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Oct 7th, 2007 10:31PM
by: whatsshakinbacon

Snakebit
Volume LXXVII
October 7, 2007

I've been to some awful Razorback games in my life. Some wins, most losses. I was there when The Citadel shocked Jack Crowe's Razorbacks in September of '92. I was there in '86 when an anemic but 8th ranked Arkansas lost 17-7 to Texas Tech. In September of 2000 I remember well the precision with which Georgia carved apart my Razorbacks en route to a 38-7 decision. And I was sitting in War Memorial in 2001 to witness what was the worst job of coaching I've ever seen despite us beating UNLV 14-10.

So excuse me for the guilty pleasure I find in not being in the stands to witness our "ugly" yet "precious" win over Chattanooga Saturday night.

The record books will show that we won. And the Nutt armada will no doubt circle the wagons and brag about the winning streak we now have heading back into SEC play.

But the way in which we beat a lowly double A opponent offers tell-tale signs that we as fans should heed. Our team is not well.

This wasted opportunity has striking similarities to last year's Utah State game. Both were games where we needed to work on a lethargic passing game yet did not. Both were games where we came out flat and executed poorly. And both were games that left fans scratching their heads at the end wondering what kind of team we had. But most disconcerting is the fact that last year's Utah State would beat this Chattanooga team by 30 points.

Following college football over the years makes one realize a few things. Every team has a game or two each season where they come out in a daze. Things may not click but they still find a way to win. But...the good teams win handily even in a funk, while the average teams scrap for two touchdown wins.

We aspired to be average Saturday night. And I don't think we met that goal.

As you go through our season, we have become increasingly more predictable and increasingly less adept. Our passing game against a team named after a water-snake or a shoe...I'm not sure which...was horrendous.

As Arkansas looks down the barrel of what's left of its SEC season, one thing has become crystal clear. We have got to be able to pass the ball better. We long ago proved that our short passing attack to the running backs is decent, so a prudent coach would work on passing to the receivers in games like this. Right?

Yet we didn't.

Of our 13 completed passes, 7 of them were to Hillis, and Felix Jones. According to my double A math, that leaves six...SIX completions to receivers and tight ends. Against a team that will likely lose to Furman, Elon and Wofford at some point in the season.

Houston hired David Lee to bring in a pro style offense. Last I checked all NFL teams use their receivers for more than decoys and blocking. Oh sure, we've got three injured receivers and tight ends. And there's no doubt Casey Dick isn't the most accurate quarterback in the land. But when you're breaking in your second and third team receivers there's only one way for them to gain the confidence needed to line up against the Auburns of the world: quality repetitions.

Not only did we fail to practice an aspect of our game which will be critical in coming months, but in the process of shrinking back into our 'between the tackle' running game we injured our bell-cow. Darren McFadden may well be fine come Saturday, but if this injury occurred from a Moccasin hit, what of the defensive line Auburn will suit up Saturday night? Like many of you, I've wondered what will become of our season should he be injured. I've been concerned that Nutt will overuse him when he is the obvious focal point of our attack, and thus the focal point of the defense. Instead of sweeping him out or spreading out the defense for his runs we choose to line him up for goal-line type plays. I know he's Superman, but Nutt may well be the kryptonite that weakens him to the point of injury. What then?

This should have been a blow-out. It should have been the opportunity to tune-up our passing package against ladders that actually move. And it definitely should NOT have been the game in which your Heisman candidate gets injured.

- - - - -

A final word for those that boo. I understand. I booed against our play-calling in the Kentucky game but wished later I hadn't. If I'm frustrated to the point that I will boo our plays (not our players) then I should stay home. And I will. While many made their way out of War Memorial Stadium Saturday night I enjoyed channel surfing between epic battles. The Stanford/USC game (USC was booed by its own fans) and the Florida/LSU game made for a great night.

If you booed against Arkansas why go back? Is there anything in Houston Nutt's history that makes you think you won't boo at the next game? To me it is this simple. Why go to something that will make me boo when I can bite my tongue from the comfort of home?

Just a thought.

Bacon out...