Out played and Out coached

Two observations about the game today. CBB CLEARY was out coached in the second half. Not being prepared for a fake punt from a team with nothing to lose is inexcusable. Mizzous coach was clearly more animated and enthusiastic for his team. Second observation is that like most of you, I have watched Razorback football for decades and this is the worst defense Arkansas has put on the field that I have ever seen. Can’t stop the run or pass. Tackling fundamentals are practically nonexistent, and no team speed. If CBB doesn’t replace his DC, then he should be called out on it. Not calling for CBB job, but if the defense doesn’t improve next year, he will be on the hot seat the next year. Your thoughts?

I, too, have been watching the Hogs for decades, 6 to be exact. Yes, this is the worst defense I’ve ever seen. Inconsistent and, for some reason, not willing to man up. It’s like they go through the motions that they have been coached to do, but without much passion and effort. It’s too easy to knock them around, especially the DBs and DEs. At the start of the season, I predicted a 6-6 or 7-5 year, given the inexperience of the O-line and the lack of speed on defense. I also predicted that they would lose one of their last two games, both being on the road. I hate it when I’m right. Anyway … the Hogs aren’t gonna come home with a trophy, but at least there is one recognition they’ll earn: the worst defense in the SEC. And they won’t even have to wait till after a bowl game to win it. Missouri’s not even going to a bowl. So, congrats, Hogs. Hope you’re able to man up, get fired up, and show up for a worse team than you in a bad bowl. Or, are we headed for more embarrassment?

Coach B should elect to not go to a bowl. Players do not deserve to go, along with the coaching staff.

I also don’t want them to go to a bowl but the SEC might force us. We’d be throwing money away and they don’t care if we lose!

Completely agree with posts. Worst defense I have ever seen at UofA. No heart and soul. Coaches are clueless. Complete lack of fundamentals. DC must go, and if CBB can’t see that then we will be talking about his job next year – after what will surely be another mediocre year.

I would really like not to go to a bowl. But in this college football world, that isn’t going to happen. They probably aren’t going to have enough 6 win teams, much less let a “7 win” team stay home.

I honestly think this may be the worst 7 win team in college football in years and years. We are just bad.

Yep, the defense stinks and the DC has got to go! Hope CBB changes his mind about his initial response to that question. HOGS YA’LL.

Yep, CBB got out-coached by himself by not going for two field goals instead of going for it on fourth down, We kick the two goals and I say we win the game 30-28. HOGS YA’LL.

I remember Smith’s first year when we had one of the best defenses in the nation, and the fans were calling him a great DC who should be given whatever he wants to stay. Ah, what a difference different players make. It just goes to show that good players make good coaches and not the other way around.

I agree with the out-coached and out-played part.

But I am curious how one gets to be the decider on whether a team is deserving of a bowl?

If you don’t go to the bowl, you can not have the 15 developmental practices.

The practices that will allow redshirts like quarterback Cole Kelly, WRs Jordan Jones and Kofi Boateng, OL Paul Ramirez, Deion Malone and Jake Heinrich, DL Briston Guidry and Jonathan Marshall, linebackers Alexy Jean-Baptiste, Dee Walker and Giovanni LaFrance, CB Bitto Tutt, Safeties Micaah Smith and Deon Edwards and others to get much-needed reps that you just can’t get during game weeks.

There is always a bigger picture.

I am in agreement with the Bowl Game benefits observation Dudley. What is your view of the team for next season? 9-3 or 10-2 or something else based on players and coaches. I see possibly 9-3 with losses at probably Alabama,Auburn,and Ta&m. I think we can/should beat everybody else. What say you? HOGS YA’LL.

Not knowing who will be the coaches or the players just yet, I would hazard to guess.

I mean if Ragnow came back the offensive line would be better, if he doesn’t I’m not sure it will.

Who are going to be the last signs?

Are there going to be new defensive coaches?

Is there a grad transfer that could help at a need position?

That’s just too many variables.

There are a lot of variables besides just a change in players that could explain the statistical plunge in this Robb Smith directed defense. The change of many defensive assistants that surround him, Randy Shannon is the most notable one gone. Smith plays a conservative defensive scheme, rarely blitzing and big cushions off the line of scrimmage on receivers often very noticeable. Perhaps his schemes were just more aggressive on arrival.

There is a lot of aspects to coaching as with tapping into a youthful athlete’s psyche and providing the motivational impetus to overpower an opposing athlete of near identical strength. Many coaches or men as they really are just cannot bridge that gap, some due to generational differences and others just because they are not motivationally driven within their own selves. The latter could be what happened to Smith within his stay here.

Whatever, you must have good motivational coaching to inspire these athletes no matter their skills. Without motivation, the best athlete in these days & times can succumb to the many distractions more pleasurable than the vicious physically draining grind out on a college football field. Maintaining that focus is hard in this present day society. It takes a good football coach.

You are shooting a little to high there. Back-ups never got in enough to get game time experience. I honestly see us doing just as bad or worse then this season. Plus our coaches do not know how to adjust.

DC has to be changed I would think and the D retooled to play against today’s spread offense that has become so popular, if Kentucky can stop Louisville why can’t we stop someone? Also the kicking game has to become a weapon instead of a liability for us to win consistently. We need to continue to coach up and add depth at the O-line and we could be very good offensively next year I would think especially if Frank stays on for another season. Love our Hogs but some changes have to be made to become competitive in this conference and the inconsistency has to be fixed,WPS

I guess we out played and out coached Florida - the SECE Champs.

What about Oregon, Texas, Notre Dame, Miss. State., Ole Miss, Michigan State, and probably more who all had losing seasons this year with coaches who had all won big in the past? How did they all go from being good motivators to being not such good ones all within a year or a few year’s time? If coaching mattered as much as most people think it does, then such huge swings by pretty much all coaches should not be happening. What other activity of skill do people’s ability to do it come and go so wildly and for seemingly no reason? I just don’t buy the idea that a coach can be really good, then lose their ability to do it for a year or two, and then maybe the skill just comes back and they’re good at it again. If Shannon can make such a huge difference at just being a linebackers coach, then he should be in about his 10th straight 12 win season as Miami’s head coach.