June Football Start

Come June, ALL of the 2019 football player personnel will supposedly be present and accounted for on campus - and involved in the “Summer conditioning” program.

How much of an upswing in talent level and proficiency do you expect to realize from the incoming freshmen and transfer players? How much better, overall, do you think we will be in June - - as opposed to how we currently stand? At what current positional needs do you anticipate seeing the most significant increase in talent and productivity?

To what degree will the newcomers be difference makers?

OK: - - - - - -

Well, then: - - - - - is the pretty cheerleader that the male cheerleaders toss somersaulting and jackknifing high up into the air and catching in a blanket the originally-termed “Tight End”? :?:

Friends, for well over sixty years

The Razorbacks (NOT the Texas Steers)

Have been my primary college football staple

Our recent football fortunes have tanked

And Hogs football has been soundly spanked

But our 2019 record’s still perfect in April

                      :)

Hi Silver Fox.

My right wing friends say no new deal is good. I hope they are wrong.

Well, you might keep in mind this philosophical truism; - - if “The Old Deal” had still been working well for us, then there would have been no need for a “New Deal”.

Sometimes, - - when the conditions under “The Old Deal” degenerate so badly, - - it takes a while just to halt the Hell-bound Elevator’s descent into the subbasement. Then it takes a bit longer to get that elevator headed back up past all of the ground that was lost.

It took us a while to bottom out. Getting back to a competitive level is not going to happen with only one season under the belts of the performers under “The New Deal”. - - - - But at least we’re headed back UP now, - - instead of DOWN.

Hang in there.

                                                                       8-)

We won’t know if we’re headed back up until some real results are seen. It’s like being in an elevator that’s malfunctioning; the door closes, it jerks and shakes and makes noises, but when the door opens, you’re still on the same floor. That said, I’m optimistic about improvement, but don’t think we’re headed for the penthouse quite yet.

Granted, we won’t see “the proof in the pudding” results of the upgrade until we are well into this coming season. However, based upon the solid advances in both recruiting results, - and in the coaching acquisitions, - I am very hopeful of seeing marked overall improvement THIS YEAR.

From where I sit, our greatest hope is that last year was a combination of poor coaching, poor athletes and a general attitude of failure. If it was talent only, we are not going to do much better for a couple years if then. If it was coaching, that will show up so I hope it was some of all. Personally if we do not win five games, we are not going anywhere soon.

My only quibble with your post is your seeming signed and sealed verdict of “poor coaching” for last season. Morris’ progressively better record at SMU does not appear to bear out that perhaps premature critical judgment at this juncture.

One might take an old mule out and run him until he drops - from dawn’s early light until dusk - every single day of his life, - and the mule will NEVER win The Kentucky Derby. The expectation of such an accomplishment is both unreasonable and unattainable for the mule; - - - REGARDLESS of who his sponsor and trainer might be.

I believe we will be 4-8 (0-8 SEC). I believe to build us right, it will be a slow rebuild. Next year (2021) I expect 6-6 (and a bowl), the year after (2022) we go 8-4, then 10-2 and so on. I’m really not expecting five or more this year because of Bob’s statement about all three. I think all three were issues last year, and it’ll still affect us this year.

If the Hogs should experience three close-scoring games this coming season, - and blow all three (particularly in the 4th quarter), - then that sad state of affairs will accentuate an ongoing problem stemming back to the last two Bielema years. Yes, Norris must shoulder some of the blame (this is HIS program now), - - but he didn’t get us into this mess, - - and it is not possible for him - or anyone else - to instantaneously get us out of it.

I agree, BUT there are a lot of fans that think a coach should win immediately regardless of talent or lack there of, and if they don’t they should be fired and replaced by someone that can