I really like the new staff and the emphasis on speed. As we all know, Bielema was a “big boy” football kind of guy and everything seemed to be designed around the extra large and [supposedly] strong, from the biggest offensive line in all of football to a 6’7" 270 pound quarterback. The results speak for themselves. Have a hunch there’s going to be a lot of cardio work and weight loss in Fayetteville during the offseason. Speed kills.
Not intended to minimize the official Hawg Lounge member predictions of HA’s poll during the season, I would be interested to get a view from hog brothers and sisters with an offseason prediction, on a game to game basis for 2018.
Personally, I think the offense will be much improved and believe Cole Kelly will be severely pushed at quarterback. If Chavis can make the defense modestly better and special teams crank it up a notch, the schedule favors a much better season, in my opinion.
2018 Arkansas Football Schedule Predictions
Sept. 1 – EASTERN ILLINOIS W
Sept. 8 – at Colorado State W
Sept. 15 – NORTH TEXAS W
Sept. 22 – at Auburn L
Sept. 29 – vs. Texas A&M (Arlington, Texas) W
Oct. 6 – ALABAMA L
Oct. 13 – OLE MISS W
Oct. 20 – TULSA W
Oct. 27 – VANDERBILT W
Nov. 3 – Open Date
Nov. 10 – LSU L
Nov. 17 – at Mississippi State L
Nov. 24 – at Missouri W
Several of these games could flip either way, including A&M and LSU after an open date at home, but for the most part, I think Morris and company deliver and subject to change before HA’s poll in the fall:
I agree with you, and with Coach Chavis at the defensive controls, his knowledge of SEC West opponent’s offensive identities, we could be 9-10 wins possibilities…the glass is half full Razorback fans…the defense will be a philosophy rebuild, but the offense with all the complexity of formations, teaching receivers to run open may take a few games at game speed to improve before our beloved SEC opponents arrive for a new kind of Arkansas Razorbacks…how many more days?
Record 9-3 Losses = Auburn
Alabama
LSU…this game could be our 10th win, after bye week!
I don’t expect a miraculous turnaround in year one, but bowl eligibility should be attainable with the schedule we have.
How long will it take for Coach Morris to evaluate the QB that will lead his style of offense will be first order of business, personally I have doubts that it will be Cole Kelley. Key to the offenses success will be the evaluation of what O-linemen currently on the roster will fit his schemes, I believe we will see several different players in the starting lineup next season.
Finally, which receivers have the type of speed he needs to be successful, most had problems getting separation from the defender last season.
Defense will probably be back in a base 4-3 with some modifications depending on the ingame situation. We are going to be relying most likely on several young, but talented DB’s and corners while the LB’s should be pretty strong at least the starters. We are going to need guys like Guidry and Marshall to become grown men along the defensive line along with a strong season from Agim, Capps.
A more detailed focus on special teams is a must from this point forward which has been a glaring weakness the past couple of seasons.
I don’t take the trip to Colorado State as a certain victory, but we should be able to handle our business with Eastern Illinois and North Texas at Home.
H-Eastern Illinois-Win @Colorado St.-Toss up game
H-North Texas-Win @Auburn-Loss
Texas A&M-Toss up game @ Arlington @Alabama-Loss
H-Ole Miss-Win
H-Tulsa-Win
H-Vanderbilt-Win
Bye
H-LSU- Loss @Miss St.-Toss up game @Missouri-Toss up game
So, I see 5 games that we should be able to win and if we can at least find 2 wins in these Toss up games then we could get to 7-5 and get to a bowl game which I believe would be realistic for year one with all the changes in scheme on both sides of the line of scrimmage while playing a bunch of young guys with little experience.
Any victory total above 7 I believe would be tremendous.
We will get better and better as the season goes along. We should start 3-0 and then the SEC Wars begin. I do not like picking the SEC games because anything can happen and usually does.
Hard nose defense is what I want to see out of our hogs! The record isn’t as important to me as what type of heart the team plays with.
My overall thought on the record would be 5-7 or 6-6.
I would observe that - on offense, many of these kids ran similar (spread-like) offenses in HS. Expecting that the change from 3YCD (3 yards and a cloud of dust) to the spread won’t be too much of an issue.
Since just about anything is better of defense, having the D going against a working spread (not the less talented backups simulating a spread) during the spring and late summer will have positive impacts on how the defense thinks and reacts.
