One of the Things I Like Most About Chad Morris

[bphi11ips]

If you think moving one football game is going to be the death of the program, then you can't even whistle. Since $500m of that endowment has come from one NWA family, I'd say keeping them happy is of the utmost concern. How much of our endowment is due to one game being played in LR, I await your audited numbers.

You have misrepresented most of what I have written here for many years on this subject, so I don't expect you to face squarely up now.  I'll repeat myself once again - it is not about where football games are played.  It is about perception among generational fans and donors.  There are those on this board who believe that the perception outside of NWA and among elite alums, as you paint yourself, is not important.

Perception is important.  A poster here uses this cliché as his Personal Text - "Athletics is the front porch of the university." It is not whether games are played in Little Rock that is important.  I personally believe after hearing Tubberville that he is right.  However, the perception of the relationship between Arkansas residents - all Arkansas residents - and the UA is important.  Mishandled, a century of relationship building can be damaged quickly, and it already has been.  Not by removing games, but by a tightlipped, high-handed attitude from an AD, by ill-advised public remarks by the head coach, and by the obnoxious comments made here and elsewhere by common people.  You are not prone to obnoxious comments, but some are - like your protégé, factchecker.  There is simply no excuse for his response to hawgon:

"Fans of Little Rock are so limp wristed and full of the snowflake syndrome that Razorback coaches have to lie and hide the truth."

There are no fans of Little Rock.  There are concerned alumni and stewards with more sense than a kid with Google who are concerned about perpetuating loyalty of future generations to the UA.   

[justmakeit2thebcs]

He was a nice guy. He had no respect for Arkansas, though.

That's complete bullsh*t

[bphi11ips]

That's complete bullsh*t

That added a lot to the discussion.

[bphi11ips]

Exactly.

I started to go to games with my father about when I was 7 and I remember being fascinated with those team from that point through my HS senior year, before I left for my own college career.

Remember a lot of Big -10 teams coming to the Orange Bowl and Penn State and Pitt when both were good.  Remember Billy Cannon tearing Miami up with that team that won a NC with his Chinese Bandits and remember seeing Syracuse with Ernie Davis.  Remember Miami beating a No. 1 USC, etc. etc.

These kind of memories set the stage for all your football memories through the rest of your life!

You're giving away your age.  Your post illustrates perfectly the way our early football experiences color our viewpoint.  Your memories are not unique to the South, nor are mine or anyone else's likely to be.  It may be that Jeff Long well remembers The Great Shootout.  He would have been about 9.  It may be that neither he nor Bret Bielema are predisposed to believe that Big 10 football is superior to the rest. (Did it seem to anyone else that CBB had a strong bias in favor of Big 10 philosophy and coaches while at Arkansas?) 

Most of my early memories involve the SWC, which I believed then and now to have been one of the best conferences in college football.  That belief is pretty much beyond debate.  It was probably best thought of at the time as in about the same class as the Big 8, probably behind the Big 10, PAC 8 and SEC, and probably in about that order.   

There were a few rivalries that colored my perception of college football.  Comments made by Joe Paterno in 1969 and later color my perception to this day.  Those comments angered many Razorbacks and Longhorns fans. 

The rivalries I loved, besides Texas and Arkansas, were Ohio State/Michigan, Oklahoma/Nebraska, and Notre Dame/USC.  Arkansas's ranking was often affected by the outcome of Ohio State/Michigan.  It was Michigan's upset of Ohio State in 1969 that set up the #1 vs. #2 showdown between Arkansas and Texas.  I was 7 but remember very clearly the adults gathered in the den to watch the game.  The atmosphere was almost as charged as it would have been had the Razorbacks been playing.  Ohio State's loss allowed Texas to move to number 1 and Arkansas to number 2. 

