So, the team that ran the ball best and stopped the run best lost the game. The team that passed most effectively won.
The team that stubbornly ran all the same stuff we’ve seen all year on offense and defense lost, while the team that was able to demonstrate and execute a bit of multiple personality won.
The ‘constant man-to-man defense, no matter what’ approach got abused in the first half, just as I suspected it would. The Hogs are nothing if not predictable. Opposing coaches can easily find advantage in this. In this case two touchdowns of advantage. That turned out to be enough.
As for the Razorback offense — as I suspected we attempted to pass much more than usual. The only thing predictable about our offense is its lack of any consistent identity and the amazing ability it had to demonstrate this lack of consistent identity, while seeming to have less than the 20 plays it can run.
Neither quarterback was very successful today. I think that’s as much the fault of the offense as it is of the quarterbacks.
We were out-gameplanned and seemingly poorly coached. Penalities were very harmful — but then we’ve played all year with our defensive backs hands all over receivers. The punt block was the same deal Florida did to us, so apparently we didn’t learn. As is typical with Houston Dale, lose the first half, lose the game.
McFadden was obviously not 100%. We missed Hillis. Apparently without those two guys out there we can’t win.
Oh yeah, it is called ‘football.’ Kicking is an important part of the game. We miss a 30 yard field goal and they hit a 52 yarder. But let’s not waste a scholarship on a kicker…
No passing game due to:
No quarterbacks?
No coaching?
Whatever, its not there.
Thanks to Alabama and Vanderbilt for giving us their games and for the podunks on the schedule this year.
And to think, Miami fired Larry Coker witha 60-15 record.
Just pitiful!
Man, you guys are nothing if not consistant. The coaching and the schemes lost us the game, eh? Barely a word about all the horrendous calls, of course. For one example, I'd loved to have seen a replay of the 15 yard facemask called on the Hogs when we got that fabulous punt in the fourth. The commentators said, "Wow, you don't see that called too often." I also don't hear commentators say that very often either.
And thanks to the other five teams on the schedule who, what? Just rolled over also, I guess. Auburn? Tennessee? Looked to me like they wanted to win those games as well but I must have missed something.
This isn't the first time Wisconsin's so-called 'multiple personality' has been in evidence ( ask Iowa and Penn St.). Sounds like Bucky was just doing a little of the "same stuff we've seen all year", eh? And what happened to "You stay with what got you to the dance in the first place"? For the Hogs that's running the ball and playing man-to-man, last I looked.
Neither quarterback was too successful, I'll agree but statistically they were very close to Stocco in everything but TDs and yards (15-32 for 136; no TDs compared to 14-34 for 207; 2 TDs) and actually had a better completion percentage (Dick/Mustain: 47.75 and Stocco: 41.2. Mustain was 4.5% better on his throws than Dick). And on a 'passing note', I personally thought the second Badger TD was questionable but the refs are infallable, right…? (further note: as I'm typing this I just saw a VERY questionable personal foul call on Michigan in the Rose Bowl but, hey, you know the rest)
I disagree that we were out-coached or out-schemed. Herring's defense played a stupendous game. PJ Hill got all of 37 yards while Wisconsin garnered -4 yds rushing FOR THE GAME. Wisconsin got only 203 yds TOTAL. Add to that five sacks (with many other close calls). This performance was everything we could expect and more. The offense performed well also: 368 total yards on the #3 rated defense (232 rushing and 136 passing). Only one sack allowed. Seventeen first downs to Wisconisn's 15 (and five of those came by way of penalty).
Now I've put out a lot of stats but it seems to me the only stat that mattered in the end was 124 yds in penalties. Now I'm not a fan of the refs by any means (in fact, where Hog games are concerned, I'm convinced they make a bad call at least 50% of the time. It's either that or believe that the Arkansas players shoot themselves in the foot 100% of the time…Not.) but there it is. And before I hear that old cop-out "But the coaches should be able to stop that!"; remember the players have to meet the coaches halfway (and never forget the refs…)
Btw, does anyone have the penalty stats for Arkansas for the season? I heard the 'talking heads' attempt to explain away all the laundry by saying that the Hogs were heavily penalized all year long. Just curious if its true…(didn't seem that way during the season)
Re: kickers and scholarships Aren't we offering a scholarship to a hotshot kicker from Springdale next year?
