from the Sportswriters in Arkansas. Not that I necessarily disagree with them on scores but the fact that we (and I believe ‘we’ is 90% of the fan base) started the season with such high hopes and now it has turned into something pretty dismal. I have to say my feelings for the game of football have changed over the past few years as a Hog fan, seems rarely anything good happening over the past decade. It changed even further this week as I have watched my wonderful 16 yr. old son have to undergo knee reconstruction (ACL and meniscus) because of this game, and it made me realize the true impact this game can have on everyone. God bless the kids playing this game…
I don’t recall many with high hopes for this season but most thought better than 1 win after 3 games. Me included.
Yes you’re correct about ‘high’ hopes, just maybe more optimistic than the past few seasons…
I think the high hopes were qualifying for a bowl game… which underscores where the program has fallen to.
I haven’t really looked at the predictions. I think you can ask Gus what he wants the score to be and that will be pretty close. We have no way of offering any real resistance to Auburn. We are way too slow, have no QB, Oline, or WRs, and a defense that is below average at best. Oh yes, a poor kicking game as well. Aurburn on the other hand is a true SEC team (we are blow rent-a-win).
It will hurt too much to watch. I will glance a little maybe. Wake me up when Arkansas decides to field a football team.
I wouldn’t think anyone would be stunned by picks that have Auburn beating Arkansas easily after what we’ve all seen the first few weeks of this season. What WOULD be stunning is to see a pick for Arkansas to beat the Tigers. How many times do 30 point favorites lose at home?
As for how “optimistic” our fans were, I think most expected something akin to a .500 season. The way I’d put it, more realistic, objective folks were predicting 4 or 5 wins, while the more “optimistic” fans projected 7 or maybe 8 wins. Personally, I was in the “4 - maybe 5” camp. And - yes - that would have included wins over CSU and N. Texas (both of which I also posted were real threats to beat us).
But over the years/decades, I have noticed a “Pollyanna” syndrome among at least half of our fans. It’s cyclical - you can see it building between spring training and the start of the season. In that time, these folks start rationalizing every shortcoming on the team, hypothesizing ways that these shortcomings might be overcome or even turned into positives . . . and then, they delude themselves into believing (first) that something like that not only can happen, but that it’s likely to happen. They go on to do this for shortcoming after shortcoming (ie. O line, QB, kicker, etc.) until they talk themselves into thinking that all of them will turn out in a best-case scenario.
They forget that they did the same thing last summer (and the summer before), and then are surprised and dismayed when the player they thought would set the world on fire last season does pretty much what he did last year (not much). Or, that the prized recruit they believed would come in as a freshman and dominate in the SEC as he did in High School - doesn’t. Sure, there are some exceptions. Many players do get better over time. And, occasionally, an incoming freshman does make a pretty big splash. But, overall, players tend to be who they are and improve gradually year to year, not spectacularly. And most freshmen play sparingly, if at all, their first year on campus. Again - most.
I am not surprised at all with where we are right now. It is on the low end of how i thought we might play (and it’s still early, I’ll caution). But I never expected us to go Bowling. It was always going to be a transition year from one set of offensive and defensive schemes to another, and - frankly - of weeding out players that didn’t want to make the transition. The major work that’s being done today is in recruiting players for next season - both ON our current team, and from HS and Juco. The best way to look at this season is to consider it an extended Spring training, with live competition.
By the way, sorry to hear about your son. As a guy who’s had 5 knee operations - including two ACL’s - I know it’s not fun, and it’s discouraging. At least he’s got the benefit of current technology instead of “Theodoric of York” back in the day, when I had mine.
at this point we feel that we don’t ever want him to play again - but that will be a decision he will make. I believe that we were all hopeful for 6-7 wins but knew the reality was probably somewhere else. How in the hell did Bret B., whom we thought to be a very good coach end up absolutely destroying our team from the inside out…
postings (and really enjoyed) I never thought that I would see him totally lose faith in the program. A stark example of how even the most devout Hog fan(s) are feeling these days. Can only go up from here - I hope
I thought we’d win 5 or possibly 6 but figured we’d be fun to watch on offense. Knew after Eastern Illinois we were in for a very, very difficult season. If there are two less talented QBs in the country on a P5 team I’d like to see them.
I will always be a Hog. No worries there. Yet this is far to painful to watch. I think the guys are trying. We also must remember that our coaches asked (begged) all of these players to come here and for that I thank them and support them. It is not their fault that they are not SEC players or worse, they were not developed.
The game last week showed just how bad we are. NTS was faster, more physical, and just plain better. That should not happen (thanks Brett). We would do well to finish mid CUSA or Mt. West. No doubt at all where we stack up in the SEC.
Must recruit linemen. I see DLs in the next class. Need some OL. I asked Chad Morris about that a few weeks ago. He said there is a need for more OL, but he said over signing in the DL is a good way to solve that. He said speed in DL signees can move to OL. I do know that it’s hard to rely on young offensive linemen. It is possible to play younger players on defense.