Posts filed under 'NFL'
RazorBits: Filling Time
22 comments June 17th, 2008 6:05am TipsterHog
RBN tidbits from around the web.
– A lot of local sportswriters are filling their column inches at the moment talking about how to pass the time between now and fall football practice. Robbie Neiswanger over at The Morning News gives Hog fans a few dates to remember between now and August 4th. And the original Mr. Sunshine warms up a little stale football news for us.
– And speaking of stale, this report is a few days old but I didn’t see it blogged anywhere. According to the Cowboys Blog, it sounds like a package is being added to the playbook that includes both Felix Jones and Marion Barber in the backfield at the same time:
Felix’s primary offensive role as a rookie will be a change-of-pace back. But the Cowboys also plan to put him on the field with Barber on occasion.
Barber and Felix lined up in the backfield together several times during today’s workout. Barber lined up in front of the offset I with Felix starting at tailback and motioning out wide.
[...] Felix didn’t put up big receiving numbers at Arkansas, which had a poor passing game. But the Cowboys’ scouts and coaches saw a back with good hands and route-running ability who could blossom as a receiver in the pros.
Hmmm…throwing the ball to Felix…why didn’t we think of that? Three years…38 games…39 receptions. Based on those numbers, a more accurate description would be ‘piss poor passing game.’
– Felix also made it to Canton, Ohio last Friday. No…they weren’t inducting him into the Pro Football Hall of Fame just yet. He was one of 18 Cowboys’ rookies who toured the facility.
– Finally, sportscaster Mike Irwin used his ‘blog’ yesterday to flame a “recruting guru” over comments made about recent Razorback decommit Darius Winston. But since Irwin doesn’t mention Dudley Dawson by name, I guess it’s not really a personal attack, is it?
Good Is Good
6 comments April 28th, 2008 6:05am TipsterHog
Jean-Jacques Taylor of The Dallas Morning News thinks the Cowboys made a mistake drafting Felix Jones ahead of Illinois running back Rashard Mendenhall with the 22nd pick:
You don’t draft a complementary player in the first round when you have an opportunity to select a franchise back.
Ever.
But that’s what the Cowboys did Saturday.
So…apparently there’s some sort of ‘Draft bible’ that Jean-Jacques is quoting from here. Although he doesn’t reference chapter and verse.
And, unfortunately, he also doesn’t bother to list many facts to support his argument that Mendenhall is a ‘franchise back.’ In truth, a comparison of career stats shows very little difference between the two rushers:
Jones: 38 Games, 387 Attempts, 2,954 Yards, 20 TDs, 7.6 yards per carry
Mendenhall: 35 Games, 388 Attempts, 2,539 Yards, 22 TDs, 6.5 yards per carry
Size? Jones is slightly taller and Mendenhall is nearly 20 pounds heavier.
Speed? Mendenhall ran a 4.45 at the NFL Combine and Jones ran a 4.47.
Now explain to me again how one of these players is obviously a 20-25 carry running back and the other one isn’t? Or, more specifically, that either one of them has proven their NFL franchise back potential?
So maybe the truth is that both of them are equally good. Which is exactly what the Cowboys said after the draft:
“Both of them were so close you could flip a coin over them,” Jerry Jones said.
But wait…Jean-Jacques uses his powers of deductive reasoning to prove (prove!) that the Cowboys had Mendenhall rated higher:
“I don’t want to get into which was the highest rated,” Jerry said. “I don’t want to do that.”
Trust me, that means Mendenhall was rated higher, which is one more reason Jerry should’ve trusted the draft board and taken Mendenhall.
Ah yes…just trust the board, Jerry. But here’s the real question: if one player is ranked 22-A on this ‘almighty board’ and the other is 22-B…does it really matter which one you choose?
Four Razorbacks Are Second Day NFL Draft Picks
Add comment April 27th, 2008 10:55pm TipsterHog
Hogwired.com: Four Razorbacks Drafted on Day Two of NFL Draft
Arkansas defensive tackle Marcus Harrison, offensive tackle Nate Garner, fullback Peyton Hillis and wide receiver Marcus Monk heard their names called on Sunday in day two of the 2008 NFL Draft.
Also:
- Robbie Neiswanger: Harrison One of Four Hogs Selected Sunday, Two Hogs Agree To Free Agent Contracts
- Bob Holt: Harrison gets call from Bears
Updated 4/28/08 8:10 a.m.
Felix Jones Drafted In First Round By Cowboys
4 comments April 26th, 2008 10:56pm TipsterHog
Ryan Malashock: Jones Headed To Dallas
As expected, the allure of drafting a running back from his alma mater turned out to be too hard for Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones to pass up.
He couldn’t trade up for Darren McFadden. But he gladly settled for Felix Jones, making the Tulsa, Okla., native the No. 22 pick in the first round of the NFL Draft on Saturday.
Also:
- Bob Holt: UA backs make 1st-round splash
- The Dallas Morning News: Cowboys’ choices reflect immediate plan, Taylor: Wrong Selection for Cowboys?
- Fort-Worth Star-Telegram: Instead of a rewrite, Cowboys go by book, Engel: When great things are possible, good feels bad
- Tulsa World: Dallas takes Felix in first round
Updated 4/27/08 10:35 a.m.
