New Season Starts Saturday

[HognotinMemphis]

Is this the "wait till next week" thread?

Lol

[parallaxpig]

We're heading into the 2nd half of the season Saturday. We have a new QB with swagger and a cannon where an arm should be. We have a new lineup on the offensive line that showed potential. As bad as things have gone thus far, WE CAN STILL FINISH WITH 9 WINS! That includes a bowl win of course. Everyone left on our schedule have had games where they looked just as bad if not worse than we have. The game against Auburn should be the most difficult of the bunch, but a win there could snowball into a successful finish! GO HOGS!

This was a verbose attempt at sarcasm right ?

[WilsonHog]

A couple of thoughts.

(1) Auburn is pretty much better than we are across the board, in all position groups. In short, they have a better football team than we do. They did have before they lost to LSU, and they still do.

(2) Gus Malzahn is feeling some heat on the Plains. He could not have a better remedy for that than a game against us in Fayetteville. I do not think Bielema has ever fully understood the degree to which Gus points to this game, how much it means to him to beat our ass.

(3) Given the first two points, how much difference will a revamped offensive line and Cole Kelley make? That's the only intangible I see for us, with one exception. We didn't play like a team that has thrown in the towel last Saturday night. The players have to hear all the noise around the program right now. Will they play harder for Bielema, knowing how much heat he is taking?

(4) How does Bielema view this game? Is it his "Alamo," his last and best chance to win a statement game in Fayetteville? Is he already making plans for the next stage of his career and just playing out the string? Is he trying to make the best case he can for another coaching job? No way to know the answers to those questions.

[Grag T]

I agree that we are quite capable of winning another 3 games or so;  Auburn certainly isn't going to be one of them though.  Making a crappy bowl is still quite possible, if that is a silver lining.

[Ex-Trumpet]

A couple of thoughts.

(1) Auburn is pretty much better than we are across the board, in all position groups. In short, they have a better football team than we do. They did have before they lost to LSU, and they still do.

(2) Gus Malzahn is feeling some heat on the Plains. He could not have a better remedy for that than a game against us in Fayetteville. I do not think Bielema has ever fully understood the degree to which Gus points to this game, how much it means to him to beat our ass.

(3) Given the first two points, how much difference will a revamped offensive line and Cole Kelley make? That's the only intangible I see for us, with one exception. We didn't play like a team that has thrown in the towel last Saturday night. The players have to hear all the noise around the program right now. Will they play harder for Bielema, knowing how much heat he is taking?

(4) How does Bielema view this game? Is it his "Alamo," his last and best chance to win a statement game in Fayetteville? Is he already making plans for the next stage of his career and just playing out the string? Is he trying to make the best case he can for another coaching job? No way to know the answers to those questions.

If #2 is true, the lack of halftime adjustments is beginning to make more sense to me.

[hawgfan4life]

I know the OP was meant to be optimistic, but my thought after reading was, "We are only half way?  Feels like we have lost 10 games already!"

[HognotinMemphis]

A couple of thoughts.

(1) Auburn is pretty much better than we are across the board, in all position groups. In short, they have a better football team than we do. They did have before they lost to LSU, and they still do.

(2) Gus Malzahn is feeling some heat on the Plains. He could not have a better remedy for that than a game against us in Fayetteville. I do not think Bielema has ever fully understood the degree to which Gus points to this game, how much it means to him to beat our ass.

(3) Given the first two points, how much difference will a revamped offensive line and Cole Kelley make? That's the only intangible I see for us, with one exception. We didn't play like a team that has thrown in the towel last Saturday night. The players have to hear all the noise around the program right now. Will they play harder for Bielema, knowing how much heat he is taking?

(4) How does Bielema view this game? Is it his "Alamo," his last and best chance to win a statement game in Fayetteville? Is he already making plans for the next stage of his career and just playing out the string? Is he trying to make the best case he can for another coaching job? No way to know the answers to those questions.

I have already stated #1 in two different posts with much argument. You won't get that argument. It's factual yet idiots still argue it.

[Drop the Mike]

We're heading into the 2nd half of the season Saturday. We have a new QB with swagger and a cannon where an arm should be. We have a new lineup on the offensive line that showed potential. As bad as things have gone thus far, WE CAN STILL FINISH WITH 9 WINS! That includes a bowl win of course. Everyone left on our schedule have had games where they looked just as bad if not worse than we have. The game against Auburn should be the most difficult of the bunch, but a win there could snowball into a successful finish! GO HOGS!