And Houston Dale didn't lose the first half. Arkansas did (last I heard Arkansas had a football TEAM not just a football head coach).
Yes, we were penalized… we were good for 3 or 4 pass interference calls a game…
Hogsdill, just want to make sure you read my post below. I disagree with you, but that's not the first time
.
I read it 10K. I responded, but I'll respond hear too. I don't know why you think Mitch is the better QB. Casey is the better QB, NOW. Mitch has all the talent. Talent is nothing until it's used. Both are pitiful.
Our team played horrible. But, just like the LSU and FL games….if our special teams plays better, then we win this game too.
10K are you going to sell your season tickets for next season since you are fed up with the team. I'll take them. Give me a hollar.
Give them to you? Nah, those tickets need to go to someone who actually LIKES the team…ME!
Hawgfan100 – you can blame it on the refs if you want, but we had given up 17 points prior to the penalities being a huge issue. They shredded the Hogs man to man early in the first half. And yes, at times during the year penalities have been pretty big deals.
Yep, finally a scholarship kicker next year – after how many years without one? Wonder why the change of heart after all these years?
When Houston Dale's teams lose the first half they usually lose the game. He or the team, whatever, doesn't matter. The point is the same.
Once again on the national stage the Hogs failed to win. You can say whatever you want, but you can't change that point from being true. We lost the last three games on national television, playing teams close, but unable to get over the top.
I've watched basically every bowl game. Our offense is fairly elementary compared to our peers. We have a long way to go. With this offense it is not going to matter who plays quarterback – they are not going to pass for many yards or have a lot of success. The issue is not the players, it is the system(s).
Hawgfan100…you're a faint light in the dark night of this season's end. Tony Robbins ain't got nothing on you!
One thing I would say in reply…I didn't care for the refs either today but the game was lost on the sack of Dick before the bogus face mask penalty.
However, I don't completely blame CD for that sack. The deep ball play that we apparently called was dumb. As HogBlogger has said many times this year, the failure to develop a possession passing game killed us this year. With 5:00 minutes to play down by a field goal, there's no need to throw it deep.
Put together a championship drive in execution and playcalling right there and the defense holds them off for a 21-17 win.
Change of heart on a kicking scholarship: perhaps now that we have all our scholarships back after those NCAA sanctions, we have one available again for a kicker. We were short on scholarships for about three years there, right?
System(s): I'm still impressed with what the offense accomplished today against a damn good defense. I'm going to give Malzahn more than one year in which to implement his 'system' before I declare that it's not capable of success. I do hope someone steps up at QB next spring though.
On Being the 'Faint Light': it ain't easy (believe me, I'm not any more fond of losing than you guys are…especially since I lived in WI for almost a decade
but I try. I don't completely blame CD for the sack either but I thought he could have dumped the ball off to Felix in the flat (granted there may have been problems with that I couldn't see from my vantage point but…). I hesitate to call the deep ball play 'dumb' simply because doing something you're not supposed to be able to do has advantages at times. I haven't yet had the pleasure of watching Malzahn's teams play a lot of games so I don't know how much of this 'hit where they ain't' philosophy he likes to employ but I do have respect for the way the man can scheme a game. I really can't wait to see how an offense that knows him and his scheme inside and out plays. I can't believe that Gus hasn't taken quite a few lessons away from this season to appy for 2007. And having more time with the players can only help. I can agree with Tipsterhog that a short passing, possession-type attack would have been nice there at the end. Hell, it would have nice during the season! 
Maybe we'll see one in 2007.
