Coach B doesn’t seem to get that speed is king in the SEC. He’s had plenty of time to recruit, but from what I see speed is not a priority. Maybe it is his Big Ten background or maybe it is the smashmouth offense he prefers to run. Team speed is essential to win in the SEC. Sure you need big boys, but our team speed, especially on defense, is sorely lacking.
Coach B doesn’t seem to get that if he is going to run a smashmouth offense in the SEC-W you’d better have some serious studs on the OL. Developing 3-stars and walkons won’t work in this league. You need to start with four- and five-star talent and coach them up. The defensive lines in the B10 aren’t nearly as big, quick and athletic – not to mention deep – in the SEC. The only way the power offense will work is to have better blockers than the defenders you are facing. Arkansas won’t be able to bring in those studs in the numbers it will take to have a great offense week in, week out.
What do you say coach B doesn’t get?
I respectfully disagree on both counts.
He has addressed the lack of speed and is fully aware of the need to get more in his recruiting. The current recruiting class has a high emphasis on speed and recruiting classes moving forward will as well.
Offensive linemen tend to develop more slowly. His problem isnt the stars, its the numbers. He didn’t recruit enough and has called himself out for that. The quality of our offensive linemen is fine.
He has to build depth through recruiting and that takes a bit of time.
Like Gentry, I disagree with you on both counts.
“You need to start with four- and five-star talent and coach them up.”
This is what I don’t get from fans. It really seems a lot of fans think recruiting 4 and 5 star is just a piece of cake and we should be getting them in by the droves. It simply doesn’t work that way. We are a state that doesn’t produce many D1 talents. We are surrounded by states that produce more talent but a lot go to already big time power teams or stay home. So we have to take underappreciated talent and build them up. It’s just the way it is, till we get to be consistent high win percentage team.
GH. I agree. We have to start landing some strong talent especially on the defensive side of the ball. It is apparent that SPEED is lacking along with talent at the LB position. Coaching these guys up is great but having that talent there makes it sweeter.
Yep, General we have to get what we can and then break through the ceiling with a finish in the top ten. THAT IS POSSIBLE with this staff. The next two games should put us at 8-4 and that is a year-over-year improvement. We should beat both Miss.St. and Missouri without thrillers. HOGS YA’LL.