tennessee. Both sent each other texts the night of the game.
“I said, ‘You know, when we win, not if, but when we win, y’all stay in the bleachers. Don’t come on that field,” he explained. “’Cause I didn’t want nobody to trample my parents.”
Ball informed his family that he would come to them.
So imagine his surprise when he turned his head and saw his father on the field with the rest of those rushing.
“‘Man, you’re hard-headed,’” Ball told his father. “‘I told you I was going to come to you.’”
Charles passed away on June 9 in a battle with cancer.
“For that to be like the last game of him seeing me play live, it was a surreal moment,” Ball said. “I’m glad that that was the game for him to see me one last time in person.”
The commitment Ball and his family made to Arkansas five years ago remains. The Razorbacks’ All-SEC defensive lineman is entering his fifth and final year in Fayetteville, and he wouldn’t have it any other way.
He could have gone to IMG Academy or gone to a tougher high school, but he didn’t. He repaid loyalty with 42 Division I scholarship offers.
“I wanted to be a legend coming out of my high school,” Ball said. “Stay down for the come up, and good things come to those who wait. I feel like God has led me on my journey here, and nothing but good things have come since being here.”
He could have gone into his final college year — “could have gone for a ton of money,” strength coach Ben Sowders said going into fall camp — but, like he did in high school, he came back.
“I think he’s a great kid,” defensive line coach Deke Adams said. “He is an example that I use a lot of when I’m talking to a lot of kids because you get the full package…. He’s kind of got all of his ducks in a row, and my hat’s off to his mom and his dad and his family because they’ve done a great job with him.”
Ball had other programs tampering and trying to contact him through off-field connections, but he would not budge. He spoke to his father about it, and both reiterated their desire to remain in Arkansas.
“We’re going to complete what I began,” Ball explained. “That’s the reason I’m still here, and I’m going to stay here.”
Ball is heading into his final year in full health and with NFL aspirations in mind.
He had not participated in spring practice because he had undergone elbow surgery. His absence created the opportunity for the other defensive tackles to move into the position and gain experience during the time he spent away.
Ball took the time to rest and get in some “mental reps” preparing for his final stretch with the Razorbacks. He believes he must work on being more consistent in his approach and play, and have a bigger effect in the pass rush.
“The dude’s a dog,” said Florida transfer Justus Boone. “The tape speaks for itself, so he can go out there. The experience thing is a big thing, too. When I’m on the same side of the ball with him, I can just tell I’m playing with somebody who knows what they’re doing.”
All of that has brought Ball to his final year at Reynolds Razorback Stadium. “I’m a huge loyalty person,” Ball stated. “Yes, I could have had offers to move on, but there wasn’t any sense to me of cleaning out and moving on for a year or so and losing all the relationships and friendships I have built in the state and just the people. I love the people in the state of Arkansas.”