Ahh.... I remember my first beer too.

[Ex-Trumpet]

Ahh.... I remember my first beer too.

Not me...

[HognotinMemphis]

Auburn beating Arkansas is not proof that they are a good team.  It's likely that they will beat us, but they just lost to a terrible LSU team.  Clemson is not as good as they were last year.  Mizzou is horrible, Ole Miss is in disarray  Mississippi State looks like their best win and they are not exactly setting the world on fire.  I think they have a lot of talent, but they are very inconsistent.  Perhaps "good" is fair.  I think they are an average football team that can reach the level of "good" if everything goes just right and they catch some breaks.   

This is as stupid a post as I have read this year. Zero facts, stats, or logic. Pure emotion and unsupported personal opinion.

[Grag T]

Not me...

Me neither, although in my defense I was probably only four or five.

[porkrindjimmy]

We're heading into the 2nd half of the season Saturday. We have a new QB with swagger and a cannon where an arm should be. We have a new lineup on the offensive line that showed potential. As bad as things have gone thus far, WE CAN STILL FINISH WITH 9 WINS! That includes a bowl win of course. Everyone left on our schedule have had games where they looked just as bad if not worse than we have. The game against Auburn should be the most difficult of the bunch, but a win there could snowball into a successful finish! GO HOGS!

Nothing like gin and a fresh splash of aqua velva first thing in the morning....

PRJ

[East Clintwood]

Ahh.... I remember my first beer too.

I might have remembered it but the 157,800 beers that have followed it seem to have done a number on my memory.

[bphi11ips]

Good, positive OP.  Not always easy around here.

Beating Auburn is a longshot.  Auburn is good.  Who knows?  I think Arkansas will play well.

What so many here fail to consider is the quality of opposition Arkansas has played so far.  I said six months ago we could go 3-9 or 9-3.  There were too many question marks for us and our opponents to make even an educated guess.  A&M found a QB and a defense.  South Carolina is a solid football team. One of Hogville's consensus myths is that South Carolina always sucks and Will Muschamp sucks even more.  The Gamecocks are 5-2 and handed NC State its only loss.  A&M's loss to UCLA was a fluke.  Otherwise they'd be 6-1 with a loss only to Alabama.  Our other two losses have been to the number 1 and number 4 ranked team in the country.  We competed well in every game but Alabama.  24 defensive points cooked the Hogs in Columbia, and those were the QB's fault.

The big questions for Arkansas at the beginning of the year were (1) how would AA mesh with his new WRs, (2) how bad would losing a 1300 yard RB hurt, and (3) would the 3-4 and a new DC improve the defense?  The answers so far have been (1) not well at all, (2) pretty bad, and (3) yes.  What no one saw coming was the unmitigated disaster that would be the o-line.  For whatever reason, that seems to have been resolved to some extent and should get better the second half of the season.  No one saw us losing our best DB and WR for the season.  No one saw the short Hedlund misses against TCU, but the issues with placekicking are overblown.  Certainly no one saw the struggles AA has had, and more of those struggles have been in his head and mechanics than on the line and WRs. 

Cole Kelley isn't going to be the savior.  He's a redshirt freshman and looked like it against Alabama.  But he did show some skills and characteristics the OC can build around the next few years.  Most of all you have to love his attitude.  He'll be fun to watch Saturday.  Hopefully the staff will give him a greenlight to take off when he has open field in front of him.

There are two things that can happen now - the Hogs can fold up their tent and lick their wounds for 6 more games, or they can fight to the finish.  I think they'll fight.  I don't know whether AA is more physically or mentally wounded.  Probably a bit of both.  He may just need some time to compose himself and gets back in the swing at Ole Miss.  Even if he doesn't, Arkansas can beat Ole Miss with Kelley.  They'll need AA at his best to have a chance against LSU.  That's what the staff is hoping for, I think.  Win or lose at LSU, Arkansas is better than Ms. State and Mizzou with a healthy AA and o-line. 

If the Hogs keep their heads on straight, they will likely go 6-6 with a shot at 7-5.  Isn't that what most predicted?