Raiders Draft McFadden With Fourth Overall Pick
3 comments April 26th, 2008 3:30pm TipsterHog
Hogwired.com: McFadden Selected No. 4 in NFL Draft by Oakland Raiders
Arkansas’ two-time Doak Walker Award winner and Heisman Trophy runner-up Darren McFadden was selected with the No. 4 pick of the 2008 National Football League Draft by the Oakland Raiders.
Also:
- AP: Raiders take McFadden at No. 4 in NFL draft, McFadden: ‘I just surround myself with family members’
- Alex Abrams: McFadden Headed To Silver and Black, Fans Boo Raiders’ Pick of McFadden
- Mark Lelinwalla: D-Mac in silver and black
- Bob Holt: UA backs make 1st-round splash
- The Oakland Tribune: Raiders get their man by picking McFadden
Updated 4/27/08 10:20 a.m.
Arkansas Holds 2008 Pro Day
1 comment March 25th, 2008 11:15pm TipsterHog
Hogwired.com: Razorbacks Shine at 2008 Pro Day Workouts
More than 50 scouts and National Football League team personnel were on the University of Arkansas campus on Tuesday for the 2008 Arkansas Pro Day.
Also:
- Chris Bahn: McFadden, Jones Draw NFL Crowd for Pro Day, Monk Uses Pro Day to Alleviate Concerns About Knee
- Alex Abrams: NFL Teams Get Another Look At McFadden, Hillis Frustrated With His Performance
- Bob Holt: Monk improves his draft stock
- Rob Keys: Performing like a pro
- Democrat-Gazette: Arkansas Pro Day report
- Brandon Marcello: UA’s Monk impresses NFL scouts
Updated 3/26/08 2:30 p.m.
Speed Of Light Squared
12 comments February 25th, 2008 6:05am TipsterHog
“Wow.” — “Oh my.” — “Hellooooo!” — “Oh…my.”
Also:
- The Slophouse: McFadden is fast…really fast
- Chris Bahn: McFadden Wows At NFL Combine
- Tom Murphy: Showing his stuff
- Jason Cole: McFadden’s quick recovery
McFadden And Jones Declare For NFL Draft
10 comments January 14th, 2008 3:52pm TipsterHog
Hogwired.com: McFadden and Jones Forgo Senior Season for NFL Draft
Arkansas’ junior tailback combination of All-American’s Darren McFadden and Felix Jones announced their decisions to forgo their senior seasons and declare for the NFL Draft on Monday at a press conference inside the Broyles Athletic Center.
Also:
- ESPN.com: Arkansas loses bulk of backfield in McFadden, Jones
- RBN: Darren McFadden Photos, Felix Jones Photos
- Chris Bahn: McFadden, Jones Opt for NFL
- Alex Abrams: Going Out Together
- Tom Murphy: It’s official: They’re gone
- Wally Hall: Hogs fans should be grateful for 3 superb years
- Nate Allen: Big league decision
Updated 1/15/08 8:10 a.m.
Report: Petrino Leaving Falcons For Arkansas
33 comments December 11th, 2007 5:13pm TipsterHog
ESPN.com: Sources: Petrino leaving NFL for Arkansas job
Bobby Petrino will resign his position as coach of the Atlanta Falcons and is close to an agreement to become the new coach at the University of Arkansas, multiple sources tell ESPN.
Also:
- ESPN.com (Video): Bobby Petrino to Resign as Falcons’ Head Coach
- AP: Bobby Petrino resigns as Atlanta Falcons coach after 13 games
- Atlanta Journal-Constitution: A sinking ship abandoned
National Opinion
- ESPN.com: Pasquarelli: Petrino couldn’t help but hit the road yet again
- CBSSports.com: Prisco: Petrino always a bird of a non-NFL feather
- FOXSports.com: Petrino resigns as Falcons coach, Czarnecki: Petrino had doubts about Falcons’ roster
- SI.com: Banks: Back to school
- MSNBC.com: Glier: Allure of SEC too much for Petrino to turn down
- AOL FanHouse: Bobby Petrino Resigns to Coach Arkansas
- Fanblogs.com: Bobby Petrino hired at Arkansas
Updated 12/12/07 12:45 a.m.
RazorBits: Mini-Flanker
1 comment August 16th, 2007 6:05am TipsterHog
RBN tidbits from around the web.
Amazingly…5-foot, 7-inch Reggie Fish is designated (at least for now) as the Hogs’ first-team flanker. After showing last year that he can ’strike a pose,’ could a Heisman campaign now be far behind?- After praising Casey Dick for his practice work on Monday, Houston Nutt wasn’t happy with the two interceptions thrown by his starting quarterback on Wednesday. “We don’t accept that. That’s very disturbing,” Nutt said. “It’s got to be to our guys or throw it away to grandmother, period.” So…apparently Granny is able to ‘get separation’ up in the stands. I say sign her up.
- USA Today has a nice article on Tony Ugoh and the pressure of being a NFL rookie left tackle who may soon be responsible for protecting Peyton Manning’s blind side.
- Jay over at Track’em Tigers (one of the recommended SEC blogs listed on our Links page) thinks former Auburn great and current Razorback defensive line coach Tracy Rocker should have his jersey retired by the school.
- A new Razorback blog popped up last week and they’ve come out of the chute with some really good posts. Check out the guys over at RazorbackExpats.com. They’re on our sidebar blogroll now, too.
