Holtz comments on Arkansas

[rzrbacknTX]

Lou Holtz just said on College Coaches Spotlingt on ESPNNews, "Arkansas has 6 seniors out of their top 44 players. You better jump on Arkansas this year because they are a year away from being an excellent football team."

[hoggystyle78]

Yeah once we get a new coach who can actually game plan and recruit!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Hog Bounty Hunter]

Lou Holtz just said on College Coaches Spotlingt on ESPNNews, "Arkansas has 6 seniors out of their top 44 players. You better jump on Arkansas this year because they are a year away from being an excellent football team."

Yeah yeah , we've been a year away for 6 years.

[davehog]

Lou Holtz just said on College Coaches Spotlingt on ESPNNews, "Arkansas has 6 seniors out of their top 44 players. You better jump on Arkansas this year because they are a year away from being an excellent football team."

I COMPLETELY agree with Lou Holtz, next year should be a great one, we will have several experienced players back.  If I were a coach who wanted a new job next season and wanted to win games and the fan base in YOUR FIRST YEAR, you should contact J. Frank Broyles ASAP.  It is 1997 all over again, now all we need is a new coach and 2006 to resemble the 1998 season.
GO HOGS GO!!!

[Jim Harris]

Lou Holtz just said on College Coaches Spotlingt on ESPNNews, "Arkansas has 6 seniors out of their top 44 players. You better jump on Arkansas this year because they are a year away from being an excellent football team."

Arkansas also has about 24 guys in their top 44 who aren't good football players. So, in a year, they will all of a sudden become good? Experience doesn't make a bad football player a good one.

[SultanofSwine]

drake, I am not completely convinced of that considering this staff.

[DevilHog]

We are horrible right now. We are witnessing a sinking ship. I would like to know what Lou's basis is for saying that we will be "excellent." We have a very difficult schedule this year, and next year's looks worse. If we are OK next year it would be an improvement. I don't know how anyone can expect us to "excellent" next year based on what we are seeing now.

[Biggus Piggus]

Arkansas is not very good or deep at linebacker and safety.  It loses the best safety and one of the best linebackers after this season.  Arkansas will be less good and less deep at linebacker and safety in 2006, unless some miracle is achieved in recruiting.

[Call Mr. Sow]

I'd say that the light at the end of the tunnel is probably an oncoming train, but the truth is...there is no light at the end of the tunnel. 

HDN will be here another two years after this season.  He will not win more than 4 games either year

[DevilHog]

Arkansas is not very good or deep at linebacker and safety. It loses the best safety and one of the best linebackers after this season. Arkansas will be less good and less deep at linebacker and safety in 2006, unless some miracle is achieved in recruiting.

I've heard that there is a push to sign some juco LBs and DL. We signed three or four safeties this past year. I think that the defense will come around next year,but the offense has got to produce more points and get some first downs to let the defense have a break, because, you are right, depth will still be a problem.

[HogFather]

Lou is as senile as Franky B.  Sometimes he hallucinates and talks out his rear.

[Razorback Jedi]

Maybe Holtz is trying to position himself for another return to the Hill

[Biggus Piggus]

Arkansas is not very good or deep at linebacker and safety. It loses the best safety and one of the best linebackers after this season. Arkansas will be less good and less deep at linebacker and safety in 2006, unless some miracle is achieved in recruiting.

I've heard that there is a push to sign some juco LBs and DL. We signed three or four safeties this past year. I think that the defense will come around next year,but the offense has got to produce more points and get some first downs to let the defense have a break, because, you are right, depth will still be a problem.

Yeah, they think they can sign some midterm grads.  What a freekin joke.  Midterm grads?  WTH?  Are you serious?  What's the odds we'll find

several junior college players
who are talented enough to start in the SEC
who will be eligible at midterm
who can get into Arkansas
who will sign with us?

It is wasted time.  But most of those assistants don't give a crap.  They won't be here.

[Call Mr. Sow]

I bet we fire only one or two assistants, just like last year.  From what I've seen, Frank doesn't give a darn whether we win games or not, so why would he put any pressure on Nutt to fire assistants or make any positive change whatsoever?

[DevilHog]

Herring will push to fire assistants. He has no place for some of them and one that he wants to have a full time position. I think at the end of the season we will see at least two gone on offense and at least two on defense. Depending on who you talk to, there could be as many as six openings at the end of the year counting Danny's spot.

[hoggystyle78]

I think we need a clean sweep from the Ad down to last assistant! do it doit now! FIRE HDN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[DisplacedHogFan]

List of our good players...from most talented down...keep in mind this will be NEXT year...