[hehawg]

We're heading into the 2nd half of the season Saturday. We have a new QB with swagger and a cannon where an arm should be. We have a new lineup on the offensive line that showed potential. As bad as things have gone thus far, WE CAN STILL FINISH WITH 9 WINS! That includes a bowl win of course. Everyone left on our schedule have had games where they looked just as bad if not worse than we have. The game against Auburn should be the most difficult of the bunch, but a win there could snowball into a successful finish! GO HOGS!

  AND.......THIS is your brain on drugs...any questions?

[jst01]

If the Hogs keep their heads on straight, they will likely go 6-6 with a shot at 7-5.  Isn't that what most predicted?

The Defense is giving up around 50 pts/game in the last 3 games. Even if the Offense can get a little better, Ole Miss, LSU and Mizzu will probably outscore the Hogs.  "Likely" is not the right word. 

[razorbackfaninar]

Good, positive OP.  Not always easy around here.

Beating Auburn is a longshot.  Auburn is good.  Who knows?  I think Arkansas will play well.

What so many here fail to consider is the quality of opposition Arkansas has played so far.  I said six months ago we could go 3-9 or 9-3.  There were too many question marks for us and our opponents to make even an educated guess.  A&M found a QB and a defense.  South Carolina is a solid football team. One of Hogville's consensus myths is that South Carolina always sucks and Will Muschamp sucks even more.  The Gamecocks are 5-2 and handed NC State its only loss.  A&M's loss to UCLA was a fluke.  Otherwise they'd be 6-1 with a loss only to Alabama.  Our other two losses have been to the number 1 and number 4 ranked team in the country.  We competed well in every game but Alabama.  24 defensive points cooked the Hogs in Columbia, and those were the QB's fault.

The big questions for Arkansas at the beginning of the year were (1) how would AA mesh with his new WRs, (2) how bad would losing a 1300 yard RB hurt, and (3) would the 3-4 and a new DC improve the defense?  The answers so far have been (1) not well at all, (2) pretty bad, and (3) yes.  What no one saw coming was the unmitigated disaster that would be the o-line.  For whatever reason, that seems to have been resolved to some extent and should get better the second half of the season.  No one saw us losing our best DB and WR for the season.  No one saw the short Hedlund misses against TCU, but the issues with placekicking are overblown.  Certainly no one saw the struggles AA has had, and more of those struggles have been in his head and mechanics than on the line and WRs. 

Cole Kelley isn't going to be the savior.  He's a redshirt freshman and looked like it against Alabama.  But he did show some skills and characteristics the OC can build around the next few years.  Most of all you have to love his attitude.  He'll be fun to watch Saturday.  Hopefully the staff will give him a greenlight to take off when he has open field in front of him.

There are two things that can happen now - the Hogs can fold up their tent and lick their wounds for 6 more games, or they can fight to the finish.  I think they'll fight.  I don't know whether AA is more physically or mentally wounded.  Probably a bit of both.  He may just need some time to compose himself and gets back in the swing at Ole Miss.  Even if he doesn't, Arkansas can beat Ole Miss with Kelley.  They'll need AA at his best to have a chance against LSU.  That's what the staff is hoping for, I think.  Win or lose at LSU, Arkansas is better than Ms. State and Mizzou with a healthy AA and o-line. 

If the Hogs keep their heads on straight, they will likely go 6-6 with a shot at 7-5.  Isn't that what most predicted?

Just because most people predicted 6-6 or 7-5 doesn't mean it is good or should be acceptable in year 5.  I agree that we have lost to some good teams, and I can accept the losses if we look well prepared, fight the whole game, display a level of toughness and competence, and we have not done that consistently under Bielema.

[007 License To Squeal]

If Auburn's defense plays anywhere near the level of Bama's , it won't be close.......Remember, we had 27 yards rushing....27!!!

[hotdog hog]

Upside 3-3 and that's losing Auburn LSU and splitting the Mississippi games.
Downside 1-5.
I think 5-7 is very possible

[hawgon]

Auburn, LSU, and MSU are pretty much games that we can't win.  Don't forget that Matt Canada will have extra motivation to beat the dogcrap out of Bert.

[Vantage 8 dude]

Thing that really bothers me is this seems to be the same line we hear and are feed EVERY week. Might be nice to finally act as if we realize that not only the season's not only started, but that it's now half way over.

