“Never, ever, play anyone near as good as you are.” Okay, that quote is from a tennis book I have. But it was obvious even before the score ran up that the Razorbacks had a huge speed advantage over the North Texas Mean Green.
While we fell just short of throwing for 275 yards, I was happy that we threw the ball a bit more. In a ‘throwback to last year’ game plan, we finally used number 5 as a decoy early in the game and unleashed number 25. Using Felix early makes room for DMac as the game progresses. Using play-action early makes the other team play everyone, not just DMac.
Casey was extremely accurate (relaxed maybe?), but we still had dropped balls. I was also disappointed (as Tipster was) that we didn’t work on the mid-range passing game. I’ve seen one in practice…so I know it’s there. Hopefully we’ll work on it next week.
It’s now obvious that at running back we can simply say, ‘Next.’ But it looks like we need to get them some more game experience so that they learn to hold on to the ball. Similarly, receivers and the passing game will get better with use. Both Robert Johnson and Lucas Miller made great touchdown catches on Saturday. For both running backs and receivers, there’s no substitute for experience with the lights on.
The defense used their speed advantage well. We also had the opportunity to play the second D-line a lot, which will be helpful down the stretch. Truthfully, though, I really don’t think this game showed us anything about the defense other than we were picking on someone way smaller and slower. I really didn’t see us working on anything. In fact, I saw some things that bothered me.
I was disappointed that Tejada missed the long field goal. The snap was high, throwing off the timing just enough to lead to a slight pull. We need to deal with this now or it’s going to hurt us at a critical moment. Tejada reminds me of Ish. That’s a good thing.
We did need this game for confidence in the passing game, I guess. We had the Troy game to do that…and I would have rather gotten it done then. But that seems petty of me. No sense rushing the process and having the offense evolve faster than the defense. And I’m sure we held some plays back so we could unleash them on the Mean Green.
I wore red to the game.
To throw less than 30 times against these guys with the work we have to do passing is gross negligence for this coaching staff. Sorry, there is no excuse for that. Running 55 times against this bunch is not going to provide much improvement for your runnning game while passing it 45 times and developing a passing game could make your run game twice as good.
Do we have a playbook? Why won't we mix it up?
I haven't heard any update on Marcus Monk. What's his status?
What if??? LSU loses one of the next two games on their schedule (UK/UF)? AND… Alabama loses 2 more (very possible; LSU/UT/Auburn). AND… Arkansas wins out??? Stretch of the imagination? Maybe not so much… Wooo PIG!!!
For all of you who want to see Nutt gone and a new coach brought in read Mr Davenports article about how the recruits were effected by the boo's. If you think that kid on the bubble is going to come to Arkansas after that classless move then you're a bigger idiot than we all thought.
I am sick of all the negative stuff that is written on here. It doesn't matter that we whipped the living snot out of NT. KNow let's just sit back and critize what they didn't do right.
Dick comes out and has a have way decent game we see the long pass made and you grip because we didn't throw it 30 times. I wonder what blindhogs coacing creddentials are?
Some of you I bet are great Boys Club coaches and now you think you are the experts. I wonder how you would feel if every day you came to work some one was telling you how stupid you are if you would handle that well? Heck no you wouldn't.
I have been just as upset as anyone about all that happened this summer and the lack of honesty and integrity that went on. But when I watch the hogs I am able to forget about all of that snd cheer for the team.
If this negativity keeps up and HDN does leave I promise you it will be 3-5 years before we have a winning program at all. We will be on the level with Ol Miss and Vandy. Id that what you guys want?
HOGFAN23 — I think we'll know more about Monk after practice today. If he can't practice today or maybe tomorrow, I'd say he's probably out for Saturday.
Mike D — That scenario works for me.
mike in magnolia – that scenario does not work for me . . . . I too remember Hatfield
Although, in the end, Jimmy was probably right: 6 years is long enough to wear out your welcome. Think of Bush (2nd) and Clinton (1st). . . I know by the midway point of their second term, I couldn't separate the caricature from the real person.