Sept. 1 – EASTERN ILLINOIS W
Sept. 8 – at Colorado State W
Sept. 15 – NORTH TEXAS W
Sept. 22 – at Auburn L
Sept. 29 – vs. Texas A&M (Arlington, Texas) L
Oct. 6 – ALABAMA L
Oct. 13 – OLE MISS W
Oct. 20 – TULSA W
Oct. 27 – VANDERBILT W
Nov. 3 – Open Date
Nov. 10 – LSU W
Nov. 17 – at Mississippi State W
Nov. 24 – at Missouri W
Not sure but who’s brilliant idea was it to schedule a road game to Colorado State when we get beat at home by teams like Toledo. Not smart. Nothing to gain.
That’s what happens when Michigan pulls out at the last minute and leaves us with a scheduling hole. The best Arkansas could do was Colorado State and a road trip at that. Hard to put that on Long or any other athletic administrator.
I agree it is way too early… still trying to determine if I’m “half-empty” or “half-full”…
“Half-empty” me says… transition will be difficult given disparity of styles… new DC is coming off stint at Tx A&M where his defenses were mediocre to bad and they had more talent than he’ll have in his new job… new HC appears to be an up and comer, but his experience as a head coach was not at an SEC level… and he’s brought a bunch of people with him that have even less experience… oh yea, the recruiting haul for this year is likely to be so insignificant we won’t even debate its ranking… Looks like 3-5 wins (at best) and no bowl.
“Half-full” me says… we finally have the mindset for modern day offense… and “the best DC” in the country… and our HC is an acclaimed recruiter with a staff full of close ties in Texas HS football… so without CBB and JL to hold us back… the sky is the limit (long term) and we’ll be bowling again in 2018 with 7-9 wins in CCMs first year.
In fairness to CCM, we should all hold our tongues for at least a year… and just watch and root for the hogs. We won’t know the answers to the most important questions for at least that long… will his offense work in the SEC? can the new DC succeed with a fast paced offense potentially NOT controlling the clock? can we recruit the type of players to be successful with the new style of play? how much of the existing roster can help? I’ll probably have a hard time being silent too, but this will likely take a while… or more.
Which brings me to my biggest fear and most likely prediction… however long it takes for CCM and staff to rebuild a roster to their liking and gain a first hand understanding for what its like in the SEC (and then adjust accordingly), I’m afraid it will not be soon enough for the impatience of our fan base… and we’ll start this do-loop all over again. Understand, that is NOT what I’m hoping for, but it does seem to me to be the pattern now days.
So I’m rooting for CCM to turn it around… and quickly before the wolves start circling again… GHG!
i foresee no reliable, concrete reason to expect an abrupt upgrade in Hogs football fortunes over the course of the next two years. That would be a wonderful development, - - but I won’t realistically count on it.
Whether the Hogs run the “spread"offense”, the “pro style” offense or the “hike the ball and hope for the best” offense- - - along with the "4-3 defense, the 3-4 defense or the “snort, stomp, plow straight ahead and hope for the best” defense, - - - the same basic roster of players will be playing, and not a one of the new coaches can go out onto the playing field and play even a single down of football.
I’m TRULY hoping for “the best” for our guys come next September; - - - - - - - (but I’m not realistically EXPECTING “the best”). I DO, however have an increased measure of hope for overall program improvement, - - following the disheartening past two seasons of program regression, disillusionment and utter disappointment.
For those of you that are predicting an 8 or 9 win regular season record against 3 or 4 losses I hope that you are correct, but honestly I believe if that happens then Coach Morris should be named NCAA Coach of the Year!
One poster even said 9-10 wins, seriously?
We all love our Razorbacks, but we have to be realistic these type of win totals probably won’t happen this quickly.
Those predicting this quick turn around are placing wins against LSU, Texas A&M, Ole Miss and @ Missouri to end the season. I like you would love to see that happen, but in year one I don’t see that as a likely outcome.
My expectation is that we can get to bowl eligibility with 6 wins and the ceiling I believe is 7 regular wins. If we exceed 7 wins then hand Coach Morris that Coach of the Year Trophy.
We will all no much more after we see how well the Offense handles the transition to the new style of play.
I expect the defense to be much improved, but the offense can’t put them on the field for the bulk of the game minutes.
These predictions were made quite a long time ago, I’ve been waiting for HogAuthority to post his annual thread. He hasn’t yet. I think with what I’ve seen with the practice reports, no separation in the QB race, and no stand outs at either WR or DB (at least that has been reported) my prediction as of today is 6-6 (and I think we lose the bowl game).