1) Darren McFadden [RB] (Mr. Arkansas football right now. He is the man)

2) Mitch Mustain [QB] (had to put him 2...how can you not give DMac #1??)

3) Felix Jones [RB] (just need him to keep doing what he's doing)

4) Sammy Olajabutu [LB] (can't measure heart, he's the motor on defense)

5) Peyton Hillis [??] (who knows where Peyton will line up...but he's a damn fine player)

6) Marcus Monk [WR] (a QB who can deliver him the ball? OH MY!)

7) Freddie Barnett [DT] (think he will be a stud)

8 ) Freddie Fairchild [LB] (one year's worth of experience is gonna reap mass benefits for this kid)

9) Keith Jackson, Jr. [DT] (I think he's getting better and better, just needs a good secondary so he can get to the QB)

10) Chris Baker [WR] (hopefully will be injury free next year, we need his deep threat ability)

11) Tony Ugoh [OG] (quality player...only this low on the list due to down year for him this year)

12) Jonathan Luigs [OC] (been impressed with what I've seen from him this year)

12) Tyrell Graham [LB] (predicting he will step in and see significant action next year...will have a chip on his shoulder!)

13) "The" Fish [PR] (can anyone catch the slippery lil fish on punt returns??)

14) Casey Dick [QB] (want to see what he can do this year...but doubt they burn the redshirt)

15) Rod Coleman [WR] (another burner we need)

16) Darius Vinett [CB] (hopefully he's healthy...good corner)

17) Andrew Norman [WR] (makes my list, although he COULD redshirt. Runs great routes, has great hands...would love to see him play)

18) Michael Smith [RB] (our running back "duo" will become a "trio" next year, watch out for this kid!)

19) Jacob Skinner [P] (continues to improve, can't knock the benefit of a good punter)

20) Jose Valdez [OT] (this kid is going to be a stud for us)

21) Matteral Richardson [CB] (good corner, let's hope they keep him there...safety is not his position)

22) Randy Kelly

23) Van Stumon [LB] (ok so he's not signed yet, but I think he will. He's a helluva player...only this low due to liklihood of a RS)

24) Marc Winston [TE] (finally, a QB who can utilize his TE, but will the coach???)

25) Robert Felton [OG] (quality O-linemen, will have good depth there next year)

26) Farod Jackson [FB] (if Peyton doesn't want to play at FB, Farod will, and well)

27) Fred Bledsoe [DT] (Fred is a helluva athlete, only this low due to questions about his desire?)

28) Marcus Shavers [DT] (Need a breakout year from him next year, has the ability)

29) Cedric Logan [WR] (will have another year of experience, and a better QB to deliver him the ball)

30) Cedric Washington [WR] (hopefully he'll work on his hands in the offseason, has ability, just needs to use it!)

There are about 20 other young guys and some guys we are recruiting to fill holes that I can't put on this list but I'd like to. I included Van Stumon because I think he's a lock for Arkansas, but the rest of the guys we are on, I just can't say for sure. However, at least this list shows you guys that we DO have some talent...alot of it is not being utilized because of our current QB situation. Will Mitch Mustain make the difference on offense? Will our infusion of depth on defense next year allow us to play a whole ballgame (see Alabama and Auburn)? Guess we'll have to wait for "next year", but I don't see things as darkly as some. We WILL have a good team, question is, how good?

[Biggus Piggus]

From your list:

OL: 4
TE: 1
QB: 1
SE: 4
FL: 2
TB: 2
FB: 1

Rush DE: 0
DT: 4
Stud DE: 0
MLB: 0
OLB: 4
SS: 1
FS: 0
CB: 2
K: 0

You do see the problem, right?

[DisplacedHogFan]

From your list:

OL: 4
TE: 1
QB: 1
SE: 4
FL: 2
TB: 2
FB: 1

Rush DE: 0
DT: 4
Stud DE: 0
MLB: 0
OLB: 4
SS: 1
FS: 0
CB: 2
K: 0

You do see the problem, right?

Yeah I missed a few guys. DE is the biggest glaring need and I think we will sign some juco guys to plug up the holes we have there. Supposedly Chris Wade really likes us...supposed to be a player. As far as MLB...one of the outside guys will move there...just my opinion. Kicker is probably the biggest ?? we will have next year. In all honesty...I just got tired of typing...feel free to add some names if I forgot them =).

