Coaching Loss

[buldozer]

The other coaching concern that should be looked into is the dozen broken bones so far this year, and another dozen players who are playing injured. A good look at nutrition should take place to see whats going on within this program that may be contributing to all of these injuries. A complete blood work up on all players should be done and compared to look for trends and deficiencies IMO

[Capt. Hamm]

Defensive game plan only thing to blame. Late game management was playing by percentages. Kick easy FG and we win.

Or do we? I was not confident they wouldnt complete two long passes and kick the winner. Our pass D is that bad, and witnessed AU do it in 23 seconds.

+1.  We were awful on defense. No answer for Dak.

[hawganatic]

Oh good lord!!  I think a good number of you didn't start watching football until recently.  Or at least didn't pay much attention to what you were watching before.

Miss State had 3 timeouts.  We run the ball so they have to burn through those timeouts.  We run safe plays up the middle to minimize the chance of turnovers.  Despite how well BA was playing, if we throw the ball there is a higher chance of turning the ball over, as well as stopping the clock without Miss State having to use one of their timeouts.

On the 4th and 1, people are complaining that we took a shot to the endzone and didn't just run the ball.  On the last drive, the same people are complaining that we just ran the ball and didn't take a shot to the endzone.

You can't have it both ways, and you can't base your opinion on hindsight.

[Mikey]

if we get a first down on third down, no they wouldn't have. They'd used two timeouts. We get a first down and then we have the option of running it right down to the last tick. Passing it also would have possibly allowed them to save a TO with an incompletion. Risk Reward. We played it safe and lost. Had we made the FG, our strategy guaranteed them time to try as well. There was only one way to score and drain their TO's and it was to go for the first down that last possession. Second or third down would have been prime time to play action. BA is savvy enough to throw it away if his target isn't wide open. If it doesn't work, then settle for the kick.

Doesn't matter. We played hard and I'm proud of the effort.

I agree that they don't get the ball back if we had made one more 1st down, but my point is that we needed that 1st down on the ground.  Again, the decision to run the ball was made solely because of how bad our defense was playing, period.  It's obvious that we need more depth and talent on defense to be able to slow down spread offenses.

[uams1989]

You guys are pathetic. The last drive was well managed. The last 3 plays were about draining the clock and forcing them to use those timeouts. An incompletion stops the clock and allows them to hold on to atleast one timeout. Coach couldn't have known ahead of time the kick would get blocked. If we make it, they all look like great coaches. But those of you who want to criticize everything believe you are always right. It's very clear after the fact with anything in life. It's a hard loss to accept. No doubt. But this is the SEC and if you pay attention at all, disappointments happen with every team across the entire conference. Letdowns happen. Period. It's life and a game. Big picture is the heart of this team is unmatched by any of our teams in a long, long time!  When our defensive talent improves, the Championship is ours.  Let's accept what has happened, trusting and believing we are a much better team than we've been, and continue to get better. Support our players and coaching staff! My feeling is that Coach will have a very difficult time keeping this staff together this year. It's a very very strong group of coaches. We are on the verge of competing for the Championship. Go Hogs!

Best post of this whole thread. Well said.

Some of you guys are the same guys who were raving about CBB up until the game yesterday and trying to scheme how you could win the West.

It's amazing to me how quick some go from highs and lows.

The Hogs' O is amazing. As a Bama fan, I'd take the much maligned Brandon Allen (blasted by many of you earlier this year) over Coker at this point. Bama would cruise to a NC with BA. Defense, as most of you have said lost this game.

[Hollywood_HOGan45]

The 4th and inches bomb to the ez screwed the pooch too.

That was stupid.

