The season ahead...

[Michael D Huff AIA]

I saw my first Razorback game in 1977 at 3 years old.  I have a diploma with "University of Arkansas" on it.  I'm convinced we have a season of football ahead of us that might be the most important season in my lifetime.  This is what I believe will happen, and I hope this communicates the excitement I have about this upcoming season despite all the garbage that we have had to deal with this month. 

We have four away games this year with LSU and Bama at home.  We have the best QB in the SEC, and maybe the best RB in the SEC coming off an injury with something to prove.  We also have experience on defense returning who have had all spring and will have all summer with their new DC.  We are going to be loaded and will have a group of players that for six months will have heard all the reasons why we CAN'T win based on Petrino's drama and subsequent fallout.

Recruiting is important.  This is not in question.  Recruiting is the lifeblood of any football team, or any sports team for that matter.  John L. Smith might not be the name that we hang our hats on as the dude that will land those 5* players we all want, but play on the field is the best recruiter there is.  Everybody likes a winner, and good players want to play for a winning team.  What will another 10-win season and BCS trip do for our recruiting?

We just got an new head coach with a contracturally guaranteed 10 month shelf life, and this new coach isn't all that popular based on what I gather from this board.  Let's expand the word "recruiting" to the HC position as well.  We know we are going to hire one at the end of this season.  If you're a HC somewhere, would you want to go coach in the SEC, at a team with three 10 win seasons in a row, and get paid $3 million+ a year?  I sure as hell would.  I'm not even commenting on Long's ability (or inability as some might think) to recruit a "home run" hire on his own. 

In summary, I believe that winning will cure all despite the drama.  This belief was true during Petrino's time here and will be true forever.  When we have our 10 win season this year it will be a statement that DESPITE the drama and bad situations in the off-season OFF THE FIELD, we were able to handle our business ON THE FIELD.  This is the sign of a healthy program despite what people see on ESPN.

I'm sorry if this comes across as "too positive" or "sunshine pumping", but I believe we have the schedule and the team to make a lot of noise this year despite a lot of perceived negativity.