[GorillaJMonsoon]

Why not keep Danny?  He has been the only Nutt on the staff that has really done his job.  Rushing has never been a problem while he's been here.

[Hardwork321]

You develop players to get better each year not just there first year.  Danny has to go!

Why not keep Danny? He has been the only Nutt on the staff that has really done his job. Rushing has never been a problem while he's been here.

[Ark Blitz]

What coaching experience did Danny have before Arkansas? 

[Ark Blitz]

Those Freshman running backs are out there running scared and off of raw talent.  Danny hasn't taught them anything.

[return2glory]

    I've always wondered if our rushing stats could possibly be construed as a little bloated since we run the draw on 3rd and 25? Just an observation.

[Jim Harris]

What coaching experience did Danny have before Arkansas?

He was fired at Arkansas Tech, I know that.

[Jim Harris]

We are horrible right now. We are witnessing a sinking ship. I would like to know what Lou's basis is for saying that we will be "excellent." We have a very difficult schedule this year, and next year's looks worse. If we are OK next year it would be an improvement. I don't know how anyone can expect us to "excellent" next year based on what we are seeing now.

maybe Nutt asked Holtz to spread that around. I wouldn't put anything past Nutt to try to keep this con going anyway he can. "Coach Holtz, please put in a good word like we're real young and it's going to get a lot better."

[Jim Harris]

I'd say that the light at the end of the tunnel is probably an oncoming train, but the truth is...there is no light at the end of the tunnel. 

HDN will be here another two years after this season.  He will not win more than 4 games either year

he'll be here two more years after this one? how?

[whatsshakinbacon]

    I've always wondered if our rushing stats could possibly be construed as a little bloated since we run the draw on 3rd and 25? Just an observation.

Return - let me be the first to pat you on the back - this IS indeed a great point. 

Bacon out...

[Jim Harris]

I bet we fire only one or two assistants, just like last year. From what I've seen, Frank doesn't give a Shiite whether we win games or not, so why would he put any pressure on Nutt to fire assistants or make any positive change whatsoever?

At least five assistants are pretty sure they are gone. Rocker will get the hell out whether Herring would want to keep him or not.

[Call Mr. Sow]

he'll be here two more years after this one? how?

I'm probably just being pessimistic, but it seems to me that senile old Broyles doesn't look at the state of the program and see any problems at all.  I mean...with 95% of the hog fans still firmly behind Nutt, why would he go to all the trouble of having to fire him?  And all the paperwork!! 

I've heard it said that the lineup of teams coming to Fayetteville next season is so attractive that they will have no problem selling season tickets next year no matter how things go this year.  That would mean it takes two years before the losing finally starts affecting the bottom line, and that's about the only thing that Broyles pays attention to any more.

People keep talking about Broyles forcing coaching changes on Nutt after this season, but I've yet to hear anything of the sort come out of Broyles' mouth. 

Word is he wanted Nutt to fire a few coaches last year, and got exactly one.  If Nutt really gets to call the shots on stuff like that, he's already got Broyles' nuts in a jar on his desk.  Probably what will happen after this season is that Nutt will hire Malzhan and fire one coach to make room for him on the staff.  Then he'll have to fill out a lengthy questionaire ala Stan Heath!  And that's it.  There's just no one on the hill that gives a crap about winning any longer. 

[Hog1751]

Our Schedule next year.
ULM (LR)
USC (FY)
@ VANDY
BAMA (FY)
@ AUBURN
SE MO ST (FY)
OLE MISS (FY)
UTAH ST (FY)
@ S CAROLINA
UTENN (FY)
@ MSU
LSU (LR)

This is why I see light at the end of the tunnel. No I don't think Nutt is a good coach and I don't hink we'lll ever be great with him here. However he's not going anywhere and we all know this, so yes at this point a 10-2 season looks great to me. We have a good QB coming on campus to go along with what is already a good running game. Defense needs to sure up, Im not sold on Herring but Im also not ready to tell him to get the hell out. The defense has improved since the USC game and I can't fault the defense against Auburn when Auburn had possesion of the ball for almost 3/4 of the game. This schedule would appear to me to be the easiest we've had since 98 and no I can't say for sure ole Nuttsack wont "F" it up but I think having a real QB will open a few things up. Im excited about basketball and Im excited about NEXT YEARS football team. I'll either be right and we'll have a good year or I'll be off based and my excitement will be gone after 3 games. We'll see Go Hogs Beat them Dawgs.

[hogsanity]

So now Holtz is senile because he said this team is a year away?  Maybe he just knows a little more about college fb and talent than any of us do.