When President Nixon proclaimed Texas national champions after beating Arkansas, Paterno complained bitterly about competition in the SWC.  Here are a couple of links with more on Paterno's comments:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1969_Texas_vs._Arkansas_football_game

http://www.mcall.com/sports/college/psu/nittany-lines/mc-penn-state-football-nixon-1969-season-story.html

If you are old enough to remember the days when national media considered the Big 10 to be the crème-de-la-crème of college football, you understand why Jeff Long and Brett Bielema may have been affected by media bias.  I'm not suggesting there wasn't good reason for the bias, only that it existed.  Meanwhile, those of us in SWC territory pointed to the success of Texas, Arkansas, A&M, Houston, SMU, and even Texas Tech and Baylor.  The SWC was deeper than the Big 8 back then, but the Big 8 had Oklahoma and Nebraska with an occasional good year by Colorado.  The PAC 10 was pretty much USC and UCLA, but Washington and Stanford crept in now and then.  The Big 10 was Ohio State and Michigan with occasional appearances by Michigan State and Wisconsin.  The SEC was Alabama, Ole Miss, Georgia and Tennessee.  Penn State and Notre Dame were independents. 

If you remember media portrayal of college football in the late 60's, 70's and 80's, which is the time at which CCM, CBB and Jeff Long were introduced to college football, and if you consider where each grew up, you understand my point about why CCM may have a different perception of Arkansas as a program than does Long and Bielema.  Or you may be like the guy from Atlanta who believes like Paterno did that the SWC was always overrated.  My only point in this thread is that I like the fact that CCM experienced Arkansas's most successful years in an area where he is most likely to have been impressed favorably by them.  Maybe he believes it is possible to re-establish the success he grew up so close to. 


 

[wildturkey8]

You're giving away your age.  Your post illustrates perfectly the way our early football experiences color our viewpoint.  Your memories are not unique to the South, nor are mine or anyone else's likely to be.  It may be that Jeff Long well remembers The Great Shootout.  He would have been about 9.  It may be that neither he nor Bret Bielema are predisposed to believe that Big 10 football is superior to the rest. (Did it seem to anyone else that CBB had a strong bias in favor of Big 10 philosophy and coaches while at Arkansas?) 

Most of my early memories involve the SWC, which I believed then and now to have been one of the best conferences in college football.  That belief is pretty much beyond debate.  It was probably best thought of at the time as in about the same class as the Big 8, probably behind the Big 10, PAC 8 and SEC, and probably in about that order.   

There were a few rivalries that colored my perception of college football.  Comments made by Joe Paterno in 1969 and later color my perception to this day.  Those comments angered many Razorbacks and Longhorns fans. 

The rivalries I loved, besides Texas and Arkansas, were Ohio State/Michigan, Oklahoma/Nebraska, and Notre Dame/USC.  Arkansas's ranking was often affected by the outcome of Ohio State/Michigan.  It was Michigan's upset of Ohio State in 1969 that set up the #1 vs. #2 showdown between Arkansas and Texas.  I was 7 but remember very clearly the adults gathered in the den to watch the game.  The atmosphere was almost as charged as it would have been had the Razorbacks been playing.  Ohio State's loss allowed Texas to move to number 1 and Arkansas to number 2. 

When President Nixon proclaimed Texas national champions after beating Arkansas, Paterno complained bitterly about competition in the SWC.  Here are a couple of links with more on Paterno's comments:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1969_Texas_vs._Arkansas_football_game

http://www.mcall.com/sports/college/psu/nittany-lines/mc-penn-state-football-nixon-1969-season-story.html

If you are old enough to remember the days when national media considered the Big 10 to be the crème-de-la-crème of college football, you understand why Jeff Long and Brett Bielema may have been affected by media bias.  I'm not suggesting there wasn't good reason for the bias, only that it existed.  Meanwhile, those of us in SWC territory pointed to the success of Texas, Arkansas, A&M, Houston, SMU, and even Texas Tech and Baylor.  The SWC was deeper than the Big 8 back then, but the Big 8 had Oklahoma and Nebraska with an occasional good year by Colorado.  The PAC 10 was pretty much USC and UCLA, but Washington and Stanford crept in now and then.  The Big 10 was Ohio State and Michigan with occasional appearances by Michigan State and Wisconsin.  The SEC was Alabama, Ole Miss, Georgia and Tennessee.  Penn State and Notre Dame were independents. 

