Good read on Robb Smith and Hog Defense

[monty hawg]

http://espn.go.com/blog/sec/post/_/id/101188/its-all-about-the-details-for-robb-smith-and-the-arkansas-defense

[OneTuskOverTheLine™]

+1 Monty... Thanks for the link...


The one thing I took from the article is how close we were to 10-3 according to Smith.. Hell! If those guys would have pulled that one off we would be preseason top 10... I believe we actually are.

[MissippHog]

Indeed +1, thanks.

[Hey Super]

Our defense was unreal towards the end of the season....which is beyond refreshing IMO.

[Hawgzinbowlz]

The feeling at the R&W was a defense that had each other's back, played with attitude/intensity and tackled well. Our defensive 1s are salty, and they don't want anyone on the field, with them, that can't get it done.
It was/is clear that we are ahead of last year at this time...and we have depth (particularly at D-Line), again, we tackled consistently and to the ground.
11-2 was within reach in '14...coulda, woulda, shoulda

" WOO PIG "

[MuskogeeHogFan]

The feeling at the R&W was a defense that had each other's back, played with attitude/intensity and tackled well. Our defensive 1s are salty, and they don't want anyone on the field, with them, that can't get it done.
It was/is clear that we are ahead of last year at this time...and we have depth (particularly at D-Line), again, we tackled consistently and to the ground.
11-2 was within reach in '14...coulda, woulda, shoulda

" WOO PIG "

Maybe, but in Bielema-Year 2, at key times the defense held up their end and the offense failed to execute. Let us hope that the offense gets it together under Enos and the defense continues to be what they were last year and that both units can show up and produce effectively in every game. 11 wins might be possible then.

[swineology]

It worries me about losing Rob Smith after this season to the NFL

[Vantage 8 dude]

It worries me about losing Rob Smith after this season to the NFL

While it certainly could happen, I'm definitely not going to let it stop me from (hopefully) seeing an improvement over last year's salty bunch.

[MuskogeeHogFan]

It worries me about losing Rob Smith after this season to the NFL

That's the hazard of hiring a really good coach. I'd rather live with the risk of hiring someone that is driven for success than to see us hire someone who says they want to retire as an assistant here. I think Chaney made some reference to this being his last stop (or hoping it would be) when he first arrived at Arkansas. For Smith, this was/is a great opportunity for him to elevate his value as a DC and leverage that to a better job. Pretty much a foregone conclusion that he won't be here forever. Let us hope that Enos has the same fire in his belly.

[DeltaBoy]

He did a great job .

[lumphog]

That's the hazard of hiring a really good coach. I'd rather live with the risk of hiring someone that is driven for success than to see us hire someone who says they want to retire as an assistant here. I think Chaney made some reference to this being his last stop (or hoping it would be) when he first arrived at Arkansas. For Smith, this was/is a great opportunity for him to elevate his value as a DC and leverage that to a better job. Pretty much a foregone conclusion that he won't be here forever. Let us hope that Enos has the same fire in his belly.

The one thing I'm NOT worried about is CBB's ability to hire quality assistant coaches........ He's got an eye for talent 

[ThisTeetsTaken]

Maybe, but in Bielema-Year 2, at key times the defense held up their end and the offense failed to execute. Let us hope that the offense gets it together under Enos and the defense continues to be what they were last year and that both units can show up and produce effectively in every game. 11 wins might be possible then.

I always thought that Bielema and Chaney were polar opposites in philosophy and that CBB hoped that it would translate into balance but it ended up being just a watered down version of what he had imagined and was too easy to predict.  I think Enos is about as close to a perfect fit as you could find.  I think the two philosophies we have now have much more overlap than it did with CBB/Chaney.   Should be a great product IMO. 

[Calling All Hogs]

I hope Robb is here for a long time even if we have to make him the highest paid assistant in college football. If he does eventually leave, he will certainly have been instrumental in the rebuilding process of Arkansas.

[Hawgzinbowlz]

Maybe, but in Bielema-Year 2, at key times the defense held up their end and the offense failed to execute. Let us hope that the offense gets it together under Enos and the defense continues to be what they were last year and that both units can show up and produce effectively in every game. 11 wins might be possible then.

