…I don’t think we need to panic and rush him in just yet.
Our two QB’s are ranked at the bottom of the SEC stats, but if the QB’s that lead the stats were only playing half of their team’s meaningful snaps, they would be way down on the list too. If we get some better play out of the O-line with the returning players, this can be an OK offense. Not great, but OK.
The depth and conditioning on our team did not hold up in the second half in Fort Collins. I am not buying Wally’s lame excuse that the altitude is the cause. Two weeks before our game in the same stadium, Hawaii came from sea level and won the first half 23-7 and played well enough in the second half 20-27. Our team came from the Boston Mountains of Arkansas and lost the second half 14-25. CCM is not using the altitude as an excuse so Wally needs to clam up. That dog just won’t hunt.
Fayetteville’s elevation is about 1,400 feet. Fort Collins is about 5,000. That’s a big difference. And while Hawaii is at sea level, it also plays in the Mountain West Conference and its players have routinely played at elevation in Fort Collins, Laramie and Colorado Springs, and to a lesser extent in Nevada and Utah. This was the first time most, if not all, of Arkansas’ players had ever played in anything like that. I think there is something to be said about having experience being in that environment and knowing how your body reacts.
Arkansas didn’t lose because of elevation, but I think it’s wrong to say those conditions couldn’t have contributed to the team becoming more fatigued.
You guys emphasized over and over during the red kool aid period that we were super well conditioned, much better than in the past, because we intended to play hurry-up. We haven’t, but if I believe Insider’s posting about our superb conditioning program, then no way should anyone be mentioning fatigue as a team excuse – elevations or not.
The effectiveness of the offense was the root of the problem in the fourth quarter. 0 for 2 on third down. I do not think the offense was tired. Certainly, Cole Kelley could not have been tired. I don’t buy your argument, but that’s OK, you are welcome to your opinion. Depth at DE was an issue. Dorian Gerald and Randy Ramsey will be two of the better pass rushers, or should be. They were out. Dre Greenlaw was out. So I will say that depth is not where it should be to absorb those losses of three fast defenders when you need a pass rush. Sosa Agim had to move to end, so you did not have the best combination of pass rushers on the field. That’s the issue in my mind, not altitude.
Fred, I never wrote anything about conditioning this year, other than the new weights that were given. I’ve written this several times, though: I take all the conditioning talk during the summer with a grain of salt. Every team talks up its conditioning during the off-season, has the greatest strength coach until the next one comes along, etc. The proof is in what happens during the games.
Well, I don’t agree with Wally mostly blaming the altitude for another second half collapse. One of the reasons they scored repeatedly on our defense was they seemed to be the stronger team in the second half, not us and conditioning was one of the main things this team hung its hat on. Thus my frustration. I also said our depth didn’t hold up either and your list of injured absent from that depth chart seems to explain a reason for that. So, my argument is it was not the altitude causing the problem, they were just the stronger and deeper team at that moment in time. A bottom feeder team from the Mountain West. I agree that the offense wasn’t tired. How could they be? Going three and out over and over while the other team sustains long drives gives them lots of rest. No argument there so what argument of mine were you not buying, exactly? I am a little confused. Were you referring to someone else’s post?
When my wife and I got married I found out really quick that she didn’t expect to be married to a man with self-doubts and a weak spine. I had to act like I knew what I was doing even though there were times when I probably didn’t. It has worked for 53 years.
We need for one of our quarterbacks to stand up and be a man, quit pussy footing around and take charge. This is no time for weak kneed bumbling.
To your point I watched the Hawaii game from beginning to end, Hawaii was killing them all game and then started having coverage busts and towards the end of the game they were physically gassed. It is almost a carbon copy of what happened Saturday, we weren’t visibly gassed like Hawaii, but we started having a few coverage busts, and to think that lack of oxygen didn’t contribute is well not something to be sure about. Again though we lost the game on offense, and not going for the 4th down imo.
The problem was probably more of attitude than altitude, we didn’t see the full throttle or hammer down and that’s what has many fans upset. We may have not wanted to show our hand in non conference games, but more than likely we are not up to full speed with CCM offense yet which is a work in progress. I expect to look different in many aspects Saturday especially if we get back the guys on defense that have been injured. The altitude and attitude should be about right for a win hopefully! WPS