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Nowhere To Run To

October 16, 2007 by HogBlogger 

So David Lee’s not going to “second guess” himself?  Like the characters on “Seinfeld,” the Arkansas coaching staff’s primary trait is that they never learn or grow.

From Herring’s blitz off the left corner in the final drive allowing a 30 yard completion…to the slot receiver on a crossing route…to the senseless pounding of DMac into a defensive line.  The Razorback coaches revert to type like moths around a flame.

Offensive Coaches (TipsterHog Photo)Now…I will give Herring credit for playing against type for most of last Saturday night.  He just picked the wrong moment to fall into character.

And, as predicted, another high snap on Tejada’s field goal attempt threw off his timing.  Sad that it ended up being three points that could have won the game.  Plus, a little first quarter momentum would have been nice.

Yet the Hogs almost pulled out a victory in an extremely hard fought game.  It was a great effort by the players.  The crowd was great, considering the game was a fairly boring defensive struggle.  The weather couldn’t have been better.

Unfortunately, you can’t hide the fact any longer that we don’t have an offense this year.  Last year’s noise about ‘high school’ has turned into this year’s reality.  You can gripe about Casey, but he seldom had anyone open downfield.  When we couldn’t beat them using our classic pass plays with only two receivers in the pattern, the script played out like a sitcom we’ve now seen too many times.

There’s just nothing going on creatively out there.  We don’t do anything to attack the defense.  We just run the plays we want to run from our extremely limited selection as if we were Ohio State from the 60’s and expect to dominate the line of scrimmage.

You can talk ‘NFL offense,’ but there’s nothing very modern going on out there.  The players are extremely limited by the system — or lack thereof.  You can sense their frustration.

I watched Houston Dale through the field glasses in the second half pacing slowly up and down the sideline.  He seemed very much alone.  His body language — hunched shoulders, no spring in his step, head bowed most of the time, staring at the ground — told the story.  He took total control of his football team this year.  His coaching staff…his friends…his approach…no outside influence.

Nowhere to run to, baby.  No place to hide.

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8 Responses to “Nowhere To Run To”

  1. BlindHog on October 16th, 2007 9:15 pm

    Too True.

    And what is really SO sad about all of that is that except for the QB he ran off Dale has some of the most versatile skill players in the game that would fit into almost any type of offense They could be used in almost any combination. They are great recievers. Actually with his stable of running backs he might be better severed to just move Darren and Felix to wide outs and run Smith and those other guys at TB. There are so many choices here.

    He is paralyzed by his ego or his stupidity? I just don’t get it.

  2. Dan on October 17th, 2007 9:52 am

    I’ve always thought that while Nutt may be a good motivator/coach, he needed to go back to some kind of football school. Someplace he could learn the latest and greatest. You are right on with creativity. Even listening to the radio broadcasts you start hearing the same formations or very similar ones. How often do they do more than 2 wideouts?

  3. darrell(Hog in LA) on October 17th, 2007 12:09 pm

    Did anyone see the LSU/Florida game? The way Hester carried that team down the stretch. How come they have never lined Peyton Hillis up in the backfield and let him go. You have three(DMAC, Jones, and Peyton) potential starting tailbacks and you are about as creative as a Pee Wee football coach. Dan you are correct I think Nutt is a great rah rah guy and movitator on game day, I am not sure what they are doing Mon-Fri.

  4. Jim Daly Sr. on October 17th, 2007 3:49 pm

    I am going to defend HDN. Well, sort of, in a backward way. The problem with Arkansas not winning this year is Darren McFadden. This may shock you, but hang on. At the beginning of the season all the hype was about Darren winning the Heisman. The offensive sets and plays have revolved around that.. Some of you wonder why so much off tackle? Because that’s where the great power runners make most of their yardage. Get past the line and the linebackers and Katy barr the door (see UT-C film of their back running for big yardage). Emphasis on running into the line was to give Darren the best shot at picking up yardage and at the same time allowing the Hogs to control the clock and the ball. . But a funny thing happened on the way to the Forum. The offensive line can’t block well enough to open up holes. The continious running into the line can only be explained by faith and hope that the O-line will finally come through. Also, SEC defenses are spying and concentrating on DMc. Add to that the main receiver for the passing game went down with a knee. The “passing game” was Monk to the sidelines for a possession play, Throw high out of the reach of defenders. (or high fade at the corner of the end zone). Pretty simple, and it does explain why Dick has been overthrowing his taargets. But it has worked in the past so who needs another pass route? Now Nutt is faced with having to do some serious coaching. He has to develope a passing game. Quick! In mid-season. In one week.. Arkansas has talent and is a competitive team but can the adjustments be made that can win them some ball games?.I suggested some time ago the Jones be used as a receiver since that’s his best shot in the pros beside kickoff and punt returns. Put Jones and McFadden in the game together giving the opposition two great runners to worry about. Gotta come up with somethin’.

    One thing that has been overlooked in the Auburn game was that Coach T was 1 minute and 36 seconds from serious unemployment.opportunities. Auburn outplayed Arkansas and if they had lost Tiger fans would have been furious. Why didn’t he play Burns more?, How did we miss two field goals? Is the Red Zone a place to score or to rest up etc? At least Nutt’s team hasn’t embarrassed the fans like the Nebraska meltdown has.

  5. BlindHog on October 17th, 2007 7:29 pm

    Sorry Jim.

    Most of us knew in July that Dale would run Darren into the ground by October on the excuse of the Heisman. Darren was the world’s best decoy and 20 touch a game back in September, now he is just a kid with wonderful potential and badly bruised ribs. Monk was hurt August 9. It was not just midseason before it was time to worry about the passing game. Instead of starting Tuck and the walk on Dale started Fish and Crawford.

    These boys are clueless. Always have been. It is just that their luck has finally run out.

  6. Walking on Sunshine on October 17th, 2007 7:31 pm

    BlindHog, you have mail.

  7. Wednesday Trough « Hawg Blawg on October 17th, 2007 10:02 pm

    [...] Jump to Comments The Razorbloggers have a critique of the coaching staff up along with an ole miss [...]

  8. GonzoHog on October 18th, 2007 6:17 am

    Nutt resented Broyles bringing in Malzahn last year, and made it a point to do things his way this year. Results?? I think they speak for themselves.