The defense was one of two glaring weaknesses on a week-to-week improving team last year (placekicking was the other embarrassment). Looks like we’ve finally fixed placekicking (thanks, McFain!). O-line is suffering–as expected–with 3 new starters. But the defense is going backwards in spite of 9 returning starters and improved play at corners. Bielema can take over defense himself, or turn it over to Rhoads, or even get Austin Allen’s daddy to come out of retirement and do better than this. Passive sets, non-responsive to formations, and poor personnel development doesn’t bode well for coach Smith. Why wait until he gives Florida its best offensive game of the season. Make the change now in the bye week. It’s not going to get better over there until we see hapless Mizzou’s offense.
I agree totally. The defense was out of position all night. And on most of the big plays they have given up all season it looked like the alignment was just poorly schemed. CRS has 2 weeks to right the ship or I feel a change is in order.
I agree with most of what has been said. My question is who would we get to replace Smith if that change is made.
Apparently, Bielema and Mark Stoops are good friends, but since Kentucky won last night, he might have saved his job. If not, I would be fine with him.
Who could we reasonably get? Or could we promote Rhodes?
Don’t think it matters much who takes over the defense,they cannot do worse. We just set records for futility in this game. Most yds given up by ranked SEC team EVER!! Hogs are the laughing stock of the SEC right now.We may be up to mIssouri’s standards but thats about it!
I don’t personally know how many DCs we have on staff but know one thing, we have one less than everyone thinks because the current one doesn’t have a clue. In almost all of Auburn’s long runs, the runner was never touched must less hit. If you think yesterday was bad, we lose fourteen starters next year, or sixteen if Ragnow and Allen leave early. Hold on to your hats, Hog fans, it is going to be rough the next two years.
To consistently have alignment issues on defense each Saturday can only be blamed on the D-Coordinator not getting the job done during the week of preparation. We haven’t been able to set an edge with this squad all season.
Unfortunately, if changes aren’t made soon then we could find ourselves fighting for bowl eligibility once again during the final two weeks.
If you watched LSU manhandle Ole Miss last night on the line of scrimmage,that does not bode well for our picking up a win even at home against them.
The challenge with our beating Florida is the fact that across the board they simply have better talent than we have.
Don’t get me wrong I hope that we can at least pull off a split with these last two home games, but let’s be honest that it’s possible we won’t.
People like to think that recruiting stars don’t really matter, but if you look at the programs that consistently get the 4-5 star athletes and the consistent success those programs deliver it proves that star ratings do matter.
So, until Arkansas can convince those 4-5 star recruits that Arkansas is a destination worthy of their time and career aspirations we will continue to be a 8 win program.
We need a DC who knows talent, can coach and recruit. We need to hire Butch Davis!
Completely agree with the assessments posted. Smith needs to go – now! I feel like I’m watching a repeat of our defense in CBB’s first year. We have really taken some major steps backward this year. And, sadly it was evident the last several games of last year – we were simply able to outscore everyone.
CBB made some interesting comments in his post game presser. I think he has a lot of the same concerns about the defense as we do. Things like “if we are asking players to do things they can’t physically achieve”. And that we have to look long and hard at ourselves as coaches, and see if our schemes are going to work.
Honestly, if a change of DC is to be made, this is the first guy I’d go for myself. 1. Because of issues at Miami and North Carolina, he’ll probably never be a head coach ever again. 2. He is a recognizable name for defense and recruiting, something I think we desperately need right now. I’m all for up and comers but in our situation, I believe we need a person everybody knows. 3. He has the same mentality about discipline as Bielema(I know the irony of that statement based on what happened at NC). Finally, he took average recruiting classes at NC and turned their defense into a power. Because we are Arkansas and who we recruit over other power recruiting bases, this is something we desperately need. Someone who can defensively review and develop talent to an elite level, and Butch Davis has proven that. Just my thoughts.
Now this is honestly a discussion in futility because we don’t know if Bielema will replace Robb Smith(history proves he probably won’t), but it is fun to discuss.
I am going to hold off intense criticism of Bielema until about this stage in one more season with chronic fundamental coaching problems that have plagued the program ever since he has been here. I am going to do so in the hope of improvement and for the sake of the general welfare of the program. However if Bielema leaves this staff totally intact after these terrible defensive displays. That is a very bad sign. It will just place additional blame on Bielema when the bad defensive play continues. He will justly deserve all criticism bestowed upon him next year if there is crummy football still again.
I couldn’t agree more with what you said. His knowledge of coaching defense on the college and pro level is second to none. He wanted this job when we hired CBB and he has to be tired working at ESPN and wants to get back on the field. Having him go into a living room of a recruit with his Super Bowl ring and NC ring from Miami should be instant credibility to our program. The million dollar question, will CBB swallow his pride and hire him?
I’m not necessarily critiquing Bielema, but Smith is slowly becoming a bust.
I don’t know if he wanted the job, but after North Carolina, he was damaged goods and we couldn’t afford another scandal after Petrino. Again, we don’t even know if Smith will be let go at this point, but I’m sure most people’s patience is wearing thin. And I would hope if Butch is a viable option that both Bielema and Jerry Jones can have some influence.
Am I the only one that thinks that the defense left when Randy Shannon left? 2014 top 10 defense. Shannon leaves and the decline began. Thought it was just because we were young. Wrong. This year has been just as bad if not worse than last year.
I agree whole heartedly about Butch Davis, he needs to be brought in as a consultant if not a D.C. He’s forgotten more than Smith knows. Sorry, I have always been supportive of the coaches and players of Arkansas, but A-State would whip our ass right now. Big time donors and others need to rattle Long’s chain, (oh yeah they’re afraid he may leave for Texas, I forgot). Let me shut up! Would Charley Strong would be a good hire, he’ll be looking for a new home next year if not sooner? Texas money are interested in the recruiting class coming in, I hear it has to be a top five class…
Anderson needs to go too, the O-Line is and has been dysfunctional. This far along in the season there should be a vast improvement.
What else can I say you haven’t said. It’ll be stressful this week and preparation for Florida, I like CBB but this ain’t the big ten. Too much talk, not enough action!!!
Will Arkansas be able to hold recruits?
You know what I want to see? I want to see WILD HOGS on defense and not big slow hogs. I want to see an intimidating in-your-face defense that is in the QB’s personal space for most of the game. We are trying to match the opposing offense-lets make them try to adjust to us and our speed and determination. CRS must change the scheme to be faster/tougher and so what if we give up a few big plays that’s better than getting butchered like swine. Let us wait and see what happens in the Florida game. We keep playing on defense not to loose-we should play to win! HOGS YA’LL.
I have no problem with anything you post. The radical aggressive defensive changes you suggest after the seemingly ‘dead on your feet’ and very conservative basic defensive schemes that Robb Smith continually fields is definitely worth a try. Surely after the sleep walking episode defensively displayed at Auburn in the last game.
However this reasoning seems rudimentary or simple especially when many successful college football teams around the country use those type aggressive defensive schemes to win. Why are feeble football knowledgeable blog board jockeys having to advise football coaches making hundreds of thousands and even millions concerning the head coach on how to coach this team?? Why does that seem to be so blatantly damn necessary?? THAT IS MY BIG PROBLEM WITH BIELEMA.