If you remember media portrayal of college football in the late 60's, 70's and 80's and the time at which CCM, CBB and Jeff Long were introduced to college football, and if you consider where each grew up, you understand my point about why CCM may have a different perception of Arkansas as a program than does Long and Bielema.  Or you may be like the guy from Atlanta who believes like Paterno did that the SWC was always overrated.  My only point in this thread is that I like the fact that CCM experienced Arkansas's most successful years in an area where he is most likely to have been impressed favorably by them.  Maybe he believes it is possible to re-establish the success he grew up so close to. 


 

Paterno could have played the winner in the Cotton Bowl, he opted not to.  Says a lot.

[bphi11ips]

Paterno could have played the winner in the Cotton Bowl, he opted not to.  Says a lot.

People thought so at the time.

[ricepig]

You have misrepresented most of what I have written here for many years on this subject, so I don't expect you to face squarely up now.  I'll repeat myself once again - it is not about where football games are played.  It is about perception among generational fans and donors.  There are those on this board who believe that the perception outside of NWA and among elite alums, as you paint yourself, is not important.

Perception is important.  A poster here uses this cliché as his Personal Text - "Athletics is the front porch of the university." It is not whether games are played in Little Rock that is important.  I personally believe after hearing Tubberville that he is right.  However, the perception of the relationship between Arkansas residents - all Arkansas residents - and the UA is important.  Mishandled, a century of relationship building can be damaged quickly, and it already has been.  Not by removing games, but by a tightlipped, high-handed attitude from an AD, by ill-advised public remarks by the head coach, and by the obnoxious comments made here and elsewhere by common people.  You are not prone to obnoxious comments, but some are - like your protégé, factchecker.  There is simply no excuse for his response to hawgon:

"Fans of Little Rock are so limp wristed and full of the snowflake syndrome that Razorback coaches have to lie and hide the truth."

There are no fans of Little Rock.  There are concerned alumni and stewards with more sense than a kid with Google who are concerned about perpetuating loyalty of future generations to the UA.   

So, a few fans/donors from Central Arkansas don't like the way "something" was handled, what's funny to me is it has never come up in any discussion/party/meeting I've been to in 5+ years. And I'm in central Arkansas quite often for meetings, and business appointments. I just don't see the outrage that you do, but whatever...

The people, parents now days, that graduated from the UofA that live in LR will make their decisions based on more than football when helping their children decide where they will attend college, and what support they will give to the school or athletic department. I think you read way to much John Brummett, Max Brantley, or Rex Nelson, I don't think their view are necessarily those of the majority of Razorback alums, or fans.

[bphi11ips]

So, a few fans/donors from Central Arkansas don't like the way "something" was handled, what's funny to me is it has never come up in any discussion/party/meeting I've been to in 5+ years. And I'm in central Arkansas quite often for meetings, and business appointments. I just don't see the outrage that you do, but whatever...

The people, parents now days, that graduated from the UofA that live in LR will make their decisions based on more than football when helping their children decide where they will attend college, and what support they will give to the school or athletic department. I think you read way to much John Brummett, Max Brantley, or Rex Nelson, I don't think their view are necessarily those of the majority of Razorback alums, or fans.

That's interesting. I haven't read anything by Brummett or Brantley in probably 30 years. Read a good article by Nelson after a Little Rock game a few years ago, only because it was posted here.  I'm not surprised that veteran journalists from central Arkansas agree with the viewpoints I express here. I share with them a perspective that you lack and am completely without any self-interest other than my concern as a fan and an alum.