My point is not just about Nutt. I agree with Mike D. This season is far from over. Alabama could certainly lose more and we control our destiny against Auburn. LSU may be too big a hill to climb but why not put yourself in a position to find out. My comments are directed at the hope that they will improve this team. Pounding DMac between the tackles is not going to do it. That will just get you more of the same. But, this team has too many weapons not to give its defense some more help. This can still be a good season.
BUT, when your QB and reciever play needs as much work as ours does you don't pass on the opportunity to work on your passing game. Two deep balls in not working on your passing game. I don't have to be Bear Bryant to know that.
mike in magnolia – if you are sick of reading the stuff that is written on here then don't. Nobody makes you. We have lots of readers and we won't miss you.
I don't enjoy comments from folks that presume to put thoughts in others heads and then call them idiots for having those those thoughts. I also have a problem with calling other people idiots while in the midst of a moralistic rant about proper behavior.
I didn't boo, and I didn't wear black. I cheered for the team. If you were actually reading the stuff on here you would know those things about me. I don't like the boos either, but fans have a right to boo if they want. As to Blind, he wants to throw the ball more in the 'easy' games so we might actually be able to do it in the real games. A lot of people agree with him. Me included.
Also, if you were actually reading us, you would know we didn't say anything about the stuff that went on this summer. One of several editorial decisions we have in place at RazorBloggers.
You could have made your point in an intelligent way without all of the attacking.
HOGFAN23 – I'm very doubtful about Monk for the year. I've had that surgery. Took way longer to heal than it seemed like it should have. Think about Stoudemire with the Phoenix Suns. Missed a whole year. Took Michael Jordan a year to get back to normal. Tough stuff. It is a long way from 80% to 100%.
Mr. HogBlogger
I just reread my coments and not one time did I address you as an idiot. I was talking about those who were booing at the game. I didn't say you booed.
I read Mr. Davenports article and comented on that one thought and for those who were booing.
If you would have read my coments then you would have noticed that other than the comments about Dick not throwing 30 times it was about the negative effect it could have on recruiting. That was my only point.
If yours and others opinions matter then can I please have mine.
Or does one have to agree with the administrators of this web site?
If I knew of another blogg site I would probabl go there since i can not voice my opinion.
I still say for those that wore the black shirts and booed that it ws idiotic and hurtful to the program not just now but for the future.
Mr. Mike in Magnolia it's not as hurtful booing and wearing black as what Frank and HDN have done over the last year and a half
I used to be a big supporter of Houston Nutt for serveral years until the last couple of years. I applauded Houston for standing behind his players when they made mistakes off the field. I felt he was a wonderful players coach until the whole springdale incident,but what has upset me the most was the Michael Smith incident!!!Houston told the media and his players that they had to come together after the kentucky loss because there was going to be a lot negative comments.Then i read houston's comments regarding Michael's credit card incident.Houston said it was very frustrating and hard to believe just like his FUMBLE!!!What does his off the field incident have to do with the FUMBLE in the kentucky game.I'll tell you nothing!!!It sounded to me like Houston was throwing Michael under the bus for losing the kentucky game.Hoston didn't do that to Marcus Harrison or to go further back Carlos Hall for those of you that remember what he did.It seems to me that Houston has thrown the stone in dividing his own lockerroom.Don't get me wrong what michael did was wrong, but Houston could have supported him likehe did Carlos and Marcus and even DMAC for being outside that nightclub when he dislocated his toe.Houston has changed and he now looks to blame anyone else for his and his coaching staff inability to coach a complete game. i.e. lsu 06,fla,07,ala 07,and kentucky 07.Ilove our hogs but the reality of it all we need a change.Sure it will take a few years to build a great program.With the right new coaching staff it can be done.Let's face it Houston hasn't done it in 10 years even with the greatest college backfield of all time!!!! I'm still a hogfan forever
Dito to you Mnt. Home. I felt the same way for years. For some reason, Houston always had my respect and benefit of the doubt on most occasions. I honestly think he took it personally, when forced to hire a an OC last year. It seemed as if his own bitterness and jealousy had come to the front of his personality, as if everyone was out to get him. I think most of the Hog nation would have just embraced what he was doing, if he would have just accepted the fact that he wasn't a very good playcaller, and let someone else, with just a little bit more offensive innovation, call the majority of the plays. This wasn't too much to ask for Mr. Nutt, and is the likely reason that everyone IS out to get you now. You can talk your "I'm a fighter" crap all you want to, but the reality is, at the end of the day, you brought it all on yourself!! Please, wake up and realize you need to resign your post at years end, take a year off , and then go fight somewhere else.