[longpig]

You guys are pathetic. The last drive was well managed. The last 3 plays were about draining the clock and forcing them to use those timeouts. An incompletion stops the clock and allows them to hold on to atleast one timeout. Coach couldn't have known ahead of time the kick would get blocked. If we make it, they all look like great coaches. But those of you who want to criticize everything believe you are always right. It's very clear after the fact with anything in life. It's a hard loss to accept. No doubt. But this is the SEC and if you pay attention at all, disappointments happen with every team across the entire conference. Letdowns happen. Period. It's life and a game. Big picture is the heart of this team is unmatched by any of our teams in a long, long time!  When our defensive talent improves, the Championship is ours.  Let's accept what has happened, trusting and believing we are a much better team than we've been, and continue to get better. Support our players and coaching staff! My feeling is that Coach will have a very difficult time keeping this staff together this year. It's a very very strong group of coaches. We are on the verge of competing for the Championship. Go Hogs!

+1


And it was one he11 of a show, start to finish. WPS!

[pigmania]

The D gave up 51 points in regulation. 631 yards of total offense. Over 500 yards of that was passing. Rob Smith and the defensive coaches need to be held accountable for this loss. It was on them.

[Capt. Hamm]

The D gave up 51 points in regulation. 631 yards of total offense. Over 500 yards of that was passing. Rob Smith and the defensive coaches need to be held accountable for this loss. It was on them.

+1 Agreed!

[westside_player]

The other coaching concern that should be looked into is the dozen broken bones so far this year, and another dozen players who are playing injured. A good look at nutrition should take place to see whats going on within this program that may be contributing to all of these injuries. A complete blood work up on all players should be done and compared to look for trends and deficiencies IMO

Yes, this is alarming also.

[spiritof92]

The D gave up 51 points in regulation. 631 yards of total offense. Over 500 yards of that was passing. Rob Smith and the defensive coaches need to be held accountable for this loss. It was on them.

Yep

All this talk about sticking with BA and the passing game to score a TD is neither here nor there.  Had the offense kept passing and scored a TD MSU would have the ball with about a minute to go.  No doubt in my mind they could have went the length of the field and won anyway if that was the case.  They wouldn't have burned those 3 timeouts had we continued passing.  Last night one minute and 3 timeouts would have been child's play for their offense.

[Lake City Hog]

Yep

All this talk about sticking with BA and the passing game to score a TD is neither here nor there.  Had the offense kept passing and scored a TD MSU would have the ball with about a minute to go.  No doubt in my mind they could have went the length of the field and won anyway if that was the case.  They wouldn't have burned those 3 timeouts had we continued passing.  Last night one minute and 3 timeouts would have been child's play for their offense.

There lies the problem, we have so little confidence in our defense that we have to scheme our O to compensate.

[FrozenHam]

I feel like the Razorbacks' lack of a run game against MSU hasn't received the attention it might have if our passing game hadn't been so spectacular.  On the last drive, many of the anti-run crowd assume that three consecutive rushing plays wouldn't achieve a first down.  I suspect the coaching staff were fairly confident Collins would earn a first down and eat up clock putting us in an even better field goal position.  But, our running attack was anemic for the entire game, achieving only 73yds total.  What are people's thoughts on the lackluster running game?

[Michaelt]

Lost all the momentum with the 4th and 1. 

Agreed

[HSVhogfan2]

Brandon Allen throws 7 TD passes and you run 3 times there?  This is 100% a coaching loss.

That's rediculous, and I am far from a sunshine pumper. The only questionable coaching call was the 4th down call to go to basically a single receiver route, same as they did against Ole Miss. You have to figure that your FG team can make a 30 yd FG and your D can get on stop with the other team needing to go the length of the field with less that 40 seconds left.

Now, one may can talk of the fact the D should have called more blitzes. That is a valid argument. Allen was running for his life all game and Prescott could eat a 7 course meal before every throw. "If you can't cover em, blitz em".

[WoePigSooie]

Zach Hocker was the Man.  We don't have that kicker...  If we did, we would have probably two more wins now.  No clue how kickers are being developed on campus, but obviously not good enough.  Look at the OSU Michigan state game...  They drove to field goal range and won the game....  We need that kicker..