Hawgfan100: if you want a visual image of what Gus looked like coaching in high school just check out what Boise St did about 20 mins ago. The hook and ladder to get it to overtime on a 4th and 18, the wildcat to score in OT on a 4th and goal, and the statue of liberty goin for 2 to win the game. Those are things you would see out of Gus (things that requre cahounas), not to mention efficient receiver sets and passes to the middle of the field. Now today you saw in the Arkansas game was exactly what we have seen the last 9 years of Dale, 2 reciever sets with one receiver options and we treat the middle of the field like its the endzone, we just don't pass into it. If you had the volume up on your TV you would of herd fantastic lines such as "the razorbacks run their best offense when neither QB is in the game…." or other such things as "the offense run by arkansas is one of the least sophiscated in the country"…… after watching Boise St and realizing that we blessed them with that coach by taking away DALE I now say we restore order and hire him at the U. Just like Sula at Bama a contract extension should mean nothing… fire Nutt and lets move on. I say we might as well clean house and move on.
As for your belief we were competive this year I will say that we beat one team at full strength, Auburn. Bama and Vandy gave us 2 games, Tenn had no starting QB (who would of destroyed our bat man carroll diseased corners) and anyone else half way competitive exposed our passing game and hooked us up with a "moral victory" aka LOSS. 3 Tough games to end the season, 3 moral victories. Stats don't lie. With out that extra DII school we are 9-4 just like the other stellar Nutt teams.
I'll end with a fun fact brought to you by Niels Boar at Hogville.com: "Nutt is now the longest tenured power conference coach (not including Big East) without a conference championship or BCS bowl appearance. His salary to best bowl victory (Cotton) ratio has to be near the top. BTW BC has won 7 straight bowls. What is HDN's bowl record? We beat Texas and Missouri. Lost to Michigan, UNLV, Wisconsin, Oklahoma, and Minnesota . Am I forgetting any games?"
Watched that Boise State game and was impressed. As far as Gus: was he like that the first year at any school? Or did it take a little time for him to get the thing going? Now as to all these allegations of the 'Houstanization' of Gus, we'll just have to wait and see. I've seen no hard evidence so far; just a lot of stuff that would like to pass itself off as evidence. The jury is still out on this…
I did have my volume up for those comments you mentioned (Maguire's was funny; and Griese's was in reference to our passing game not the offense as a whole as I recall). It is a shame that we don't really have a QB yet but we will.
I would rather not have to experience what Bama is likely to continue to experience next year: lack of consistency and the ability to create a solid foundation for their program. Just watch what happens when they finally decide on whoever it is they decide on (should be Kines but I don't thnk they will…). They should have a pretty good team down there but it will be hamstrung by having to break in yet another head coach and adjust to yet another 'system'. No thanks. I understand your frustration but I'm just ready for that again.
You say we didn't beat but one 'full strength' team this year but you also say we only have about 60% of a team ourselves. So which is it? Either they all suck and we skated or we're better than you give us credit for…I know which side of that fence I fall on.
As for the bowls…we suck at bowl games, no doubt about it. But we sucked at bowl games long before HDN got here. I think a playoff format to the post-season would be a bit like overtime…and I think we all can agree we don't suck at that. So bring on the playoffs!
You did not see a lot of the hook and lateral and statue of liberty plays at Springdale. They lined up and outclassed people at every position. And you sure did not see it the first or second year at Hughes, Shiloh, or Springdale. His system will be seen more in evidence as time wears on. But if it is so much in evidence next year that McFadden gets lost then we create an even worse problem.
Yes we lost 4 games. 3 close ones at the end. Which was my greatest fear in the middle of the year. Becuase it gives too much fuel to the coaching jihad. Fact is we are not good in big games. Except for a couple years in the mid 60's that is the only time we consistently won big games. I hope we put a product on the field that does. I hope we do everything we can to do so. If it takes a new coach then fine. But Holtz did not do it. Hatfield won the big ones but not in Bowl Games.