[razorbackfaninar]

This is as stupid a post as I have read this year. Zero facts, stats, or logic. Pure emotion and unsupported personal opinion.

OK.  Lets look at each of their games this year.

Georgia Southern, Win:  41-7 Auburn wins easily, as they should. Offense struggles at times as Stidham goes 14/24 with 2 td's and an INT.  Not bad, but not good against Georgia Southern

Clemson, Loss:  Auburn gave up 11 sacks while gaining just 117 yards of total offense in the 14-6 loss to Clemson. This is the fewest yards by a Malzahn coached offense since coming to college. By comparison Clemson in their win over Louisville allowed 413 total yards. Auburn struggled in the red zone during this game as they had two chances to put a touchdown on the board but instead settled for field goals.  The defense as the strength of this team, did well, or well enough for them to have defeated a Clemson team that is not what it was a year ago. Clemson is a very good football team, but they have lost some key components from last year and as of now have no impressive wins on their schedule aside from a 5-1 VT team, who looks to have played a very weak schedule so far.

Mercer:  Auburn squeaked out a win against Mercer 24-10.  They ran the ball for 3.4 yards per carry and had 5 turnovers against this team that has only had a football program for the last 4 years.

MIZZOU:  Missouri is giving up an average of 42 points per game while scoring an average of 27 points per game but that is calculating in the 72 points they scored on Missouri state which is skewing that average.  they have won 1 game.  This team is terrible.  Auburn scored 51 points, Missouri state scored 43. 

Edit:  I have to run but I'll com back to this topic in a bit







   

[Ex-Trumpet]

OK.  Lets look at each of their games this year.

Georgia Southern, Win:  41-7 Auburn wins easily, as they should. Offense struggles at times as Stidham goes 14/24 with 2 td's and an INT.  Not bad, but not good against Georgia Southern

Clemson, Loss:  Auburn gave up 11 sacks while gaining just 117 yards of total offense in the 14-6 loss to Clemson. This is the fewest yards by a Malzahn coached offense since coming to college. By comparison Clemson in their win over Louisville allowed 413 total yards. Auburn struggled in the red zone during this game as they had two chances to put a touchdown on the board but instead settled for field goals.  The defense as the strength of this team, did well, or well enough for them to have defeated a Clemson team that is not what it was a year ago. Clemson is a very good football team, but they have lost some key components from last year and as of now have no impressive wins on their schedule aside from a 5-1 VT team, who looks to have played a very weak schedule so far.

Mercer:  Auburn squeaked out a win against Mercer 24-10.  They ran the ball for 3.4 yards per carry and had 5 turnovers against this team that has only had a football program for the last 4 years.

MIZZOU:  Missouri is giving up an average of 42 points per game while scoring an average of 27 points per game but that is calculating in the 72 points they scored on Missouri state which is skewing that average.  they have won 1 game.  This team is terrible.  Auburn scored 51 points, Missouri state scored 43. 

Edit:  I have to run but I'll com back to this topic in a bit







   

Don't forget the 56-3 game...

[bphi11ips]

The Defense is giving up around 50 pts/game in the last 3 games. Even if the Offense can get a little better, Ole Miss, LSU and Mizzu will probably outscore the Hogs.  "Likely" is not the right word. 

As far as you know, yet you took no time to refute anything I said to support my opinion.

[bphi11ips]

Auburn, LSU, and MSU are pretty much games that we can't win.  Don't forget that Matt Canada will have extra motivation to beat the dogcrap out of Bert.

Can't beat MSU at home?  That's rediculous.

[hawgon]

Can't beat MSU at home?  That's rediculous.

Nope, not going to happen.

[jcbville]

What I actually find humorous is the thought of going 8-4 by winning out this last half and the confusion and meltdown that in itself would cause.

[RazorbacksFTW]

The season will finish 1 of 2 ways.
1 The offensive line will start blocking and we will start winning some games.
2 The offensive line will continue not blocking and we will continue to lose.

The HC has eyes he needs to start using them and bench the linemen who are not even trying.
The HC even has game tapes to help him with this but he doesn't seem to be watching them.......maybe he's just not interested in winning.

