[quote=“WarHog38”]
I read back over this thread. Bake, I see the the approach that you are taking on this Hog O-Line weakness issue. You are saying the failure to retain & develop O-Lineman from years back (2012, 2013 & 2014), does not play as big a part in 2016 O-Line weaknesses as the failures to rectify this situation by Bielema in the 2015 & 2016 recruiting cycles.
Both these slightly alternate points or angles we are discussing are correct. The O-Line problems of 2016 have developed over all these recruiting cycles of 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 and even 2016 with the apparent Juco bomb outs. All this blame is fully on Bilelema except with regards to that 2012 cycle.
I just point more to the past because it takes time to develop most all SEC Lineman out of high school, usually at least two years with one being hopefully with a red-shirt. There are Shawn Andrews types but they are very rare and they usually land at the Alabama’s of this world, not at Arkansas. Andrews was an Arkansas native. However, you and the OP are totally right about these recent Jucos. They should step in & help this O-Line situation. That failure is totally on Bielema in 2015 & 2016.
You look at this current Bielema situation of struggling to get a ONE-DEEP SEC READY O-LINE in his fourth year here that will keep our QB out of the hospital. Any SEC team worth its salt would need a TWO-DEEP SEC READY O-LINE to ever seriously challenge for that SEC Championship Bielema use to talk about. THAT IS A SHEER FACT!!! This all just shows how damn far he is from ever achieving any championship. Four years. I don’t think he will do it in ten. He is a weak imitation of Nutt currently with a QB coach. He better keep Enos.
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On who he should keep.
Michael Smith - WR coach - maybe our best unit the last two years and constantly going onto La and taking guys from LSU - must retain
Barry Lunney, JR - TE coach - another stud position and he is the guy that I always see reaching out to the recruits, I think he might be the one that says hey we are interested - must retain
Kurt Anderson - OL coach - I can’t blame him for the OLine issues, - he deserves another year to see what he can do
Paul Rhodes - DB coach - playing better than they have the last two years, like Anderson he deserves another year to see what he can do
That’s the only 4, that I believe should be retained, unfortunately Enos has worked wonders with our QB’s, but he is the OC, and I’m seeing to many teams audible plays on the field because they recognize the formations. I don’t think he’d be willing to go from OC to QB coach. No one else should be safe, and that includes Herbert our strength and conditioning guy, I saw AUB push and shove both our lines around (that included Ragnow and Skipper) with ease. That’s a strength issue. I bet, however CBB maybe blames one or two and sends them on their way.
I know you wasn’t on the old lounge, but I’ve always said Bret was a rich man’s HDN. Thought we made a mistake when we hired him. If I was Long, and could get a coach who’d keep the four above and fire everybody else, CBB would be gone
We sure are glad you guys got it all figured out now. While you both are at it, how about you give us 3 names of the coaches you would offer to come in after you fire CBB? :roll:
My biggest issue with the coaches, at this point, is with the DC and O-line coach. I do agree that Anderson deserves another year for sure. But, I do wonder if maybe he is to technical and complex being from the NFL. Just to many reads and audibles for a young inexperienced line. As for the DC, he has to form his scheme to the players he has. Every coach I know has always had a " get out of jail free card" by way of replacing a DC or OC when the heat is up. CBB should and will get the same.
Dudley, why have the coaches stuck with Raulerson so long? Even an amateur can see he’s not cutting it. I thought the coaches said Jackson would see playing time with him but I haven’t noticed him getting any time on the field. Do you know of ant personnel changes against Florida?
I know you disagree, but when I, a fan, can see the defense adjust off the way we line up and we run the exact play that they’ve adjusted for, I know the DC’s can see it. No trickeration out of those formations to keep the D honest. I wouldn’t be against him staying as a QB coach, but I don’t think he would go from OC to QB coach. He MUST adjust his playcalling, if he doesn’t he should leave. That’s not a “lack of recruiting” issue, it’s not a “lack of execution” that others claim, it’s bad coaching. That is things that a “defensive minded” HC should notice in practice. Seeing how it occurs week after week, to the point teams can recognize the play by the way we line up, then our OC and HC aren’t doing their jobs.
I’m not sure if that has been happening but it could also be that Austin doesn’t have the green light to audible like Brandon did. I think Enos is a very good coach but needs an OL to be able to block.