But what people have done this year is ensure that any momentum created is stunted. Yes, the three losses did that itself. But the constant ineuendo, rumors and slander created much of that. I blame the rumor mill as much for the transfer of DW as anything. It helped give Rick Cleveland the platform to open his mouth to the media. It created an environ for the parents to go ahead and make a move when in effect a little patience would likely have shown them to be wrong. It created a platform for talking heads to actually think they are doing the program a favor for airing out all the dirty laundry that is a part of EVERY organization and working group of people. It created the expectation that a coaching change is the only thing that is going to solve the problem. It created a must win situation now for every game so that many of the other things we would have liked to do probably did get shoved aside. It created an environment where the kids could not concentrate on preparations without thinking they had to win one for their coaches to help ease thier pain.
This team did a lot and failed at the end to get it done. We contribute to that with the constant barrage of criticism. Sociologically speaking we should expect it. Negativism breeds discontent. Constant negativity breeds exasperation. Exasperation leads to anger. We should expect better from ourselves but according to most if we do not see all the bad points then we are not realistic. If we do not call for the coaches head then we have our head stuck in the sand. College football has become the perfect reflection of our win now, only first is good enough, I'm right-you're wrong, and slandering decent people is okay mentality.
I hope Nutt leaves for the sake of his family and the program. But it wont happen probably. He is not a quitter and neither was this team. If he leaves He will be slandered. If He stays he will be slandered. Look at Williams and Mustain.
Speaking of Boise… did anyone see Ian Johnson (Boise RB) ask his girlfriend to marry him right after his interview. Impressive, but what would've been more impressive was if he would've gone T.O. style and pulled the ring out of his sock or even better gone Joe Horn and pulled it out from underneath the padding on the goalpost. I like that guy.
I disagree that Nutt is not a quiter. He already "quit" this program once!
For those of you, including HogBlogger, who are insinuating that the defense and Herring are somewhat responsible for this loss, take a look at these stats….
1) Minus 5 yards rushing allowed
2) 201 total yards allowed
3) 6 sacks
4) 3 turnovers
5) Dominated field position in the second half until the final drive.
You should win every game you play if your defense plays that well, and holds the opposition to 17.
Am I the only one amazed that with two sub-par quarterbacks and a sub-par kicker, we won the SEC West and had chances to win games (LSU, Fla, and Wisconsin) that were lost in large part because of special teams mistakes (remember Fish's momentum killer and the blocked punts?). I don't think LSU, Fla, or Wisconsin would say the UofA is some kind of patsy. Take away the bone-headed mistakes and we could have won all three! I think the quarterback and kicking problems are the result of recruiting strategies that just didn't pan out. Despite those problems, we had a heck of year and are poised for another great one next year. Geaux Hawgs.
Arkansas's kicking game was going to bite them eventually and it finally did.!!! I'm surprised it didn't happen sooner and cost us the SEC West. If we had any kind of decent kicker we should have won that game by at least a field goal. We had multiple opportunities that were close enough but Nutt couldn't take the chance with Davis after missing the chip shot. It's a relief to hear they are finally putting a kicker on scholarship considering our boneheaded past on this issue. But why do I wonder if this is just another apeasement to the Springdale mafia.
Kudos to Reggie Herring for a GREAT defensive effort. The two touchdown passes were both great plays by WI and hard to defend. I've never seem a team so dominate in a half as our defense was yesterday in the 2nd half. I just hope we can hang onto Herring for a while. His firey brand of interaction with his players is something our head coach should take notice of and employee.
As for the pass interference penalties…..I thought a couple of them were really nitpicking barely touches that would never be called in the SEC. I did think the fullback out in the flat on 4th & 1 was a dumb call but I also thought he was hit early and that should have been interference on WI. Finally it looked from my view on TV like WI was picking our DB's? Anybody else? Isn't that supposed to be illegal?