[ricepig]

That's interesting. I haven't read anything by Brummett or Brantley in probably 30 years. Read a good article by Nelson after a Little Rock game a few years ago, only because it was posted here.  I'm not surprised that veteran journalists from central Arkansas agree with the viewpoints I express here. I share with them a perspective that you lack and am completely without any self-interest other than my concern as a fan and an alum.

You don't read the ADG, amazing, I thought you said you read it online. The only thing they concern themselves with, is central Arkansas, the rest be darned.

[Inhogswetrust]

You don't read the ADG, amazing, I thought you said you read it online. The only thing they concern themselves with, is central Arkansas, the rest be darned.

And thus why there is or at least was a NWA "edition". Not sure if they still do it.

[ricepig]

And thus why there is or at least was a NWA "edition". Not sure if they still do it.

They do.

[bphi11ips]

You don't read the ADG, amazing, I thought you said you read it online. The only thing they concern themselves with, is central Arkansas, the rest be darned.

I read WholeHogSports. Have to subscribe to the ADG to get it. It's a racket. I have no interest in who shot who or what happens in Arkansas or Little Rock in general.

[thebignasty]

Alabama, Wisconsin, and Arkansas all offered within 24hrs of each other, care to guess what the common denominator was in those offers going out?

Weird to see three schools act all at once like that, huh.

[ricepig]

Weird to see three schools act all at once like that, huh.

Maybe he publicist issued something out the day?

[thebignasty]

Go back and look at articles written about Bielema after he was hired at Arkansas. He went on a statewide PR tour and hit every corner of the state. Multiple articles about how this was "missing" from Petrino, and Bielema was going to be the kind of everyman coach this state needed, and blah blah.

Bielema was a nice guy. Morris is riding high on new coach optimism. If he wins, people won't feel "disrespected" by him. Petrino was an absolute prick. But everyone shut up because he won games. If Bielema was winning, no one would be talking this disrespect nonsense.

Morris better win for all our sakes

[Kevin]

not scared to recruit top players

[thebignasty]

not scared to recruit top players

do you think Bielema was?  Which top players that we are on now are more impressive prospects than Tyrie Cleveland, Kristian Fulton, Alex Collins, Denver Kirkland, Brian Wallace, Sosa, etc etc etc?



I mean, I'm glad we have a new coach, Bielema wasn't cutting it here, I'm just trying to understand why we think going after high caliber players was the problem in the past- cause we were taking chances on big time guys before, as far as I could tell.

[Kevin]

do you think Bielema was?  Which top players that we are on now are more impressive prospects than Tyrie Cleveland, Kristian Fulton, Alex Collins, Denver Kirkland, Brian Wallace, Sosa, etc etc etc?



I mean, I'm glad we have a new coach, Bielema wasn't cutting it here, I'm just trying to understand why we think going after high caliber players was the problem in the past- cause we were taking chances on big time guys before, as far as I could tell.

don't be so sensitive coach b. just saying he is not scared to recruit top talent.

[thebignasty]

don't be so sensitive coach b. just saying he is not scared to recruit top talent.

Cool.  I was just asking what has changed since the previous staff left that made this stand out to you as a new positive.




I understand that being asked to explain why you believe things can be stressful. I'm sorry if this attempt at a discussion about football caused you any discomfort.

[bphi11ips]

do you think Bielema was?  Which top players that we are on now are more impressive prospects than Tyrie Cleveland, Kristian Fulton, Alex Collins, Denver Kirkland, Brian Wallace, Sosa, etc etc etc?



I mean, I'm glad we have a new coach, Bielema wasn't cutting it here, I'm just trying to understand why we think going after high caliber players was the problem in the past- cause we were taking chances on big time guys before, as far as I could tell.

