Way too Early 2018 Razorback Football Predictions

Hawg Lounge
#21

I honestly have no clue as to what to expect, after watching the first game last week. I’m fairly confidant that we stand a decent chance of going 3-0 in these first three games; - - but I’m very much afraid that the comeback train will derail as a result of the murderers’ row of very stiff, formidable SEC competition. A string of disheartening embarrassments could be be devastating to this rebuilding squad.

I most certainly hope for the best; - - but I simply don’t know what to expect for the season - - - based upon what I saw - and DIDN’T SEE - in the Eastern Illinois game.

#22

8-4, 9-3, bwaaaahahahahaha. Those were surely jokes.

#23

I hope you’re right, but I think you drank too much kool aide.

#24

Anyone that believed Missouri is going to be a win or a toss up game is not paying attention. Now that the season has started, the Hogs look very bad. Mizzou has yet to play a good team, bu they look to be very much improved whereas the Hogs are even worse than last year.

When B.B. was hired, hog fans just could not believe a coach from the weak Big 10 could win in the mighty SEC. His resume was a lot better than Chad Morris who did not come from even a major conference and his high water mark was 7 wins. Hog fans should have really been questioning this hire. Also I will add it is fine for the coach to go watch his son when the hogs play a home game. But when they travel he needs to be with the team. Using the excuse that he is a family man is stretching it. A family man also teaches his kids to take care of their obligations. His obligation was to be with his team when traveling. I don’t believe it cost the hogs the game but I do believe it was a mistake to think it does not matter to his players. It does.

#25

Care to revise your 2018 prediction?

#26

Clearly, I had my share [as well as a few other’s share] of kool aide when the fearless [and painfully wrong] forecast was made. :shock: At this point, it will be interesting to see how Morris and company respond. Everything starts with quarterback in the RPO offense and I would sure hope to see Noland, Jones and/or Hyatt get some quality PT. Unfortunately, Kelly and Storey are hopelessly miscast in this offense, in my opinion.

Recruiting can cure most issues, but given the horrendous 1-2 start, I think Morris must play kids from here forward with an eye on the future.

Go Hogs.

#27

[quote=“dwp007”]

I would sure hope to see Noland, Jones and/or Hyatt get some quality PT.

[/quote]You got you wish and we see how they did:
Interceptions, and mostly QB sacks and 3 and out. In time, they may be outstanding QBs; but, at this time, they are not ready.

#28

You may be spot on, my friend. Yet, it’s very difficult, especially at quarterback, to go into live game action and play well, particularly when you haven’t received any meaningful reps during practice.

Living in Texas, I haven’t had much of a chance to follow Connor Noland and I don’t know much about Daulton Hyatt. John Stephen Jones had a remarkable high school career and though undersized, has the competitive heart of a wild boar. Perhaps unfairly, there have been comparisons to Johnny Foosball and Baker Mayfield, both also a tad small, but tremendous athletes and competitors. Watching Jones in action and on film, it’s easy to understand the comparisons.

Honestly, I am hoping Ty Storey sets the plains ablaze this coming weekend, by handing off to a quality back on the read option, passing to a quality receiver or keeping the football to turn up field. I don’t believe Ty or Cole are wired for it, however, because neither are terribly athletic nor a threat running, but again, my hope is to be wrong.

Otherwise, I hope that Noland and Jones begin getting sustained, meaningful reps in practice and a legitimate opportunity to play.

Go Hogs.

#29

That’s funny, nothing worse than a kool aide hangover, most all of us drank a little to much. But this thing is not over yet as I sit here and sip slowly. WPS

#30

I admire your continued optimism, brother. Yet, unless Ty Storey can find some wheels, we may all be sipping from the kool aide bin on Saturday for a different reason - to help ease the pain. :shock:

Go Hogs.

#31

To effectively work at a high level, the Run/Pass Option offense MUST have a quarterback with the courage and ability to run the football. I’m not sure about the ability and his passing stats were way off, but Ty Storey seems to have the courage.

Go Hogs.

Ps. Why exactlly, is the referee review crew located in Birmingham, Alabama? No excuses, but the guys on the field called it, right. Fumble.

#32

Because of existing personnel, someone last week commented that Arkansas is trying to drive a race car with a tractor. :? Personally, I blame Bret Bielema in this regard, whose Big 10, “big boy” football was an overrated [and expensive] disaster in the SEC. The problem will eventually be corrected through recruiting, but the players are still bringing the fight, which under the circumstances, in my opinion, is impressive.

Growing pains are called such for a reason.

Go Hogs.

#33

BAD

Missed tackles. Not exactly a new problem.

Fumble at the goal line. It happens, but come on, Ty. Ball security goes back to pee wee football.

GOOD

A quarterback who seems to have the courage to run the football. Not sure about the skill, but the courage is there.

Number 5. Not exactly DMAC, but this dude [Boyd] is for real.

UGLY

We lost, again. And frankly, we may not win again this year.

FUTURE

As alluded to by Dudley Dawson and others, Chad Morris and staff can recruit.

Morris is a living legend among HS circles in Texas. In my opinion, he can coach, but needs his own players to be successful. You cannot win many drag car races sitting in a tractor.

CONCLUSION

As with everyone else on this board, I hate losing.

Keep hope, alive.

Go Hogs.

#34

Bielema Ball

When Ole Miss got the football after a long punt on their own three yard line, how many of us quickly calculated a 1 to 5 point loss? How many players did the same? Actually, my math on losing the game began well before the last drive and to a large extent, because of the manner in which the players seem to be coached and play when ahead on the scoreboard.

