Imagine if during Nolan’s time conditions would have been like they are now. That would mean that players like Day, Beck, and Stewart might have played for Memphis instead of Arkansas. Other top players like Corliss might have gone to Kentucky, and if they would have come to Arkansas, they would have left after only 1 or 2 years. All of a sudden all the success we had with Nolan would not have happened.
Now think if things in Nolan’s time were how they are now. That would mean that Monk and Allen would be Razorbacks, and Portis would be in his senior season. Perhaps the main difference between Nolan and Anderson is that now days conditions just aren’t as good to be a Razorback coach as they once were.
Nolan did not start off with great players from the start. He had to work at just like MA. There’s a difference we should all look at TV and the hype. Also kids now are not loyal. Heck most people in general are not loyal. I’m proud of being a hog fan. These kids now don’t know about any of the sucess not so they care. It’s like the team we have now. Me me me instead of team!
Times will get better when we get more talent on the hill and some more heart!
The thing about getting more talent is that now days you have to get top talent every year. After getting Day, Mayberry, and Miller, Nolan had 4 years where he could win big even if he didn’t get top talent in a couple of those years. When those three were freshman, I think, Nolan said “just wait until they’re seniors”. It was a foregone conclusion that they were going to be there 4 years. This season is actually better than Nolan’s last season was when he didn’t have such good players anymore. It’s about the players and how long they stay. I think that’s the main difference.
I think you make a very good point. People forget that Nolan’s last seven years here were often pretty forgettable. Don’t get me wrong. Nolan was a great coach, but it’s hard to maintain a high level of success. The NCAA sure didn’t help him any.
It might be harder to break through to the elite level today. The college game is very different now than twenty or thirty years ago, and you can’t bring in one great recruiting class and then mostly rest on your laurels till they’re seniors - or at least juniors like Corliss. Think if Sutton’s triplets had left after a year or two. The best players leave now. Disaffected players transfer. Still, some coaches have been able to adjust. Here at Arkansas, Anderson has been a big improvement over what came before, but I’m sure even he would admit that he’s fallen short of expectations. It’s much more important now to not have a down year recruiting, and Anderson had a couple of lost recruiting years just prior to 2016. The JUCO thing for the 2016 class has worked out pretty well, but maybe not well enough.
Unless he adapted to the new rules, a young Nolan wouldn’t win much in today’s environment. Nolan was a great coach so likely he would adapt, but I am far from certain.
A young Sutton would would be a winner. He was a genius coach so I’m certain he would adapt.
Earlier this year, Nolan was interviewed during one of our games and said that very thing. He would have never won with the new officiating rules. I think that’s a very telling statement that many on here need to think about.
Truth is we’ll just never know how Nolan or Eddie would have done in today’s college basketball environment. I’d like to think they would have figured out a way to win, but who knows? The NCAA has changed the rules since Nolan’s glory days when aggressive hand-checking was Nolan’s defensive signature. In fact, Nolan has pointed out many times that he thinks the NCAA changed the rules specifically to stop him from winning. He might well be right.
When he made the comment he mentioned the Arkansas rule. I agree I think him and Eddie would figure it out.
As for CMA, I’m seeing this team do things I haven’t saw his teams do in the past. I think he is trying to adjust. I hate to blame players, but I’m seeing a lot of selfishness. At the end of the day, it’s the coach’s responsibility, but the players dang sure ain’t helping him.