In conclusion it was funny to hear Paul McGuire muse on the fact that we have no quarterback. I'm praying Mustain makes giant leaps in reading defenses during Spring practice. Matt Jones was a far more talented freshman. Too bad the best quarterback in the state from FS Northside has signed with Auburn. Compare the conduct of Mustain/Cleveland et al to the unselfishness of Robert Johnson. Good for you Robert!!! Now there is a winner in my book.
Well I must say I was really impressed with the defensive line and LB but the corners were in the same position they have been in all year getting ripped apart. I just don't understand how RH has not gotten that problem fixed all year. I am glad we are finally getting a kicker because we should have won that game by atleast 6 points how do you punt the ball when you start at the 39 is beyond me.
I guess we also finally got to see both qb's playing in a game together and there was absolutely no difference in play they both were terrible.
I have to say that Arkansas got out coached they did nothing different than they did all year. They played man to man in the secondary and got beat just like they did all year long. They had absolutley no passing game just like they did all year long. They had no kicking game just like they did all year long. I saw no major coaching adjustment at half just like all year long. I saw a team commit penalties just like all year long. You know someone needs to tell the defensive Coordinator that when you are getting beat in a man to man you just might think about going to a zone. Someone needs to tell the Offensive Coordinator and Houston Nutt you might have two of the best running backs in the country but if you can't throw the ball and all the defenses have to do is sit on the run your not going to win many games. The two Arkansas QB's could not find their respectives butts with two hands and a flashlight. And you know I have to say last year when I watched Mitch in the high school all star game in San Antonio the one thing I said was he does not throw the ball very well and a year later he still does not throw the ball very well and Casey Dicks can't throw it any better. I watch Pete Carrol at USC go in at half in a 3 to 3 tie at the Rose Bowl come out in the second half and just take the number three ranked team in the country apart. I watched Arkansas come out after half and get great field position everytime they touched the ball and score on touchdown. And I have news for all Razorback fans next year Macfadden and Jones are going to have a hell of a time running the ball if one of those QB's does not learn to throw the ball. The defensive line played a outstanding game the Offensive line played a very good game Macfadden and Jones played a good game the rest of of the skilled positions sucked along with the coaches.
Sunshine – The defense was indeed great – after giving up 17 points. The drag and pick routes against our man-to-man should be expected. With Big East officials (passing league – protect the receivers), or with any officials, when are we going to learn that we can't play pass defense with our hands all over people?
We made adjustments and stopped them in the second half. Our offense did not take advantage of third quarter field position – including the first three posessions of the half when Mitch was at quarterback. Flaking in and out of the Wildcat was not helpful, as we either had penalities or ran into a very prepared defense.
Yes, you should win if you only give up 17 points. But should you give up the same drag and pick routes in game 14 you were giving up in game one? Should you continue to play pass defense with your hands all over people? Can't we have a cornerback ever turn around and play the ball?
This team required early 3 and outs and field position to be successful in scoring in the first half. We got neither. We get behind, we are dead. Can't pass. Who cares how many rushing yards you gain if it is between the 20's?
17 points was enough. Notice when they needed a drive in the 4th quarter they got one. I bet they could have gotten more points if needed too. I'm not giving the defense a pass on this one. Offense was far, far, far more guilty, but the defense was not so great for the first quarter and a half. There's a 'once the horse was out of the barn' thing here.
Kendallp – I agree with you on the criticism and the rumor mill. That's been a part of life in Razorback sports since as long as I can remember. The parties themselves added fuel to the fire with both their silence and their failue to hush up the noises coming out of the Springdale 5 fan club camp. I live in Springdale and have lots of connections. Everyone involved in this has a degree of guilt.
BelAirHawg – what we saw out of Boise State was a bit beyond anything I've ever seen out of the Gus bus. Most of the Bowl offenses I saw were leagues beyond us. The Oklahoma two minute drill, all passing from no huddle, is something we were not capable of doing apparently (we had our chances to demonstrate . . .)
Arkansas football – it will always find a way to let you down just when it gets your hopes up.