To me the issue isn't whether or not to keep HDN. That will be decided at year's end. In the end its all about players and talent and whoever our coach is next year we don't need to do anything thats going to jeopardize the talent we've recruited. I don't know why that simple point is always met with defensiveness about how its Nutt's fault that you boo your own team, wear black shirts, and in essence scare away recruits. The biggest knock on Nutt has been his inability to take ownership for his actions. Razorback fans, show him how its done and do that for yourselves.
Thank you Carolina Hog ………You said much plainer what I was trying to say.
I've got to admit, we all should take a good look at what Caroina Hog said in the above post. The coaching issue will take care of itself on the field. Nutt will either get it done or he won't. If we want our coach to have class, responsibility, and integrity, then we shouldn't bark before it's time to deal with that issue. There's still a long way to go before we'll know what kind of a season were going to have, so in the meantime, I for one won't send any messages that calls for the coaches head, until I see the final result. As far as the booing goes, it may be your pesonal right to do it, but if you really stop and think about it, it's not going to help our present situation. It won't make the players play better, and it won't make the impression on recruits that this is the place they want to be. A negative atmosphere will more than likely cause negative results. Maybe we should just be a little more patient, and concentrate more on supporting our team. GO HOGS GO!!!!!
To say that booing "hurt" the program is really grasping for straws. Cheering and booing are the purest reactions fans can display. If we like what you're doing we cheer, If we hate what you're doing then we boo. I didn't like what Nutt was doing so I booed. Nutt is payed 1.2 millions dollars to put out a product for us to enjoy, he failed; I booed, big deal. Booing is not going to make us any better or worse for next year. Booing is not going to get the coach fired. Booing is showing dislike for what is happening on the field. I, like 50k others, didn't like Nutt UBER-Conservative effort at the end of the 1st half so I booed. I mean we gave up a double digit lead and momentum at home to KENTUCKY to end the half, how can you not boo that.
If you don't want to boo that's fine, you can yell at Nutt using cotton candy from 50 rows up or you can hold it all in; whatever floats your boat. However if you don't boo don't come in on a high horse saying how hurtful booing is to the program because it's not. I would much rather be booed than be cheered with "will get them next time", or "at least we gave it our best shot.".
Jr.,
You make such a strong point "don’t come in on a high horse saying how hurtful booing is to the program because it’s not." Well since you say so it must be true.
I didn't just decide the booing is bad. Its in reference to the reacation of recruits: http://www.wholehogsports.com/adg/203156/
Do you really think that a recruit standing on the sideline and hearing a crowd boo their own team would think to themselves "Wow, look at this fan base. This is where I want to play." Now thats grasping at straws.
On another note: I like everyone else was standing on the roof after the Kentucky game pondering a jump but seriously folks there is a lot of season left to play and a lot that can be achieved. Go Hogs.
Mike in Magnolia – you comment to my post contained the phrase 'then you're a bigger idiot than I thought.' Whether the 'idiot' you were referring to was me, or Blind, or that person in your head you were actually having the conversation with, you definitely were calling someone an idiot.
I understand your 'negative effect on recruiting' point. I was a bit confused as to which of us you were calling idiots, so I thought I would defend all idiots everywhere.
At any rate, I don't disagree with your point at all. I also don't think that booing is particularly hurtful either – recruits tend to come if they want to anyway. HogBlogger Jr. and I are on different pages to a degree about this. However, I'm much more upset about the Dr. Pepper he didn't buy me at the game than the black shirt he wore. And, I didn't hear him boo at all. He just gripes a lot like his old man.
Truthfully, I find the booing a fairly uninteresting conversation just as I find many of the ones the Hog faithful get all worked up about uninteresting. Everyone just makes the same old points, disagrees, makes allusions to 'idiots', and life overall changes very little. I've heard every coach since 1958 boo'ed at one time or the other.
To Carolina – passionate fans booing are much better than empty seats. At least they still care. I meet way too many people who don't anymore. That's sad.