Interesting read...

[hawgon]

The article also oversells the up and down nature of the program.  We were pretty consistent under Nutt.  We went 9,8,6,7,9,9,5,4,10, and 8 under Nutt.  The losing seasons were clearly the anomaly with Nutt and but for them, we were a pretty solid 8 win or so average team under Nutt.  Yet, we weren't satisfied.

No need to recount the Petrino years.  Bielema is slightly below Nutt in performance so far in his career.  That is where we are. 

[factchecker]

Don't misinterpret my post.  I think they'll have a JLS-type year. 

I'm just saying they've got enough talent to be dangerous on any given saturday.

They haven't had enough talent to be dangerous the past 3 years?  What was their excuse last season, or the year before, or in 2014 (30-0).  I'm sure some of our realists will find a way to excuse their losses and in turn give Ole Miss the victories the last three seasons.

[Wildhog]

They haven't had enough talent to be dangerous the past 3 years?  What was their excuse last season, or the year before, or in 2014 (30-0).  I'm sure some of our realists will find a way to excuse their losses and in turn give Ole Miss the victories the last three seasons.

We beat them by 4 last year, and it took a miracle to beat them in 2015.  2014 was awesome.

Yeah, they're a dangerous team.  That's not to say we can't or shouldn't beat them.  We absolutely should.

[hawgon]

What was the head scratching loss in 2006?

They went 12-1 on a season where they weren't even ranked in the pre-season.  The only loss they had was to 11-2 Michigan.  They also beat a pretty good team (the SEC West division champs) in the bowl game.

Special teams miscues spotted Michigan ten points in the first half and Wisconsin scored three points in the entire second half.  Sound familiar?

[Tusks]

The article also oversells the up and down nature of the program.  We were pretty consistent under Nutt.  We went 9,8,6,7,9,9,5,4,10, and 8 under Nutt.  The losing seasons were clearly the anomaly with Nutt and but for them, we were a pretty solid 8 win or so average team under Nutt.  Yet, we weren't satisfied.

No need to recount the Petrino years.  Bielema is slightly below Nutt in performance so far in his career.  That is where we are. 

You know the best 3 year stretch since joining the SEC was under CBP.  15-9, the 2nd best 3 year run is 13-11.

It would be so awesome just to see the hogs put together 4 or 5 SEC winning seasons in a row.  If they could go 20-12 over 4 years, that would help the brand immensely.

[factchecker]

Special teams miscues spotted Michigan ten points in the first half and Wisconsin scored three points in the entire second half.  Sound familiar?

No it doesn't.  When is the last time we had a team go 12-1 at Arkansas?

[hawgon]

No it doesn't.  When is the last time we had a team go 12-1 at Arkansas?

Don't get ahead of yourself.  Your boy could start with winning eight in the regular season.

[hogcard1964]

39% chance of beating Ole Miss?

I LOL'd at this also.

Ole Miss is not going to compete with us for a looooong time.

...and the NCAA is nowhere near done with them.

[JayBell]

Everything is warped by the two collapses at the end of last season.  That will always be a 9-win team in my mind.  One of the most perplexing things I've ever seen if Dan Enos be great in between the 20s and hapless inside them.  He'd be amazing in first halves and have no clue how to manage the game in the second.

I think the biggest detriment to the 2016 team was Robb Smith, but Bielema deserves blame for not firing him.  Smith's performance as a defensive coordinator in his last two years at Arkansas is the worst I have ever seen in my life.  Next to no blitzes outside of two games against Ole Miss.  He somehow managed to get no pressure on quarterbacks and leave the middle of the field wide open.  It defied all logic.

A decent defensive coordinator (and a Dan Enos who can figure out a second half gameplan) gets Arkansas to 9 wins in 2016.  A good defensive coordinator gets them to 10.  Whether they switched to the 3-4 this season or not, my expectations would have been more positive no matter what with a somewhat competent DC now in place.

[factchecker]

Don't get ahead of yourself.  Your boy could start with winning eight in the regular season.

I hope my Razorbacks win at least eight this year.

I don't have favorites.  I support my alma mater.  Bielema just happens to be the coach.

Hopefully Bobby will let you back on the harley.

[hogcard1964]

Can someone please copy and paste the article?  It's coming up as blocked for some reason.

[hawgon]

I hope my Razorbacks win at least eight this year.

I don't have favorites. 

Then quit defending the indefensible and just admit that you are a cheerleader.   Nothing  wrong with that.  We have members and mods telling us that is what we need to do to be happy.  Maybe they are right.  Who knows?  Just quit trying to defend the man's record.  It is what it is.