[CorningHog]

The problem is that even as juniors this group will be so so without an upgrade in the defensive line as well as at DE.  Desmond Sims and Anthony Brown are not SEC DE's.  You have seen 4 good teams push them around at will.  Now, we handled Missouri St and ULM didn't we?  Where are the sacks from these wonderful speed guys?

Linebackers are in desperate need as well.  There is some young talent on defense but we are a ways from being a very good SEC defense, IMO.

Offense, the youth we have is also the talent.  It may be better next year but the experience has not helped Hillis or Monk respond this year with better years.  Hopefully the offensive line will be much better, which it should be.

All in all, we need better coaching and a much better recruiting class to go along with it.  Mustain should draw in some blue chip recruits from both sides of the ball this year.

I think it is TIME!  Bring in Butch Davis !

[HogDodging]

After all these years, Lou is still blowing smoke.

[Shizzle]

Have you ever heard Keith Jackson the real Keith Jackson say
"You have some speedsters that play football and some football players that are speedsters" Baker is a speedster that plays football.

Matteral Richardson couldn't cover me and I am old and fat.

[Jim Harris]

Have you ever heard Keith Jackson the real Keith Jackson say
"You have some speedsters that play football and some football players that are speedsters" Baker is a speedster that plays football.

Matteral Richardson couldn't cover me and I am old and fat.

I'll again repeat one of Holtz's best lines when he was year, commenting when somebody said so-and-so had speed. "His speed only means he gets to the wrong place faster."

[Jim Harris]

Our Schedule next year.
ULM (LR)
USC (FY)
@ VANDY
BAMA (FY)
@ AUBURN
SE MO ST (FY)
OLE MISS (FY)
UTAH ST (FY)
@ S CAROLINA
UTENN (FY)
@ MSU
LSU (LR)

This is why I see light at the end of the tunnel. No I don't think Nutt is a good coach and I don't hink we'lll ever be great with him here. However he's not going anywhere and we all know this, so yes at this point a 10-2 season looks great to me. We have a good QB coming on campus to go along with what is already a good running game. Defense needs to sure up, Im not sold on Herring but Im also not ready to tell him to get the hell out. The defense has improved since the USC game and I can't fault the defense against Auburn when Auburn had possesion of the ball for almost 3/4 of the game. This schedule would appear to me to be the easiest we've had since 98 and no I can't say for sure ole Nuttsack wont "F" it up but I think having a real QB will open a few things up. Im excited about basketball and Im excited about NEXT YEARS football team. I'll either be right and we'll have a good year or I'll be off based and my excitement will be gone after 3 games. We'll see Go Hogs Beat them Dawgs.

looking at that schedule, we could be 8-1 by the time Tennessee comes to town. And I'm starting to sound like Otis.

[TulsaHogFan]

Have you ever heard Keith Jackson the real Keith Jackson say
"You have some speedsters that play football and some football players that are speedsters" Baker is a speedster that plays football.

Matteral Richardson couldn't cover me and I am old and fat.

I'll again repeat one of Holtz's best lines when he was year, commenting when somebody said so-and-so had speed. "His speed only means he gets to the wrong place faster."

LMAO hahaahha who did he say that about?  Thats a great line.

[arkrzrbacks]

Maybe he knows we'll have a new coach next year?

[Jim Harris]

Have you ever heard Keith Jackson the real Keith Jackson say
"You have some speedsters that play football and some football players that are speedsters" Baker is a speedster that plays football.

Matteral Richardson couldn't cover me and I am old and fat.

I'll again repeat one of Holtz's best lines when he was year, commenting when somebody said so-and-so had speed. "His speed only means he gets to the wrong place faster."

LMAO hahaahha who did he say that about? Thats a great line.

I'm trying to remember. Maybe Lasker as a freshman or sophomore, but I'm thinking more like it was a backup DB who rarely saw the field. Mike Irwin might remember. Mike?

[Shizzle]

I heard Jackson say that on the OU-Texas game the other day another classic from him. except he said. "Some sppdsters play football and some football players are speedsters" refering to Texas freshman running back "that is a football player that is a speedster"

[jblack19]

Lou Holtz just said on College Coaches Spotlingt on ESPNNews, "Arkansas has 6 seniors out of their top 44 players. You better jump on Arkansas this year because they are a year away from being an excellent football team."

