How Ya’ll Hawgs,
TCU in Fayetteville may be a win for the Hogs this year; but elephants and coaches have long memories, and Gary Patterson was none too happy about it. Granted, some say the Frogs are a middle-of-the-road team in the Big-12. However, I think you can throw every prediction out of the 3rd floor window; containing Kenny Hill breakouts will always be key to shutting down teams like TCU. Hill is not that good of a quarterback. I think he is an arrogant sob. But in every loss last year, we often looked like casper milquetoast, unable to contain quarterbacks taking off on designed plays.
In fact, I recall us looking really contrived on defense against teams like Missouri and VaTech, when we would almost forecast our linebackers would be covering tight ends across the middle…with no one honoring the QB. They ate our lunch because we refused to or were unable to adjust.
Will leave it open for comments on this and other adjustments the 3-4 might offer our defense. But in my burned butt opinion, having the leverage to shut down “happy feet” QBs like Hill could be a least one difference-maker between a 10-3 and a 7-6 season. What’s yours?
Getting to 10 wins. That means potential wins over A&M and Auburn in addition to overcoming TCU, SC, MState, and Missouri who will ALWAYS BE GAME and will be the Hogs (or CBB’s) make or break game in terms of striving for a certain win goal for the season IMO. The Hogs lost the last two of the three in undoubtedly fashion like the A&M game for the past three years that did affect the “what should have been” wins goals and fans’ optimistic wins projections.
As far as the 3-4, I believe that we may not yet be physical enough to hold Auburn from scoring so hopefully we outscore them at home this time now the Hogs may have more speed out of the backfield and out on the edges at wide out. The T A&M game could be different with those two defensive ends and star track receiver gone on the NFL. So I do say that with added speed on the offense and more experienced offensive line that the Hogs could outscore T A&M who might be able to put another physical offensive line on the field.
The 3-4 I beleive will neutralize “happy feet” QBs but yet still leave us bit exposed to the more and complete physical offensive teams with physical backs such as LSU and Alabama as they will be national title contenders again but still we are closing this gap again. I am very excited RE our coverage secondary with at least two or three very talented frshman corners (and a safety) that could probably get into the mix at some point this season in addition to the three or four SEC standouts of Pulley, Toliver, Britt, and Kevin Richardson. But teams including Alabama and LSU will have to beat the Hogs up front at the line of scrimmage and/or over the top in my opinion in this new 3-4 scheme and STILL may have to outscore the Hogs in order to win.
The added speed at LB will help make the 3-4, but they will have to stop the run in the SEC. The TCU gm will be a lot like last year’s but Hill is in a fight for his job by a real passing QB fr Robinson who enrolled at semester and was stated to red shit but because of transfer The running backs will be much better and take some pressure off whomever is QB. so the 2nd gm will be a telling sign for the rest of the season for the HOGS/
The key to the 3-4 is having a NT take up more than one lineman which frees LBs to make plays. That would be Bijon and Capps. Agim will be doubled if the NT can’t get pressure. Agim needs to be able to do his thing.
Makes it a little nervous hearing that walkons like Haydn Henry and Grant Morgan making waves. Not to take anything away from them, but they are walkons. Another thing is Greenlaw continues to heal and is kept nursing his health. He needs to be out there.
Our offense with those new WRs need to click and that Oline better be Much improved for our offense to be able to stay on the field.
In my estimation, the “proof” of the difference that may be realized by the switch to the 3/4 defense will be the W-L record and the defensive statistics generated at the end of the season. Should Arkansas have another 7-6 - or 8-5 season - ending up ranked 122nd in the nation in defensive statistics - I would probably have to conclude with an assessment of “not much”. - - - We shall see.
The “proof” will not be determined by the showcased results of our own preseason, internal scrimmages; - - but rather by the posted results of head-to-head match up statistics garnered against SEC juggernaut offenses.
I think we will find out that it’s the Jimmies and Joes that matter for the Razorbacks. There may be some up side with the new DC because the players like and respect him.
But the players who couldn’t get the job done last year. . .will they just magically become world-beaters at stopping the run, inside and around end? Will the front seven be able to pressure the QB to help the DBs? Will anybody be able to get off a block? Will anyone be able to tackle?
If all these questions have a positive answer then the Razorbacks could be substantially improved.
But as someone said earlier, it’s still fall practice and I’m certainly not convinced we will be any better just because we installed a new D and put a few more players with speed on the field.
You ask some very good questions and come to the right conclusion: We’ll see in the games, not in the fall practices. An improved (not great) defense could make a huge difference, and I think that’s possible, if not probable.