My comment in the OP doesn't change my opinion of CBB overall. He didn't win enough and I think to some extent it's because he didn't expect to at Arkansas. Otherwise he did a lot of good things. He recruited well in areas where Arkansas had not done well in the past.  He won more battles for big time recruits than anyone I can remember. He offered more big time recruits than anyone I can remember. That was a double edged sword when some of those recruits chose other teams close to signing day and had to be replaced with not so highly recruited players. But Bielema didn't leave a talent void like the one he inherited.

[MuskogeeHogFan]

My comment in the OP doesn't change my opinion of CBB overall. He didn't win enough and I think to some extent it's because he didn't expect to at Arkansas. Otherwise he did a lot of good things. He recruited well in areas where Arkansas had not done well in the past.  He won more battles for big time recruits than anyone I can remember. He offered more big time recruits than anyone I can remember. That was a double edged sword when some of those recruits chose other teams close to signing day and had to be replaced with not so highly recruited players. But Bielema didn't leave a talent void like the one he inherited.

Bielema did recruit better than we did in the past but I do believe that he came here thinking he was going to plug in his Wisconsin methodology and that it would work here in the SEC West just as it did in what is now the Big Ten West. I think he miscalculated and perhaps not only underestimated just how difficult it is to compete in recruiting in the SEC, but also the difficulty of the week-in, week-out grind that is an SEC schedule, especially one in the West. He went from playing a schedule on the weak side of the Big Ten to the strong side of the SEC.

And though he improved our recruiting, he just couldn't recruit enough quality athletes to make his system, that focused on overpowering and overwhelming the competition and beating them down play after play, work in the SEC West. When you line up and dare people to stop your power offense you had better have more studs than the other team or have a team that is full of street fighters that punch back harder when they get hit in the mouth. We had neither and that was made worse by puzzling coaching calls/decisions and poor in-game adjustments that became worse as time wore on, instead of getting better, indicating a learning curve. It appeared to the casual observer that the team saw this as well and eventually, they stopped buying in.

I not only think that he came here expecting to win on a similar level as he did at Wisconsin, but that he might actually win more by having better talent. I also think that he was surprised when no matter how much effort was put into it, no matter how much planning, he couldn't get it done. This was a humbling personal experience for Bielema, no matter what he got paid to do the job.

[thebignasty]

My comment in the OP doesn't change my opinion of CBB overall. He didn't win enough and I think to some extent it's because he didn't expect to at Arkansas. Otherwise he did a lot of good things. He recruited well in areas where Arkansas had not done well in the past.  He won more battles for big time recruits than anyone I can remember. He offered more big time recruits than anyone I can remember. That was a double edged sword when some of those recruits chose other teams close to signing day and had to be replaced with not so highly recruited players. But Bielema didn't leave a talent void like the one he inherited.

I think there are legitimate gripes about the recruiting strategy here.  We either didn't hit or didn't develop lineman the last few years.  We didn't seem to have solid backup plans when we missed on the bigger targets.  I do think Bielema managed to piss off the Texas high school coaching fraternity- and I do think that has been detrimental for us.


Worst of all, I think he did a terrible job of recruiting speed.  Learned the hard way that we aren't going to out physical our SEC slate.  We've got to be fast.

[Chorizo Hogriguez]

I think there are legitimate gripes about the recruiting strategy here.  We either didn't hit or didn't develop lineman the last few years.  We didn't seem to have solid backup plans when we missed on the bigger targets.  I do think Bielema managed to piss off the Texas high school coaching fraternity- and I do think that has been detrimental for us.


Worst of all, I think he did a terrible job of recruiting speed.  Learned the hard way that we aren't going to out physical our SEC slate.  We've got to be fast.

yep, yep

[bphi11ips]

I think there are legitimate gripes about the recruiting strategy here.  We either didn't hit or didn't develop lineman the last few years.  We didn't seem to have solid backup plans when we missed on the bigger targets.  I do think Bielema managed to piss off the Texas high school coaching fraternity- and I do think that has been detrimental for us.


