Best Razorback Games Of 2007-08 — Instant Classic
6 comments June 25th, 2008 6:05am TipsterHog
After it was over, here’s how we described the game that is #3 on our countdown of the best Razorback games of 2007-08:
You know…just another Razorback Saturday. The stadium field gets a name; the legendary Keith Jackson stops by to ‘Call the Hogs’; Felix rushes for 174, DMac rushes for 321 and we completely steamroller Steve Spurrier. Ho hum? Yeah, right. It was a magical night. What an honor it was to be there to see an ‘Instant Razorback Classic’ in person.
And thanks to YouTube (and GTHogFan), there’s really no need to say anything more.
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?
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.
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.
Practice Reports - 8/12/2005
Add comment August 12th, 2005 11:46pm TipsterHog
Looks like it was a day for the defense to dominate and the offense to sputter. Also, as you would expect, some minor injuries are starting to add up to reducing practice time for a few players.
And with Friday’s practice marking the first session of many this season in full pads, Mike Capshaw writes a nice article about Separating The Men From The Boys. The quotes near the end of the story about Felix Jones are especially impressive:
Freshman tailback Felix Jones broke away for several nice gains, according to teammates, during full-team drills. He showed plenty of speed in shorts, but everybody wanted to see what he could do in full pads against a defense.
Apparently, he didn’t disappoint.
“Felix is phenomenal, just amazing to me,” Vaughn said. “I see a young guy with tons of talent and potential who ran hard (Friday) with the ball and when you get close to tackle him, he just puts it in another gear and runs away from you.
“He’s going to be exciting for fans here at Arkansas for years to come.”
Also:
- Dudley Dawson: UA Friday Grid Report, 8/12 (subscription)
- Trey Biddy: Pressure defense (subscription)
- Robbie Neiswanger: Nutt Not Happy With Mistakes
- Nate Allen: Turnovers plague Arkansas offense at full-pads practice
- Scott Cain: Injuries, heat take their toll
Updated 8/13/05 10:00 a.m. - Added additional links.
Practice Reports - 8/10/2005
Add comment August 10th, 2005 10:09pm TipsterHog
Robbie Neiswanger writes about the three new freshman running backs: Felix Jones, Darren McFadden and Michael Smith. While watching practice on Tuesday, HogBlogger and I thought Jones looked extremely impressive and Smith was very quick…but potentially a little too small to be a durable SEC back. We didn’t see enough of McFadden to get a read on him.
Trey Biddy wrote yesterday about the threesome (subscription required) as well.
Also:
- Hogwired.com: Freshmen Impress at Practice
- Trey Biddy: Wednesday practice cool for Razorbacks (subscription)
- Dudley Dawson: Wednesday UA Grid Report, 8/10 (subscription)
- Bob Holt: Razorbacks Football Report
Updated 8/10/05 10:45 p.m. - Updated Hawgs Illustrated link.
Updated 8/11/05 9:35 a.m. - Added additional links.
Updated 8/11/05 10:15 p.m. - Updated Hogwired.com link.