The linemen I'm talking about are the ones who don't even attempt to block they just stand there while the defensive line runs around or right past them.

[elksnort]

The season will finish 1 of 2 ways.
1 The offensive line will start blocking and we will start winning some games.
2 The offensive line will continue not blocking and we will continue to lose.

The HC has eyes he needs to start using them and bench the linemen who are not even trying.
The HC even has game tapes to help him with this but he doesn't seem to be watching them.......maybe he's just not interested in winning.

The linemen I'm talking about are the ones who don't even attempt to block they just stand there while the defensive line runs around or right past them.

Belielema's whole tenure at Arkansas has hinged around the Run blocking of the offensive line.
If they block well enough we have a very good chance to win if not the not so much

[bphi11ips]

Nope, not going to happen.

Maybe it won't, but can't?  That's moronic. Arkansas beat the snot out of MSU in Starkville last year. There's not much difference between the two teams this year. MSU beat BYU 35-10 at home Saturday. Have you looked at BYU's record?  They have one win - Portland State. 

Predictably, Hogville wants blood for losing four games everyone but Razorbacks fans could see as losses.

[hawgon]

Maybe it won't, but can't?  That's moronic. Arkansas beat the snot out of MSU in Starkville last year. There's not much difference between the two teams this year. MSU beat BYU 35-10 at home Saturday. Have you looked at BYU's record?  They have one win - Portland State. 

Predictably, Hogville wants blood for losing four games everyone but Razorbacks fans could see as losses.

There is a ton of difference.

[EulessHog]

Jeff Long still supports this idiot.  I can only hope this year is a total disaster so that we can at least get rid of one of them.

[bphi11ips]

There is a ton of difference.

Would you like a broader brush?

[jst01]

As far as you know, yet you took no time to refute anything I said to support my opinion.

All you did was give reasons why they have stunk then claimed "I think they'll fight these last 6 games"... so what if they fight. You just basically gave your opinion that hogs can beat Ole Miss and they are better than Miss St & Mizzu. How should I refute an opinion you have??  I feel otherwise an think Hogs are evenly matched in those last two games and history says we likely go 1-1. Anywho, arguing about the possibility that we could win 6 whole games if everything works out perfectly is sad.

[rude1]

Hold on to the rope..............

[Al Boarland]

It's been incredible to see people come up with this unmeasurable improvement after getting crushed by Bama.

[Roaringboar]

We're heading into the 2nd half of the season Saturday. We have a new QB with swagger and a cannon where an arm should be. We have a new lineup on the offensive line that showed potential. As bad as things have gone thus far, WE CAN STILL FINISH WITH 9 WINS! That includes a bowl win of course. Everyone left on our schedule have had games where they looked just as bad if not worse than we have. The game against Auburn should be the most difficult of the bunch, but a win there could snowball into a successful finish! GO HOGS!

I'LL HAVE WHAT HE'S HAVING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WHATEVER IT IS, IS SOME POTENT STUFF!!!!!!!!!!! Get real.......everyone has a bad game where they look bad.....unless you're like Bama or Georgia right now.......but Auburn is going to crush us, LSU is going to slam us with everything they've got because they are going to try and do everything to at least finish 9-3 (Loss to Alabama factored in here), Ole Miss is now 3-3 and managed to score against Vandy's decent defense that is far better than ours.......Miss State will beat us in a way similar to A&M, and that will put us at 2-8 right there, and I think we might just lose to Mizzou.......Yes Cole was good, but it doesn't change the fact this program is on a downhill trend, and it hasn't shown any signs or reasons to believe they will step and win any games this season except the Coastal Carolina game......We looked AWFUL against Bama, we will against Auburn, and I think LSU is going to hurt us worst than what we are thinking because now that they've beat Auburn, they feel they good finish the season on a high note........Cole isn't going to run the table alone, it takes the whole team, and that O-Line is still bad, our Recievers can barely catch for crap, our RB's have not gotten the yards we need to stay competitive, our Defense is just an open void where anyone can make plays, and our Special teams.........yeah.........they're so bad that all they get is mentioned here.......we didn't change last week, we didn't turn over a new leaf......now if we'd held Bama to like 20 points and scored 14 or even 17 I'd say different, but we didn't..........WE LOST 41-9 FOR ALL OF YOU FANS WHO HAVE FORGOTTEN SOMEHOW IN THE LAST FEW DAYS........this fan-base needs to get real.......after the Auburn game is over, when we've been beat down like the joke we are, it'll be time to fire ole Bert and let Enos run things the rest of the season while we look for a new coach........