Worst of all, I think he did a terrible job of recruiting speed.  Learned the hard way that we aren't going to out physical our SEC slate.  We've got to be fast.

This sort of brings the thread back full circle to my OP. When I said Bielema didn't respect Arkansas, I didn't mean it like he disrespected my mama. I meant he didn't respect the quality of the program because he brought a Big 10 bias with him that he grew up with. Think of it as a Kirk Herbstreit bias. It's out there.

Bielema thought he was going to fix poor whiddle Arkiesaw by bringing it what it lacked - his superior Big 10 philosophy. In doing so he disrespected the SEC as well. It takes power AND speed to win regularly in 2017 in the SEC. The Big 10 is a shadow of what it was when Bielema played in it.

[thebignasty]

This sort of brings the thread back full circle to my OP. When I said Bielema didn't respect Arkansas, I didn't mean it like he disrespected my mama. I meant he didn't respect the quality of the program because he brought a Big 10 bias with him that he grew up with. Think of it as a Kirk Herbstreit bias. It's out there.

Bielema thought he was going to fix poor whiddle Arkiesaw by bringing it what it lacked - his superior Big 10 philosophy. In doing so he disrespected the SEC as well. It takes power AND speed to win regularly in 2017 in the SEC. The Big 10 is a shadow of what it was when Bielema played in it.

I don't think he disrespected Arkansas.  I do think he probably didnt have the appropriate respect for what Alabama, LSU, etc are doing.  I think if anything, he over estimated our ability to compete nationally with premier teams.  We aren't a national power, werent when he took over.  To compete we have to be regional, and we have to be different.  Maybe that grows us to national power status.  This stuff can change.


If Morris flames out, the line will be 'He tried to make us Clemson west- he didnt understand us!'



Course, if we become Clemson west, we're going to dig it.

[Inhogswetrust]

My comment in the OP doesn't change my opinion of CBB overall. He didn't win enough and I think to some extent it's because he didn't expect to at Arkansas. Otherwise he did a lot of good things. He recruited well in areas where Arkansas had not done well in the past.  He won more battles for big time recruits than anyone I can remember. He offered more big time recruits than anyone I can remember. That was a double edged sword when some of those recruits chose other teams close to signing day and had to be replaced with not so highly recruited players. But Bielema didn't leave a talent void like the one he inherited.

It makes NO sense whatsoever for him to leave Wisconsin IF he thought he didn't expect to win at Arkansas. There is no logical reason for him to do so.

[bphi11ips]

I don't think he disrespected Arkansas.  I do think he probably didnt have the appropriate respect for what Alabama, LSU, etc are doing.  I think if anything, he over estimated our ability to compete nationally with premier teams.  We aren't a national power, werent when he took over.  To compete we have to be regional, and we have to be different.  Maybe that grows us to national power status.  This stuff can change.


If Morris flames out, the line will be 'He tried to make us Clemson west- he didnt understand us!'



Course, if we become Clemson west, we're going to dig it.

I don't adopt lines. Certainly am not about to adopt your Petrino line.

[bphi11ips]

It makes NO sense whatsoever for him to leave Wisconsin IF he thought he didn't expect to win at Arkansas. There is no logical reason for him to do so.

Can you read?

[Inhogswetrust]

Can you read?

Sure. I can also use that skill to know when someone posts dung as your OP is as well as a bunch of your followups.

[bphi11ips]

Sure.

Then go back and find where I said Bielema came to Arkansas thinking he couldn't win.

And try not to repeat the word "dung" in this thread. Someone else beat you to it.

[Inhogswetrust]

Then go back and find where I said Bielema came to Arkansas thinking he couldn't win.

And try not to repeat the word "dung" in this thread. Someone else beat you to it.

That means two of us recognize dung when we read it.

[bphi11ips]

That means two of us recognize dung when we read it.

I'll wait while you look. Let us know if you get waylaid by a leaking toilet in Room 304.