It has happened. Definitely in the AUB game. Led to Allen getting smashed a least once by an unguarded LB. As for green light, they’d better give him one, cause he’s a tough kid, but if they keep getting hits on him, his body will eventually give up.
I don’t think its a reporter issue. We here all the time about this or that other player TRANSFERED,WON’T TRAVEL,or DISAPPEARED FROM THE DEPTH CHART. Just read between the lines a little and it sort of gets your attention. I would agree that we should limit our exposure to JUCO transfers though. Take only what appears to be the real deal. HOGS YA’LL.
I have never called for Bielema to be fired in 2016 here or on any board. Simply because this program cannot fire coaches after four years and have any real good hope of getting a better one. That quick of a firing trigger makes this job unattractive to prospective head coaches on the national front. Bielema must be given five years and perhaps even six to completely shed that national perception. I think that is important on getting the best coaching replacement we can.
I just now feel his firing is in the near future I just outlined. I do not know exactly what is the matter with this defense. Seasoned players, everything there points directly to coaching. As far as that O-Line. As I delved deeply into earlier in this thread, it is numbers with regard to upper classmen and bad coaching evaluation with recent Juco recruits.
Concerning those upper classmen numbers of the three O-Lineman (Brian Wallace, Frank Ragnow & Dan Skipper) being all that are left on the team from the 2012, 2013 & 2014 recruiting cycles. I don’t know the exact reasons why most of those others all left, I just know they did. What I do remember splattered everywhere about the reasoning why many players left this program were academic issues. Players were simply not going to class at an acceptable rate, whatever the judgments on that are? Anyhow, kicking players off a team to the point of severely poor O-Line performance is unwise to say the least. Bielema better learn some better way to deal with that within those great expectations he has developed here for scholastic achievement. He needs to remember he is a football coach or he may be soon seeking employment on the academic side of this college sport. His on the field coaching at this level will be forever over.
I totally agree with you there WarHog, 5 or 6 years is plenty of time. I think 4 to 5 if he would have walked into a better situation. It’s hard to find any programs that were in as bad of a situation as Arkansas when CBB was hired. That fact alone should give him at least 1 more year than the 4 I believe every coach should get.
I suspected Malone would have to redshirt and he did. He was taking extra classes in JC that limited his time in the weight room. Ramirez was recruited as a tackle but can play guard. He too needs time to add bulk and strength. You would’ve liked them to come in and play right away but obviously not the case. This offseason and spring practice will tell if they’ll be able to help next year or not.
They’re not the first JC O-linemen not to produce in their first year on the high DI level. Jermaine Elumenuor redshirted at A&M and has had two good years.
The coaches see these guys in practice everyday and know what they’re capable of. If they thought Merrick was better than Raulerson or Froholdt he would be playing.
Richard, the fan base is very frustrated. I like Bielema but he has obviously has made some mistakes the past 2 years. If you’re going to rely on Juco players when Ark doesn’t have a strong recruiting base, those Juco players have to be ready to play. Bielema seemed happy with this team before the season saying “I know this team” meaning to me he had confidence in them. What we’ve seen this year is a mediocre running game and suspect pass blocking. We’ve taken a huge step back!
My opinion, Smith needs to be replaced as our DC. I think Butch Davis is miserable doing football analysis on TV and would jump at the chance to be our DC. He knows talent and I know he could recruit better. I don’t dislike Anderson because of the lack of talent he has to work with, but even Bielema said he’s not a strong recruiter. That’s the life blood of a college team and you need someone hat can bring in talent.
Enos is by far our best coach and needs better talent to run his offense but I’m afraid someone’s going to scoop him up as a head coach. We played Bama, A&M and others tough last year so getting blown out thus year makes me worry we’re moving in the wrong direction. I hope CBB can right the ship because the fans are hungry and need to see something positive.
I’m with Richard on this one about Anderson. I’ve never heard Bielema say anything about him being a poor recruiter. In fact, story about his joining the Hogs had this quote:
“Kurt stood out to me when he interviewed and he’s stood out to every coach he’s worked and played for,” Bielema said. “His ability to relate to the players and connect with them will help him have a tremendous impact on our program, not only a position coach, but as a recruiter.”