He always has had and will have weak special teams that will cost you some games.  He will always have a team that is weak in the second half.  Like I said, after 12 years as a coach it is what it is.  If you want to cheerlead, fine.  Just enjoy the good stuff and hope that someday the stars align and we overcome some of those trends.

[factchecker]

Then quit defending the indefensible and just admit that you are a cheerleader.   Outing wrong with that.  We have members and mods telling us that is what we need to be to be happy.  Maybe they are right.  Who knows?  Just quit trying to defend the man's record.  It is what it is.

He always has had and will have weak special teams that will cost you some games.  He will always have a team that is weak in the second half.  Like I said, after 12 years as a coach it is what it is.  If you want to cheerlead, fine.  Just enjoy the good stuff and hope that someday the stars align and we overcome some of those trends.

Where did I defend his record?  I asked for the "head scratching loss in 2006".  The loss to Michigan might have been due to special teams or poor offense but Michigan was arguably the better team regardless.  That would be like calling our loss to Alabama in 2010 a head scratching loss.

Go back and read my threads talking about how I dislike Bielema's special teams.  I hate how we haven't found a replacement for Hocker.  I wish that we could go back to kicking the ball out of the end zone.  The ball on the 25 is much better than the 45.  The only special team we've been good at is punting.  We will see if that holds up this season.

For someone claiming to be a realist you sure as hell don't like discussing facts.  You instantly degrade any discussion into a bitch fest about how you are a martyr and everyone else is cheerleading sunshine pumping homers.

[hawgon]

Where did I defend his record?  I asked for the "head scratching loss in 2006".  The loss to Michigan might have been due to special teams or poor offense but Michigan was arguably the better team regardless.  That would be like calling our loss to Alabama in 2010 a head scratching loss.

Go back and read my threads talking about how I dislike Bielema's special teams.  I hate how we haven't found a replacement for Hocker.  I wish that we could go back to kicking the ball out of the end zone.  The ball on the 25 is much better than the 45.  The only special team we've been good at is punting.  We will see if that holds up this season.

For someone claiming to be a realist you sure as hell don't like discussing facts.  You instantly degrade any discussion into a bitch fest about how you are a martyr and everyone else is cheerleading sunshine pumping homers.

I just told you how he lost in 2006, apparently THE ONE year that you could find where he didn't have a loss you considered to be a head scratcher.  He lost it in the same way he loses practically every other game whether he has a seven win team or a twelve win team, poor special teams play and an offense that fails to show up in the second half.

[JayBell]

The article also oversells the up and down nature of the program.  We were pretty consistent under Nutt.  We went 9,8,6,7,9,9,5,4,10, and 8 under Nutt.  The losing seasons were clearly the anomaly with Nutt and but for them, we were a pretty solid 8 win or so average team under Nutt.  Yet, we weren't satisfied.

Meh, it's accurate.  Arkansas has struggled with coaching changes.  It's that lack of stability the author was focusing on in the first place.

[onebadrubi]

They haven't had enough talent to be dangerous the past 3 years?  What was their excuse last season, or the year before, or in 2014 (30-0).  I'm sure some of our realists will find a way to excuse their losses and in turn give Ole Miss the victories the last three seasons.

They were a QB away a couple of years ago from being lethal.  Bo Wallace was accused of everything from sucking to points shaving.  They now have potentially the QB, but the rest is very questionable. 

[jkstock04]

Dan Skipper cost of the 2014 A&M game.  I remember how pissed I was when Jonathan Williams broke away with that incredible run to ice the game -  and then it was called back because of Dan Skipper's trip.  We had that game,  and the loss effected the rest of the reason.  I also believe it directly effected the 2016 game that we barely lost.  Had we won the first one,  I think we would have won the second.

Basically,  Dan Skipper had a big hand in causing our woes against Texas AM.  He seemed to always get penalties at key moments in games; the worst time.

He had a lot of trouble against smaller, quicker d-linemen...just like the rest of our O-line. If he wasn't constantly touted and hyped so much then he wouldn't be under the microscope so much. I liked his attitude, and he did some good things...but he's not an all world O-lineman like our media and fans made him out to be. I still can't get over the Mizzou losses and how they wore our O-line out...they just flat out wrecked us.

I was actually the most impressed with Skipper his freshman year.

[The Kig]

We've sucked in the second half often, since Bret took over. Particularly vs TAMU.

Probably why the Texass game was borderline erotic. Someone else sucking late for a change (ba-dum-bum).  One interesting thing from the article was the 0-7 start, but 6-5 in the next 11.  Will never forget the frustration from the team (Flowers especially) in those first couple of years.  In every game, bought into the change and just heartbreak...