[farmhawg]

We're heading into the 2nd half of the season Saturday. We have a new QB with swagger and a cannon where an arm should be. We have a new lineup on the offensive line that showed potential. As bad as things have gone thus far, WE CAN STILL FINISH WITH 9 WINS! That includes a bowl win of course. Everyone left on our schedule have had games where they looked just as bad if not worse than we have. The game against Auburn should be the most difficult of the bunch, but a win there could snowball into a successful finish! GO HOGS!

I applaud your drinking before noon philosophy.

[Al Boarland]

Can't beat MSU at home?  That's rediculous.

Toss up game at best.

[Roaringboar]

It's been incredible to see people come up with this unmeasurable improvement after getting crushed by Bama.

I know, it's crazy......WE STILL LOST BY 32 POINTS.......THE ORIGINAL SPREAD WAS 29.5.........THERE WAS NO VICTORY OR REBUILD HERE........Sure Cole looked like a great QB and like he should be our guy, but let's face it, Bama slept walked that whole game.....if they wanted they could've hung 50+ on us if they wanted.......Cole still got hit left and right, and our recievers dropped way too many passes.......Now I see a talented roster than can be developed, but not by this coach we have now.......Bert will not build these great talents into anything more than a NCAA j.v. level team........

[bphi11ips]

All you did was give reasons why they have stunk then claimed "I think they'll fight these last 6 games"... so what if they fight. You just basically gave your opinion that hogs can beat Ole Miss and they are better than Miss St & Mizzu. How should I refute an opinion you have??  I feel otherwise an think Hogs are evenly matched in those last two games and history says we likely go 1-1. Anywho, arguing about the possibility that we could win 6 whole games if everything works out perfectly is sad.

Lol. That's an F for effort.

If things work out perfectly Arkansas will finish 9-4 like the OP hopes. Most of you haven't figured out yet the schedule was front-end loaded. You just like to bitch.

[bphi11ips]

Toss up game at best.

I'll agree it's a game that could go either way. So could Mizzou. So could Ole Miss. That's why it's important not to give up like a bunch of Hogville whiners.

[Al Boarland]

I know, it's crazy......WE STILL LOST BY 32 POINTS.......THE ORIGINAL SPREAD WAS 29.5.........THERE WAS NO VICTORY OR REBUILD HERE........Sure Cole looked like a great QB and like he should be our guy, but let's face it, Bama slept walked that whole game.....if they wanted they could've hung 50+ on us if they wanted.......Cole still got hit left and right, and our recievers dropped way too many passes.......Now I see a talented roster than can be developed, but not by this coach we have now.......Bert will not build these great talents into anything more than a NCAA j.v. level team........

I don't see the talent. You must be talking about 3, maybe 4, players. That's not enough to do anything. Cole is going to need time and reps. He will be facing pressure from every direction Saturday. It would have been nice if Cole we eased in when we played the cupcakes, but CBB and Co just kept running AA out there.

[lakecityhog]

Ok, let's pretend that we somehow wind up with 6 wins and go to a bowl or really pretend and finish 7-5, does that change the feeling of anyone here? We have to get to game 6 before we finally field possibly our best semblance of an O'Line? The HC has to feel the heat of possibly losing his job to admit that he has been playing the wrong guys?

Think about this, he has been willing to allow our starting QB to be beat-up game in and game out until he physically injured and still not make the change, but when HE feels the heat it's time for change? What kind of coach is that? Moreover, what kind of man is that???

Do any of you think that if he does survive that he would be willing to truly turn the O over to Enos, I mean FULLY? Do you think that Rhoads would be allowed to run the Defense the way that he wants to? Or, would we go right back to bend-but-don't-break and 3-yards-and-a-cloud-of-dust???

[Roaringboar]

I don't see the talent. You must be talking about 3, maybe 4, players. That's not enough to do anything. Cole is going to need time and reps. He will be facing pressure from every direction Saturday. It would have been nice if Cole we eased in when we played the cupcakes, but CBB and Co just kept running AA out there.

