What a remarkable OT, given our porous defense, lackluster offensive play-calling and errors all in the second half. Until the OT it looked like we mailed it in once we got to 38.
That’s what I’d like to see more of next season.
With all do respect, what exactly were the lack luster plays that were called ?
Guess I don’t know much because I did not see the play calling as being a big problem. We had two scoring opportunities that we missed, the first being the interception in the end zone that it seems Sam thought was pass interference and the second was the non-fumble fumble that would have likely put the game away. A few wrong reads on passes and knocked down attempts, that KJ probably needs to work on to round out his skill set, stalled some drives. There is play calling and then there is play execution, seems the majority of the calls were ok and the execution, while pretty good, missed a few times where we could have really put pressure on Kansas.
1 Like
I guess somebody on the staff has been reading this board!
KJ threw some slant passes! Not sure what the completions were but we tried!
Thought the reverse was a ridiculous call, and the fumble was arguably caused by the ground. But considering the collapse and immediately going down 7 in OT which made it look bleak, thought it was outstanding that the Hogs overcame and won the game. I’ll take it!
Well, it looked to me like our coaches called off the dogs.
That is remarkable to struggle all year trying to get started quick only to pull back when you finally do–have to assume you can just turn it on and off like light switch. Keep doing it until they show you they can stop it , do not make it easy for them and hard for yourselves. You get what you emphasize and practice.
So I agree to some extent… but what I see is that it appears that the coaches want to do is play bully ball to ice the game or to shorten the offensive time or possession for the competing team… and I know this might not be popular, but to me the difference in “keeping” control of the game last night , and was the reason we failed in multiple close games this year… when we need it, absolutely have to have it, our OL and TEs can’t get it… I’ve seen it time and time again …
1 Like
I think it was excellent call, did you see that Kansas had that box stacked? Also, that was a NOT a fumble, the replay proved it, we can’t help PAC-12 referee’s complete incompetence. Game should have been over at this point and can’t believe the Hogs survived despite the obvious goat*******.
3 Likes
I can agree with your view of the play , but the point can also be made that time and distance might dictate a more conservative run play to set up the field goal attempt. This in all likelihood eliminates the probability of Kansas tying the game.
3 Likes
They were out of timeouts, two plays before, the 43 yd pass was the kill shot IMO. Huddle up, run the clock and run the ball 3 times, nothin’ fancy, kick the field goal. Even if you miss it, they get the ball back under a minute, behind 15.
I just thought it was out of character for Pittman, who basically said he made the call at the presser.
But this is an AFTER THE FACT critique…
They weren’t going to run it up the middle with success, did you see how stacked the box was and how many plays up the middle got stopped in the second half? Also, how far would that field goal attempt have been then? If he missed it then that would be a pretty short field to go down and score for Kansas.
My larger point is that despite being someone who has been the camera operator on countless games for ESPN, CBS sports, ABC sports pre-disney, etc as sideline op, Highspeed Camera op for MLB, Box lens op on a Chapman, etc in in my career that anyone without this experienced eye could see on that replay that the elbow/arm was in solid contact with the ground, the ball was still cradled and under control until it popped out due to hitting the ground. He was down, there should have been no question, but incompetence came to the rescue once again. I would have loved to hear the howling on comms with the crew. The game should have been over at this point… And it should have been over with the BS targeting call.
I know we are all frustrated and rightly so, but don’t let incompetence change the facts.
My points still stand, the referee’s obvious incompetence changed the game. The same ref who was suspended for incompetence for a game on 2019, the dude has a history.
3 Likes
No success needed. But a W is a W. 
NIL doesn’t bother me, massive incompetence with referees in a multi billion dollar industry bothers the hell out of me and needs to be seriously addressed.
2 Likes
The officials incompetence and bad calls made the game much more enjoyable— without their sloppy officiating we would not have had the excitement of the overtime— I’m glad they were lousy
1 Like
I thought it was an excellent call too. Perhaps it’s an issue of two other WRs moving on and not playing? But, also an issue of not holding the ball with both hands as he was being tackled.
Where I can agree with your other thread and with your comment here is that our O-line isn’t really good at bully ball. When the defense knows what we are going to do, they stack the box and we just aren’t good enough to be effective in that way. Few teams are. But, when they have to respect the run and the pass, the finesse blocking is good enough that we move the ball and can score. This is the reason why I get so frustrated when CSP does it. He’s not playing to the strength of the team but rather playing to his situational philosophy. One we are not good at.
1 Like
And the 20/20 hindsight (for all) is that we won.
It doesn’t matter if you think the coaching staff got comfortable when the Hogs put its 38th point on the scoreboard or not.
The point is that players and coaches should try to score as many points possible in every game until it’s “Victory Formation” time.
Arkansas has to develop a killer instinct and don’t currently have it.
As for many in this thread referring to “Officiating Incompetence” during the game I disagree.
It wasn’t “Incompetence”, it was “Bias” on blatant display for the entire world to see.
It was on display after the game and this morning on all of the Sports Networks as well. No one called out the miscalled plays by biased officials and replay officials because they got a thrilling and dramatic bowl game for once this bowl season before the best attended game to date.
It was a sickening display of lack of integrity within the officiating community in College Sports last night!
2 Likes