Our defense should be better than '14 and it certainly has more depth. I think things are aligning for a better offense. 8+wins in '15 is my expectation with the + part as gravy. My gut tells me CDE will be an improvement over CJC (that was an easy one) and we could catch lightning in a bottle.
My sense of our D is that we believe that we are good and we prove it on every play.

" WOO PIG "

[hawgaddict01]

Great article and thanks for posting! But hate to be a downer but who else feels like we have coach Smith for this season and then he bounces? I love what he is doing on the Hill but most of his press conferences give me a vibe that this is a stop till the next big job available? Maybe its me, but I think his eyes are on a bigger/higher profile job.

[Hawgzinbowlz]

I always thought that Bielema and Chaney were polar opposites in philosophy and that CBB hoped that it would translate into balance but it ended up being just a watered down version of what he had imagined and was too easy to predict.  I think Enos is about as close to a perfect fit as you could find.  I think the two philosophies we have now have much more overlap than it did with CBB/Chaney.   Should be a great product IMO.

This is about right.

Great article and thanks for posting! But hate to be a downer but who else feels like we have coach Smith for this season and then he bounces? I love what he is doing on the Hill but most of his press conferences give me a vibe that this is a stop till the next big job available? Maybe its me, but I think his eyes are on a bigger/higher profile job.

Not a downer at all.
This is true of most good/great coaches. Very few are a JFB who stops at one destination until retirement. When Coach Smith moves on (I'm assuming here) he will leave the defensive part of our program with a solid base and the next DC will not have to build to the degree we are currently seeing. I'm enjoying the building process and as the world turns and if CBB were to move on to another challenge, Coach Smith seems to have the ability to lead. I wouldn't mind CRS as a head coaching candidate if CBB were to move on.

" WOO PIG "

[Hog N Bama]

Nice read and right on. Thanks for sharing. Should be an exciting season.  :razorback: :razorback: :razorback:

[gmarv]

with the coaches like smith and hopefully enos.this coming year has the potential to be (using a nutt phrase here) special.and I can,t wait for fall.

[Hoggish1]

Smith is the coach I would like to see have a long tenure in Fayetteville, along with CBB!

[hawgmasta]

I hope Robb is here for a long time even if we have to make him the highest paid assistant in college football. If he does eventually leave, he will certainly have been instrumental in the rebuilding process of Arkansas.

This. If he has a year like last year defensively and is offered a HC gig then we should offer a 100k more then what the new job will pay.

[DeltaBoy]

I hope Robb is here for a long time even if we have to make him the highest paid assistant in college football. If he does eventually leave, he will certainly have been instrumental in the rebuilding process of Arkansas.

I agree!

[acey33]

I really like what RS has brought to this team at a time when we really needed something positive...WPS

[Pigsknuckles]

For those afraid of losing Smith (or any coach), I have always felt that if you don't have staff that others want, then you may have the wrong staff.

[OTTER]

For those afraid of losing Smith (or any coach), I have always felt that if you don't have staff that others want, then you may have the wrong staff.

You nailed that!!!  Bravo and +1!!

[Vantage 8 dude]

Great article and thanks for posting! But hate to be a downer but who else feels like we have coach Smith for this season and then he bounces? I love what he is doing on the Hill but most of his press conferences give me a vibe that this is a stop till the next big job available? Maybe its me, but I think his eyes are on a bigger/higher profile job.

While I'll agree I'd be very nice to hold on to Robb as long as we possibly can, if losing him in the next year or so comes about as a result of our incredible defensive success it's a price I'll gladly pay. Then again perhaps he learns to love the Hill (and the fan base of course) so much that he'll want to sit and enjoy things a good spell.

[Hawgzinbowlz]

While I'll agree I'd be very nice to hold on to Robb as long as we possibly can, if losing him in the next year or so comes about as a result of our incredible defensive success it's a price I'll gladly pay. Then again perhaps he learns to love the Hill (and the fan base of course) so much that he'll want to sit and enjoy things a good spell.

Hopefully his wife and two children will want to settle in Fayetteville for a while.

http://www.arkansasrazorbacks.com/sport/m-footbl/2014/roster/53bf054ce4b0a4c99fcb290f

" WOO PIG "

[BigPapaHawg]

Awesome read! Thanks!

[goshog]

Been working a lot of nights lately. So instead of doing my job, I've been rewatching last seasons games on youtube, and the improvement from the beginning of the season against tech to the end of the season was nothing short of incredible IMO.