I think we have talent, but just like any type of talent, it has to be coached into something great, and Bielema just can't get it done.....I mean, the O-line looked better Saturday, and I though Zach Rodgers did pretty decent, but he's not getting any game time, and I feel like the coaches just aren't developing them whatsoever.......

[Hogs-n-Roses]

Good, positive OP.  Not always easy around here.

Beating Auburn is a longshot.  Auburn is good.  Who knows?  I think Arkansas will play well.

What so many here fail to consider is the quality of opposition Arkansas has played so far.  I said six months ago we could go 3-9 or 9-3.  There were too many question marks for us and our opponents to make even an educated guess.  A&M found a QB and a defense.  South Carolina is a solid football team. One of Hogville's consensus myths is that South Carolina always sucks and Will Muschamp sucks even more.  The Gamecocks are 5-2 and handed NC State its only loss.  A&M's loss to UCLA was a fluke.  Otherwise they'd be 6-1 with a loss only to Alabama.  Our other two losses have been to the number 1 and number 4 ranked team in the country.  We competed well in every game but Alabama.  24 defensive points cooked the Hogs in Columbia, and those were the QB's fault.

The big questions for Arkansas at the beginning of the year were (1) how would AA mesh with his new WRs, (2) how bad would losing a 1300 yard RB hurt, and (3) would the 3-4 and a new DC improve the defense?  The answers so far have been (1) not well at all, (2) pretty bad, and (3) yes.  What no one saw coming was the unmitigated disaster that would be the o-line.  For whatever reason, that seems to have been resolved to some extent and should get better the second half of the season.  No one saw us losing our best DB and WR for the season.  No one saw the short Hedlund misses against TCU, but the issues with placekicking are overblown.  Certainly no one saw the struggles AA has had, and more of those struggles have been in his head and mechanics than on the line and WRs. 

Cole Kelley isn't going to be the savior.  He's a redshirt freshman and looked like it against Alabama.  But he did show some skills and characteristics the OC can build around the next few years.  Most of all you have to love his attitude.  He'll be fun to watch Saturday.  Hopefully the staff will give him a greenlight to take off when he has open field in front of him.

There are two things that can happen now - the Hogs can fold up their tent and lick their wounds for 6 more games, or they can fight to the finish.  I think they'll fight.  I don't know whether AA is more physically or mentally wounded.  Probably a bit of both.  He may just need some time to compose himself and gets back in the swing at Ole Miss.  Even if he doesn't, Arkansas can beat Ole Miss with Kelley.  They'll need AA at his best to have a chance against LSU.  That's what the staff is hoping for, I think.  Win or lose at LSU, Arkansas is better than Ms. State and Mizzou with a healthy AA and o-line. 

If the Hogs keep their heads on straight, they will likely go 6-6 with a shot at 7-5.  Isn't that what most predicted?

I can agree with almost all of this especially the last few paragraphs. I would disagree with #3 the change to the 3-4 having been successful. Maybe some new stats bear that out but we look very similar to me and the last comment about the O line was harped on by me and some others. And when we went to moving them around so much without injuries making that happen I really became worried. The staff either whiffed on 4 or 5 4 star lineman or somethings going on behind the scenes that we don't know about.

[bphi11ips]

I can agree with almost all of this especially the last few paragraphs. I would disagree with #3 the change to the 3-4 having been successful. Maybe some new stats bear that out but we look very similar to me and the last comment about the O line was harped on by me and some others. And when we went to moving them around so much without injuries making that happen I really became worried. The staff either whiffed on 4 or 5 4 star lineman or somethings going on behind the scenes that we don't know about.

Well, the question was whether the 3-4 would be better. Stats definitely show it has been. Whether the change has been successful is more a matter of opinion.

I will say tackling, pursuit and effort in general has been better defensively. Still too many busts and misreads.

[Roaringboar]

Well, the question was whether the 3-4 would be better. Stats definitely show it has been. Whether the change has been successful is more a matter of opinion.

I will say tackling, pursuit and effort in general has been better defensively. Still too many busts and misreads.