Without reading any farther in this thread, I bet people are blasting you for this comment. Either that they are saying crap like, when we fire Nutt we have a chance, When FJB retires we will be better.. etc blah, blah, blah... I also agree with Holtz, along with a OC and a new QB we will be great. With the population growth in NWA there will be no problems selling them. I look forward to seeing the faces of the NEW fans.....

[Jim Harris]

I heard Jackson say that on the OU-Texas game the other day another classic from him. except he said. "Some sppdsters play football and some football players are speedsters" refering to Texas freshman running back "that is a football player that is a speedster"

yeah, it's a great quote. We sign a lot of speedsters and hope we can teach them to play football. Our percentage of that working out is low.
Most every coach who was working the SEC in 1998 will tell you that Arkansas didn't match up with the top teams in speed, but I guaran-damn-tee you we had some football players on that team (and our speed may have been underrated by Fulmer et al., since until we tried not to lose the game we were smoking Fulmer's eventual national champions). The other knock on that team, from Fulmer and Sherrill who both barely beat us, was that the eight teams we had played leading up to the UT game weren't power running teams and they (UT and MSU) would cause us problems with the power game. That, ultimately, was NOT what beat us those games.

Another good quote on speed. I asked Orlando Watters about his 40 speed. He admitted he'd been timed in 4.6 mostly. But y'all will remember Watters for one of the greatest punt returns in UA history, at Tennessee in that 1992 upset. He said, "It ain't all about the 40 time."

I want speed on the field, but not when it's not in concert with the guys being football players. It's a lot like stength. If strength were so damn important, why doesn't somebody sign up the Olympic weightlifting team?

[Shizzle]

if you don't know how to play football when you get to Fayetville you are screwed because you will be in the wrong place to learn

[Oklahawg]

I am puzzled as I read the list (while I don't necessarily agree I applaud the time spent to assemble it). What players would benefit from a new scheme and a fresh start?

Would Fred Bledsoe ever see the field if the head Hog wasn't worried about pissing off his alma mater (aka, LR Central)?

I'm still trying to figure out why Zach Snider plays less than rumblin-bumblin-stumblin Anthony Brown. Put Snider at MLB and at least plug up the middle with Snider, Jackson and Harrison.

What happens if we try to get 4 monsters up front--Harrison and Shavers at DE, Jackson and Gray at DT--and go with pure speed at LB ala Auburn. Maybe Fairchild, Graham and someone converted from saftey (what a lengthy list that could be).

Instead, we are left saying "I don't know" when asked what talent is actually there, since we seem to be processing two different schemes on defense, still.

[jacob]

LSU (LR)

That line makes me sick.

[mikeirwin]

Have you ever heard Keith Jackson the real Keith Jackson say
"You have some speedsters that play football and some football players that are speedsters" Baker is a speedster that plays football.

Matteral Richardson couldn't cover me and I am old and fat.

I'll again repeat one of Holtz's best lines when he was year, commenting when somebody said so-and-so had speed. "His speed only means he gets to the wrong place faster."

LMAO hahaahha who did he say that about? Thats a great line.

I'm trying to remember. Maybe Lasker as a freshman or sophomore, but I'm thinking more like it was a backup DB who rarely saw the field. Mike Irwin might remember. Mike?

Actually I never heard Lou say that. He probably got it from someone else. Lou's humor was mostly canned, stuff he read or heard from other coaches. I did hear a version of that line from Louis Campbell long after Lou had left. I saw Louis at an American Legion baseball game and asked him about a couple of signees from the previous February. The two kids were from Texas, both cornerbacks and supposedly very fast. When I asked the inevitable, "How fast are they," question he said, "Probably just fast enough to get to the wrong place on the field a lot sooner."

[the donger]

Lou Holtz just said on College Coaches Spotlingt on ESPNNews, "Arkansas has 6 seniors out of their top 44 players. You better jump on Arkansas this year because they are a year away from being an excellent football team."

Lou is Senile.

[Hog1751]

Only way we'll be good is with a new coach. Other then that we can expect 12-2 seasons and get 8-5.

[Biggus Piggus]

I want speed on the field, but not when it's not in concert with the guys being football players. It's a lot like strength. If strength were so damn important, why doesn't somebody sign up the Olympic weightlifting team?

This is what has happened with our recruiting over and over the past five years.

1) Identify blue-chip prospects in our regions.
2) Make halfhearted attempt to get on most of them, then give up.
3) Find those few we have "ins" with and stay on them.
4) End up short of prospects come fall.
5) Start screening for leftover prospects, looking for outstanding measurables, as the all-conference kids are already out of reach.
6) Pad the recruiting class with stopwatch guys.