I'll be in my seats next year. Making my donations, just like always. Call me whatever you want, but don't call me on game day because I'll be busy.
Outcoached once again, except for Herring. Our dbacks have to be some of the worst in the SEC.
Offense still one dimentional, just like all season. Where is the quick 2 to 5 yard quick out pass? Why do we always try for bigger chunks (10 to 20 yards) instead of hitting a quick out? All week Nutt raved about how the passing in practice was outstanding. Did he attend the same practices as the rest of the team, or was he watching WI?
Can Nutt coach a two-dimensional, or balanced, offense? With him we either have a good passing quarterback or good running backs — never both. I agree that next year our opponents will stack the line and dare us to run every down.
your so right about reggie playing the man to man all the first half. two touchdowns, and when he smartly changed they got nothing the second half. a good adjustment, but it has been this way all year and the hog's have been burned countless times by the refusal to sit back every once in awhile.
I am glad you will be at the game. I probably will but can not afford season tickets. Usually go to most in Fayetteville and maybe LR although it is harder to find tickets for them. I can not hardly sit in the stands however and listen to all the fans.
I sat down and thought about the season again and realized that even though we lost four- three we could have won. I'll bet superhuman Carrol would like to have a couple games back as well. He would probably do some things different. But we lost to teams who had a 5th year senior at QB(Wisc), a 4th yr jr(LSU), a senior(Florida), and if you count USC another 4th yr senior. In college football, and really at any level, the QB play makes the difference. Just like point guard play in BB. We haven't had and did not have it this year again. It was the difference in the game along with special teams.
As for continually getting beat in man coverage. That is what we have to play to put the pressure up front and play the style everyone wants us to play. You get beat some. Houston was not beat too awfully bad on the one touchdown. They got the matchup they wanted wiht Kelly on the other but if Grant had not been hurt that may have been different. Fact is I would have given them 176 pts to begin the game and taken my chances.
We wound up with three offensive linemen out at the end of the game. Hard to make yards with that.
Fact is though until we get better QB play everything will be exposed.
Maybe it is time for Shibest to coach the wide receivers and get someone else to coach special teams. Our special teams have cost us dearly the last several years…..that is not all due to Shibest since they haven't signed a kicker to a scholarship but I think it is defnitely time for a change there.
As for the QB's….Mustain definitely has more of the potential but he needs to adjust to the college game coverage schemes and he can only do that by playing. I was the first to scream for Casey to be put in but now it is time for them to get in there this Spring and work with Mustain to achieve his potential, be more consistent and stop the game killing interceptions. That is if a transfer is has really been ruled out. I'm not sure Mustain is the real deal but Dick is not the answer….McFadden at QB is an intriguing idea?
If Mustain develops and if our better defensive juniors don't enter the NFL draft we can have a very good team next year. However our schedule is much less favorable with tougher road games. And with Saban bailing on my Miami Dolphins Alabama will be much improved.
As for the defense in the Capitol One Bowl I agree that if you want to stop the run and rush the passer you have to go single coverage with the DB's. Every defense makes that choice. I think our biggest problem is a lack of depth in terms of speed on players like Vinnett. When Grant went down for the season that exposed us. When we had to play 6 DB's on passing situations we continully get beat.
Hogblogger, you can bet this would happen and that would happen all you want. The facts are kicking game is the biggest problem. The defense played good enough to win the game. Our quarterback play was less than acceptable and our receivers were no better. But with all that said we still dominated the line of scrimmage and if not for a dropped pass by Monk, a sack on Dick versus throwing the ball away in the second half and a missed field goal in the first the outcome would have been different. You should also take into account that every team we lost to this year will wind up in the top five in the nation and only one of them made it look easy (five turnovers).
I remember a year ago when we won four games, if we had gotten a break her and a break there, we could have just as easily been a 8 win team. This year with a break here and there we could have been in the championship game. Who knows with one more year who knows how far we can go.