[WoePigSooie]

I feel like the Razorbacks' lack of a run game against MSU hasn't received the attention it might have if our passing game hadn't been so spectacular.  On the last drive, many of the anti-run crowd assume that three consecutive rushing plays wouldn't achieve a first down.  I suspect the coaching staff were fairly confident Collins would earn a first down and eat up clock putting us in an even better field goal position.  But, our running attack was anemic for the entire game, achieving only 73yds total.  What are people's thoughts on the lackluster running game?

if WE HAD A KICKER... WE WOULD HAVE WON

[TheTick077]

  if WE HAD A KICKER... WE WOULD HAVE WON

Did you actually watch the replay of the block? It had nothing to do with the kicker.

Absolutely amazing...smh

[M L (bassplayer)]

CBB took a huge risk going to the endzone on 4th and 1. When we marched down the field to their 13 yard line we decide to go conservative. It makes no sense. It is like hitting on 17 when you are up $1000 then when you are down to $5 staying on 13. It makes no sense.

If you read the paper, that was Enos. He wanted to go for it and the throw to the endzone was just because they snuffed the primary receiver. I saw it as a "Petrino" type call that would have sent the crowd into a frenzy and made him look like a hero if it had worked. If it doesn't everyone [CENSORED]...

[Biggus Piggus]

Coach couldn't have known ahead of time the kick would get blocked.

Yes he could. He should have known. Ole Miss blocked one. Our starting Oline couldn't keep MSU out of the backfield all night. You're going to ask the special team unit to do it? We played scared of trying to make field goals all season, up till then. We deliberately played for the field goal instead of trying to score a touchdown. Three plays to set up a field goal attempt, which our coach should have known had little chance of succeeding. He reduced the odds of success by making that choice. If the special teams are competently prepared, you make that choice. They are not. They are poor. Had made one field goal longer than mid-20s all season. Had come close to getting many field goals blocked besides the ones that actually were. Every field goal attempt's hanging on a thread.

I've seen this play out many times over the years, watching coaches on many levels. They don't know how to prepare their field goal kicking unit, and then they have the gall to rely on it when the game is on the line. No. That was a decision to throw away any chance to win.

[riccoar]

That was not on the kicker.  It was on the blockers.  Not going to name names, but you watch the replay and one defender just flat was in la la land and the defender went right around him untouched.

[Pigsknuckles]

Yes he could. He should have known. Ole Miss blocked one. Our starting Oline couldn't keep MSU out of the backfield all night. You're going to ask the special team unit to do it? We played scared of trying to make field goals all season, up till then. We deliberately played for the field goal instead of trying to score a touchdown. Three plays to set up a field goal attempt, which our coach should have known had little chance of succeeding. He reduced the odds of success by making that choice. If the special teams are competently prepared, you make that choice. They are not. They are poor. Had made one field goal longer than mid-20s all season. Had come close to getting many field goals blocked besides the ones that actually were. Every field goal attempt's hanging on a thread.

I've seen this play out many times over the years, watching coaches on many levels. They don't know how to prepare their field goal kicking unit, and then they have the gall to rely on it when the game is on the line. No. That was a decision to throw away any chance to win.

Thanks, though I posted in previous thread that the outcome was hollow vindication for our concerns. You, me, and the greater part of Section 101 agree that we played to our proven weakness. We were livid when we saw what CB was doing. Sure, given proven competency of the FG unit that is the right choice. Unfortunately, the opposite had been proven just 2 weeks earlier. Those who ignore history are doomed to repeat it.

[Kevin]

ba needed to be given the opportunity to put the ball in the endzone

[Piggfoot]

Brandon Allen throws 7 TD passes and you run 3 times there?  This is 100% a coaching loss.

Coach Bielema wanted to run out the clock to give Miss St less time in which to score. We were down 1 point and had not been able to stop them. Throwing the ball, scoring early may have allowed enough time for Miss St to score a TD. Net result...we still lose by one. As it was we forced them to use their time outs, something they may not have had to do by passing and scoring early. At that time the game was a chess match. We put ourselves in position to win and we didn't execxute. Murphey's Law.