Play to Win Mindset

From all reports, Chad Morris and staff are outstanding recruiters. Arkansas is supposedly on the verge of signing the best class in school history. Kudos there. With new players, hopefully, will come better skills and a different mindset. Yet regardless, the team’s mentality and confidence starts with the coaches.

Since Petrino, in my opinion, while trying to protect a lead, rather than aggressively playing to win in a way that created the lead, instead, the Razorbacks play not to lose.

Rarely, has the strategy been successful.

Quarterbacks

Questionable skill set, but Ty Storey is a true warrior. Hopefully, Ty will fully recover from some of the pops he absorbed on the field in running the ball. Sliding to be called down might be a really good idea.

However, if Connor Noland has beaten out Cole Kelly as the number two quarterback, as mentioned several times last night, then he needs to play. I love his demeanor and effort, but personally, I have a feeling that both Noland and John Stephen Jones are far more talented and suitable than Kelly in this offense.

The common denominator, again, is to assume some risk and play to win.

Go Hogs.

#35

The competition must be considered, but for once, Arkansas played nearly a complete game and aggressively turned a lead into victory. Connor Noland was workmanlike consistent for his first start and in my opinion, impressive.

In still remembering Bret Bielema’s stubborn dislike of removing a starting quarterback, Ty Storey or Cole Kelly would have played the entire Tulsa game, regardless of circumstances and Noland likely would never have sniffed the field. Brandon Allen playing hurt the Missouri game years ago while severely limited comes readily to mind.

We didn’t just beat Alabama, but Tulsa is a beginning. If Chad Morris can maintain the outstanding class he and his staff seem to be recruiting, the Razorbacks will get exponentially better - and, sooner than later.

Go Hogs.

#36

DWP007
The change in player skill and talent to fit CCM’s offense along with the crootin ability of Chavis will drastically change the locker room in 2 years. Next year is only a start.
Any win at this point is an accomplishment
I look forward to the time we don’t have to worry about who we play our opponents have to fear playing the hogs! It will happen

#37

Bad News

The Razorbacks bottomed out in the basement of the SEC.

Good News

The only way from here is up.

Comment

It’s hard for me to be overly critical of Chad Morris. He was offered late and accepted a job involving a team coming off a 4-8 season in the SEC west. His offensive and defensive philosophy with the Chief could not be more different than what Bret Bielema was trying to implement, after 5 years and failing miserably for the most part.

If Morris and staff can maintain the outstanding recruiting class currently committed, as stated by Army Hog , the change in player personnel will be significant. I would like to believe that the current mindset of players that Morris inherited from Bielema will change drastically as well.

Personally, I think there will be wholesale change starting in December through next August, beginning with many key positions on a team destined to be better - and hopefully, much better.

Until then, I would sure like to see Connor Noland and the Jones kid get a legitimate shot. Ty Storey appears to be a very likeable guy, but as mentioned by Tyler Wilson during an interview with Bo Mattingly several weeks ago, this offense, in particular, starts or stops with the quarterback position. Having a dual threat athlete at the position would make a huge difference, in my opinion. KJ Jefferson out of Mississippi seems to be a natural fit and committed for a reason. Kelly Bryant out of Clemson would have an immediate impact.

Regardless, recruiting cures most issues and to his credit, Morris seems to be in the process of finding a cure.

Go Hogs.

#38

After watching the Vanderbilt Game, I heard Coach Morris. He is getting mad, and Rightfully so, as I just didn’t see some player’s on Offense carrying the ball that really didn’t want to play FootBall and heading for the sideline’s rather than turning it up the field and makeing their best effort to gain yardage.

After listening to Coach Morris after the game, I don’t think that he is going to put up with 1/2 Way Effort.

I watched Coach Morris and I personally think that he is at the point of really shakeing thing’s up. I don’t think that he is the type of Coach that will put up with loseing and Player’s that don’t really want to Put Out The Effort To Be a Winning Football Team in The SEC.

When I see Kentucky Rise from the Ash’s, I know that the Razorback’s Can and Will Rise again to be a Great FootBall Team and Yes in the SEC, which is nothing short of an Extremely Tough FootBall Conference.

Hang Tough Hog’s, as I personally think that thing’s are about to change big time. The remainder of the Schedule for Arkansas this season is so tough, that we might not recognize the change, but I do expect next season to be a Very Big Turn Around.

Go Hog’s
PorkyP

#39

It hasn’t exactly gone as planned and the “hammer” has probably been only about half way down, yet to me, it speaks volumes when the seniors under the first season of Chad Morris do something of this nature.

https://www.saturdaydownsouth.com/arkan … down-gift/

It will take a little more time, but with an outstanding recruiting class on the way, the hammer will go down.

Go Hogs.

#40

Big recruiting weekend and a nice crowd to go with it on Saturday night. The season has been disappointing, to say the least, but the kids and coaches have not quit, which to me, has been impressive. Conversely, there seemed to be a lot of quit in watching Louisville the other night.

In addition to finding their own players, which must be done to effectively run both the offense and defense, I would suspect that Morris and many of his coaches are also in the process of finding themselves. The first time around would have to be a daunting task for a mostly young staff to coach in the SEC west. Surely, there is a huge learning curve and evolutionary process at work, as well.

It will be interesting to see how Morris and company close on both the season and recruiting. The incoming class, if maintained, will return Arkansas to where the program belongs - and sooner, than later, in my opinion.

Imagine the results in recruiting when the Razorbacks are competing at a higher level and find themselves back in the hunt.

Go Hogs.