Morning everyone , happy holidays and GO Hogs!
I don’t know about y’all but to me it feels like fellow hog fans, and even myself have just kinda been in shock since around that A&M game…. Like constantly this football team has failed to find success in the red zone and in short yardage and on 4th down all season, and it’s like we just can’t accept what our team is, like “why can’t we get just get that short distance fixed?”…. Well we didn’t, and look we just finished 6-6…. Vert frustrating when that is your constant issue, it will drive a sports fan crazy… “Are we close to getting that fixed ? It’s only a few yards!.. Or are we one slip away from falling down back into the muck?!”…. It’s not clearly defined when it gets like this …. Now that’s offensive issues ….
What about Defense? Here is where I get real nervous, but let’s give it a look… I think BO really attempted to improve our pass rush with this team, and he did so in the portal, and yes at Times we flashed improved pass rush… However from game one this year; and unfortunately for the majority of the games called under BO here at Arkansas, we have somehow someway migrated back to that soft bend but don’t break, no matter how long the distance is in 3rd and 4th down “well give it up defenses”…. Again as a fan, the defense Arkansas runs is just maddening… however if you look across college football who really outside or UGA, is really playing next level defense… but just like you; I don’t care what anyone else is doing besides my HOGS…. When I look at our defense, I start at the front and work back…. We are not SEC level on the DL, it’s just a fact ! Nichols, Hampton will fight but I’d say they are the least talented NG or DT combination in the SECW, where we play, Ball I think in time could be good, but we need 3 or 4 that are even better then him….Gregory, he looks the part , but he doesn’t produce, never has, I look at him and I ask “why?”, and after 4 seasons, it’s time to realize, he’s just not got it… I look at DE, and I see Landon Jackson, and he has flashed at times this year, but my gosh he’s lost weight over the season… I look at see Gearld out there playing a bunch yesterday, and think “my gosh this man had to be begged to come back from multiple injuries and he’s all we have?”…. Jordan Dominick, who has also flashed at times, also looks like he’s lost weight and Zac Williams , I’m sorry I know who his dad is, but it’s time to realize he’s never going to do anything here…Decisions on the position coach and the Strength and Development approach to this position group have yielded the results here ….
LBer, hats off to Bumper he’s been hurt for a while…he gave it all for the UA!…. Drew Sanders I get he has all the tools in the world, and will get drafted…at times this season he made plays that I’ve never seen before by an Arkansas LBer… but our future is Chris Paul, and we need 4 or 5 just like him… I’m curious for this upcoming bowl game to get some of Mani and Cook… I think Drew will opt out… these practices are so important for our LBers…
Now on to the secondary…… man oh man…. Here is where I loose a lot of confidence in our DC… if BO couldn’t see , and I’m talking about seasons ago , we were so void of talent to compete on an SEC level, we have bad problems… I understand J Cat was injured, don’t matter…no way # 15 and # 8 should be the best options we have… this unit to me was the worst recruited , worst developed, just showed no pride… I love the potential of Joe Mac… I hope Dwight comes back… but this whole group needs a RE set…
Change is coming, however that looks! But it’s coming and I’m sure we will all be along for the ride ….