Defense is no better now than it ever has been in the Bert era.......if anything it's worst.......you're one of the ones on here always defending Bert and his system, saying it's okay things are the way they are, this is what we expected.....no it's not.....we didn't expect to just give up the TCU game.......that's when things really began to just suck.........it was 14-7 until like the final three minutes then the final score was what, 28-7.........I mean, that was bad.....losing to A&M in overtime again was worst......South Carolina was just the freaking cherry on top........This team is much worst than anyone thought.......ESPN analysts were saying our offense should've been a top notch unit, despite the losses at reciever......Allen was going to be just talented enough to help lead them into the season, and our running unit would talented enough to take some of the burden off of the Passing game......sure we weren't in contention for a Natty or an SEC West title, but we were expected to be an 8-4, 9-3 Dark horse, and now we simply just give up and lose in embarassing fashion every freaking game.......that's not okay.......and I don't care how hard they fight, Auburn, LSU, Miss State, and Ole Miss have just as much reason to fight as we do......especially Auburn, LSU, and even Ole Miss, their 3-3 now.....they could very easily shock us all and run the table and finish 9-3 to everyone's surprise.....Maybe LSU shocks the world and upsets 'Bama.......Miss state is 4-2, they could be the team that shocks everyone out there......let's not forget no one thought Johnny Football and A&M were going to knock of Bama that year until the clock reached 00:00.........These other teams have just as much reason if not MORE to fight than we do.......If I stood a chance to finish out 9-3 or 10-2, you bet I'd be giving it heart and soul to win every game.......so we aren't going to be the only one's dishing it out, everyone else is going to be fired up too...........and we are not going to be ready for it.........

[bphi11ips]

Defense is no better now than it ever has been in the Bert era.......if anything it's worst.......you're one of the ones on here always defending Bert and his system, saying it's okay things are the way they are, this is what we expected.....no it's not.....we didn't expect to just give up the TCU game.......that's when things really began to just suck.........it was 14-7 until like the final three minutes then the final score was what, 28-7.........I mean, that was bad.....losing to A&M in overtime again was worst......South Carolina was just the freaking cherry on top........This team is much worst than anyone thought.......ESPN analysts were saying our offense should've been a top notch unit, despite the losses at reciever......Allen was going to be just talented enough to help lead them into the season, and our running unit would talented enough to take some of the burden off of the Passing game......sure we weren't in contention for a Natty or an SEC West title, but we were expected to be an 8-4, 9-3 Dark horse, and now we simply just give up and lose in embarassing fashion every freaking game.......that's not okay.......and I don't care how hard they fight, Auburn, LSU, Miss State, and Ole Miss have just as much reason to fight as we do......especially Auburn, LSU, and even Ole Miss, their 3-3 now.....they could very easily shock us all and run the table and finish 9-3 to everyone's surprise.....Maybe LSU shocks the world and upsets 'Bama.......Miss state is 4-2, they could be the team that shocks everyone out there......let's not forget no one thought Johnny Football and A&M were going to knock of Bama that year until the clock reached 00:00.........These other teams have just as much reason if not MORE to fight than we do.......If I stood a chance to finish out 9-3 or 10-2, you bet I'd be giving it heart and soul to win every game.......so we aren't going to be the only one's dishing it out, everyone else is going to be fired up too...........and we are not going to be ready for it.........

Now, now. Take a deep breath.

Arkansas finished 79 in Total Defense in 2016.  Right now they are 56.

TCU is undefeated and ranked 4th in the country. They were a 6 point favorite in our house. They are a better football team than Arkansas this year.

Ole Miss is 3-3. With wins over South Alabama, UT Martin and Vanderbilt. Did I say anyone is going to roll over?  No, but Arkansas is better than Ole Miss.

Arkansas has lost 4 games to teams with a combined record of 24-4. It gets easier after Auburn. That was the OP's point.

[WilsonHog]

Not all wins or losses are equal. Take last weekend as an example. Even though it was 41-9, I took some positives away based on how we got after it. We played hard. Had we lost 66-3, I wouldn't have felt that way.

By the same token, we let New Mexico State hang around and beat them by a couple of touchdowns. Had that been a 49-7 type of game, fans likely would have taken a completely different vibe away from it.

Against South Carolina, we did nothing offensively in the second half. Nothing. Frank Ragnow all but said that we quit. Consequently, I came away with a totally different feeling than I would have had if we had played our asses off and lost 24-21.

Context doesn't matter in a won/loss record; it does in how those wins and losses are perceived.