The Good, The Bad and The Ugly — South Carolina
November 10, 2008 at 6:05am by TipsterHog
Filed under Arkansas Razorbacks, Football
Some random thoughts after watching the South Carolina game.
The Good
For the second week in a row, wide receiver Jarius Wright showed an ability to make big plays. Wright’s 70-yard touchdown grab in the second quarter was the unquestioned highlight of the afternoon for the Hogs.- Several different players stepped up and produced on Saturday. Senior safety Dallas Washington had six tackles and pulled in his first career interception; freshman fullback Mitchell Bailey scored his first career touchdown; redshirt freshman quarterback Nathan Dick led the Hogs on a 13 play, 80 yard touchdown drive; and junior tailback Brandon Barnett rushed 7 times for 45 yards and a touchdown.
The Bad
- Seeing the Razorback defense force a turnover should actually make fans cringe this season. Once again on Saturday, the Hogs’ offense went three-and-out immediately after the defense had a takeaway. We’ve lost track here at RBN of the number of times that’s happened this year…certainly in at least four of the ten games played.
- I guess there’s an “SEC Player of the Week Jinx” since Casey Dick had one of his worst outings as a Razorback in the game after receiving the recognition. Freshman mistakes continue to plague the senior quarterback: grounding penalties, holding the ball too long, and tossing three interceptions. As Coach Petrino said, “Anytime you throw three interceptions like that, you’re going to have a heck of a time winning the game.”
The Ugly
- There was more ugly than you could shake a stick at on Saturday as the Hogs generally had a letdown game. (Six sacks???) But one play that was especially ugly was the 66-yard touchdown pass to tight end Jared Cook that was allowed by the Hog defense. And I say ‘allowed’ because it took the poor tackling effort of several Razorback defenders to ‘allow’ it to happen.
Walking on Sunshine also contributed to this post.
I have to agree on the comment made about the SC TE. Jared Cook looked like he was participating in a Friday morning, limited contact scrimmage.
This was a defensive breakdown I hadn’t seen since the Texas game.
This could be attributed to youth, since it seems to be the type of breakdown that’s a result of not being able to keep up the intensity needed to make a defensive play on the road. Whatever the cause, I hope it’s fixable in the very near future.
Well, maybe not the VERY near future.
It is so easy to see how this team could be 7-3. Of course that doesn’t mean that they should be 7-3. It is a real credit to Bobby Petrino and his staff that they have shown so much potential with the amount of time they have had and with a team that was recruited and coached for a very different style of play. I think that they are doing a wonderful job.
It is so easy to see what a wonderful team this will be, maybe by next year, certainly by 2010. What great fun that will be.
I know they had to stick with Casey this year. Hindsight tells me we might have gone ahead and developed Wilson and Nathan Dick. They both showed more instinct and ability.
disagree with developing wilson or nathan this season (although maybe not much development needed when nathan strolls onto the field for his first significant playing time – on the road in the SEC – and leads a TD drive)….you do that and you’re essentially giving up on the season. that’s a team morale nightmare. also, that plays terribly on recruiting in terms of player loyalty. While casey has made some big errors, it is unfair to hold him to a different standard than the other players that are new to the system. he has been in an entirely new situation and has performed admirably well. He’s had some bad games, but he has also had more production than any hog QB since Jones.
When petrino talks to parents on the recruiting trail and they ask how he will support their kid during tough times, he can point to Casey. that’s a strong plus in the eyes of the parents
Wilson’s redshirt is burned. Right? I think he only played in the Bama game but its my understanding that short of something medical that’s all it takes. The reason I ask is why bring in N. Dick unless there is still a chance to get a redshirt year for Wilson.
Last time I looked Mono was medical. I suspect the redshirt is back on except for the paperwork.
I appreciate your loyalty argument with Casey and, I don’t think taking the redshirt off Wilson was a wise move unless you were going to start giving him some SIGNIFICANT playing time. But, Casey’s success plays two ways. It also shows how successful the system could be with anyone at the helm. The other guys could have done just as well, or better. You don’t throw a guy under the bus but you do what you have to to win. Seven games was way too many for RJ. Leaving Cody on the bench at Auburn cost that OC his job. When it’s not working you owe the team a chance to win.
But, it’s all academic. I am just hoping that we arrive a year ahead of schedule and do some celebrating next year.
Casey starts the MSU game. If nothing happening by halftime, that is when you gamble on the young kid. He will get lots of reps with two weeks and be ready to go. If we don’t beat MSU then Casey starts against LSU and that is our bowl game. The way the offensive line played on Saturday, he was probably dog tired from running.
Time to get ready for some Basket and Base Ball.
Then have fun watching Mallet Dick and Wilson in Spring Ball.
Casey is the result of:
1st year, sitting on the bench for the 1st 7 games, while starting the last 4.
2nd year, dealing with back problems, while Mustain starts the first 8 games.
3rd year, was the first time Casey had the starting position all to himself, only to be told he would servise as a “bus driver”, while the HC beat our RBs into the ground, trying to force-feed a Hiesman Trophy into Fayetteville for the first time.
4th year, Casey is actually a 4th year Freshman, in a system that actually requires a QB to make pass plays on a consistant basis. The only thing he really knows how to do better than the other QBs on this team, is getting up under center, handing the ball off, and taking a sack.
The kid has had absolutely no QB coaching, until this year.
I have to agree with soupd on this one.
Casey has played admirably well.
so who thinks we’ll have a new defensive coordinator and special teams’ coach next year? I’m not sure the players have been the problem in these areas this year.
I would be suprised if they went ahead and made a change this early.
The players are so young and inexsperienced, that it’s really too hard to tell which one is the real problem.
The defense started out lousy, but improved a bit after the Texas game. The defensive scheems seem to have changed just as much as the offense, so I think this was more of a team change, rather than just an offensive philosiphy change.
Same for the STs. Lousy at first, but somewhat improved now.
I think it’ll take another year to really tell.