[Inhogswetrust]

I'll wait while you look. Let us know if you get waylaid by a leaking toilet in Room 304.

Look this isn't a court of law. Things don't have to be typed exactly word for word to be intimated as such. You said he didn't expect to win. You never said he came here expecting to win then suddenly decided he couldn't. IF that were the case then you can point to the specific time you believe he started to think that. He did absolutely nothing to disrespect the state, LR or anything else here to let anyone believe he didn't believe he could win here. IF he had any inclination or thought about not being able to win here would have had them before he got here, otherwise he would have left when he did win some games after starting bad his first two years. He said consistently we were close. That is not said by someone thinking they can't win.

[bphi11ips]

Look this isn't a court of law. Things don't have to be typed exactly word for word to be intimated as such. You said he didn't expect to win. You never said he came here expecting to win then suddenly decided he couldn't. IF that were the case then you can point to the specific time you believe he started to think that. He did absolutely nothing to disrespect the state, LR or anything else here to let anyone believe he didn't believe he could win here. IF he had any inclination or thought about not being able to win here would have had them before he got here, otherwise he would have left when he did win some games after starting bad his first two years. He said consistently we were close. That is not said by someone thinking they can't win.

I'm still waiting.

You have a problem reading things that aren't there. You do it all the time. It would be okay if you didn't get so snarky. You understand what I'm saying here but if I said it's night outside in Memphis you would disagree.

Here's the deal. Try and use the sense God must have given you and your experience, read this thread, and try and make some coherent counter-argument if you disagree with anything I have said above. Otherwise follow someone else around to disagree with.

[Pork Twain]

I guess you didn't want Frank hired then...................because he was the main reason we became what we did and he was an outsider.

Has nothing to do with each other and not sure what your point was.  I never said we needed an Arkansas guy.  I merely said it was nice to have someone that has an awareness of how good we could be.  Feel free to spin away.

[bphi11ips]

Has nothing to do with each other and not sure what your point was.  I never said we needed an Arkansas guy.  I merely said it was nice to have someone that has an awareness of how good we could be.  Feel free to spin away.

You're dealing with a guy who argues with himself in the mirror. 

The "outsider" some here like to set up is a straw man.  Have you seen anyone here suggest Arkansas must hire an Arkansas native to coach the Razorbacks?  I haven't. We ran the last Arkansas native out on a rail for good reason.

Inhogs has probably read "Hogwild", Frank Broyles autobiography.  He knows that Broyles coveted the Arkansas job after first visiting Fayetteville as an assistant at Baylor.  He pursued the job for years.  John Barnhill wouldn't offer it to him because he was still in his 20's and had never been a head coach.

Broyles grew up outside of Atlanta.  He played for Bobby Dodd at Georgia Tech, then an SEC power.  After an All-American career at QB, Broyles went to work for Dodd.  He was frustrated at Ga Tech because the best players in Georgia chose to play in Athens.  Broyles targeted Arkansas because he saw no competition for in-state recruits, and he loved the town and campus.

Broyles had a vision for Arkansas.  By the time Barnhill called him to offer the job, Broyles' first words were "Barney, what took you so long?"  Broyles was no outsider.

[Oklahawg]

Morris' hire was not possible the last time around. Morris' fast-fast offense was not going to fly at UA unless Gus was the coach. Long was handicapped by the Gus crowd in that regard (Gus was the only fast-fast offense that Long could have hired; others were off the table until Gus was off the table).

And, at the time Bielema was hired the SEC was much more Big 10-ish than it is now. Bielema needed to have landed at UA 5 years earlier. Might have made it work better. Gus at Auburn, Sumlin at A&M. Two examples of teams/coaches we play every year who require a philosophical shift in how you build a team. Now, even Bama is there.

And, I think that we have recruited very good speed the last 2, maybe 3, classes. Unfortunately, we have tended to bulk them up sufficiently to slow them down too much.