The TAMU meltdowns have been confusing at best.  Early in the season, we have momentum and sputter.  There is no excuse for Missouri or VA Tech last season.  Those were grade A, mind blowing, WTH moments.  I was in Tuscaloosa for the Bama game a couple of years ago... We simply ran out of gas, but we had them on the ropes and the Bama fans I spoke with knew it. 

Recognizing that finishing has been a consistent theme through the off-season, hopefully we can put that behind us.  After a break between TCU and TAMU, we reel off 10 straight weeks a finish with 6 days rest before the Misery game.  The meat of our schedule is in the middle of our season and these factors may be part of us wearing down.  The "WHY" is easy to spot...fixing it is the task the coaches face.  Avoid the injury bug at positions where we are thin (like Greenlaw last year) and we can improve. 

[hawgon]

I was actually the most impressed with Skipper his freshman year.

Me too, but that was before he went through our world class strength and conditioning program.

[rljjr]

Me too, but that was before he went through our world class strength and conditioning program.

Me too, but that was before he went through our world class strength and conditioning program.

Why are you down on EVERY aspect of the program. I really think you're happy to have something to complain about and if Bielema gave you a million bucks you'd complain it wasn't tax free.

[hawgon]

Why are you down on EVERY aspect of the program. I really think you're happy to have something to complain about and if Bielema gave you a million bucks you'd complain it wasn't tax free.

I'm not.  But do you deny that our linemen have been over fed and slow in this regime?

[wildhogman]

I'm not.  But do you deny that our linemen have been over fed and slow in this regime?

Have we put any in the NFL? are they still playing or on a team roster? Do you know more then GM's of pro football teams? Do any of our former O-linemen draw a check from an NFL team?
Yeah, your probably right, bunch of over fed slow cant block the wind, cant learn the plays, over rated kids. 
BTW fanonthehill can probably hook you up anytime you want to address those over fed linemen, or their position coach in person.

[PorkRinds]

disagree. I'll miss his blocked kicks, but I wont miss him on the line. Poor foot work, high center of gravity, easy to move.

All that and still in the NFL. Weird.

[Inhogswetrust]

All that and still in the NFL. Weird.

No kidding. It's uncanny how many coaching experts there are on here isn't it?

[colbs]

I just told you how he lost in 2006, apparently THE ONE year that you could find where he didn't have a loss you considered to be a head scratcher.  He lost it in the same way he loses practically every other game whether he has a seven win team or a twelve win team, poor special teams play and an offense that fails to show up in the second half.

I am sure you could bring that up about any coach not named Saban or Urban and I'm sure anyone could find at least one loss a year and claim it as a head scratcher.  Heck even last year with Ohio State getting the punt blocked.  You could call that a head scratcher.  I think minus the last two games Enos has made a big difference in the second half.

[jcbville]

What was the head scratching loss in 2006?

They went 12-1 on a season where they weren't even ranked in the pre-season.  The only loss they had was to 11-2 Michigan.  They also beat a pretty good team (the SEC West division champs) in the bowl game.

Actual facts!? How dare you!? Carry on.

[jcbville]

I'm not.  But do you deny that our linemen have been over fed and slow in this regime?

I know they're going Pro.

[JayBell]

"Interesting read" about a level-headed analysis of what has undeniably been an up and down tenure for Bielema turns into a bash Bielema and Dan Skipper thread.  Gotta love revisionist history.  Skipper was the second-most consistent guy on the line last year, and it wasn't even close.

Y'all realize the coaches of the SEC voted him All-SEC first team, right?  If you're jumping on the "I hate everything related to Bielema, including Dan Skipper" bandwagon, it's hard for me to really take anything you say seriously.

[jkstock04]

"Interesting read" about a level-headed analysis of what has undeniably been an up and down tenure for Bielema turns into a bash Bielema and Dan Skipper thread.  Gotta love revisionist history.  Skipper was the second-most consistent guy on the line last year, and it wasn't even close.

Y'all realize the coaches of the SEC voted him All-SEC first team, right?  If you're jumping on the "I hate everything related to Bielema, including Dan Skipper" bandwagon, it's hard for me to really take anything you say seriously.

The guy started every year he was here...he did some good things for sure. He made a NFL roster (not sure if he is practice squad or what)...I'm not saying he's chopped liver. My opinion though he wasn't what he was hyped to be.

It doesn't all fall on him though by any means...the O-line as a whole has been a disappointment Bielemas entire time here. I'm still waiting to see a dominant and mean O-line. I still have nightmares about the A&M game last year when we couldn't punch it in...not only was that the ballgame that was a defining moment of the entire season. Bielema is supposed to be about big time, punishing, dominant O-lines. I love that idea...im ready to see it.