Try this on for size

[lakecityhog]

Read this article:

http://www.wholehogsports.com/news/2017/oct/17/hogs-lean-on-2015-for-some-optimism-201/

I will not be totally shocked for us to come out of Saturday with a win, Auburn just blew a 20-0 lead and The Plains are beginning to burn a little. Players meeting and leaders trying to right the ship. While Arkansas has finally started playing the kids that could actually give us a fair chance to win a game.

So, for the sake of this little exercise let's just pretend that we do win this game. That gives us 3 wins and halfway home to a bowl game. By the time our game is over Ole Miss and LSU kick off and the loser starts to see the season going down hill, a possible + for us?? We play Ole Miss the very next week.
Coastal gives us win #4 or 5 depending on the outcome of the Ole Miss game. If it is #5 the team starts to get on a roll and maybe gains some much needed confidence. If it is #4 we still have 3 games left to win 2.

LSU on the road looks to be our least likely, but we ALWAYS seem to play LSU a pretty good game.
MSU at home?? We did beat them on the road last year, and then we finish with Missouri at home with maybe BB's future riding on the outcome.

For BB the best case scenario is that we play SENIOR night for a bowl game and win. That puts him at 6 wins and BOWL ELIGIBILITY. Long comes out shortly after and praises BB for the outstanding job that he did overcoming the loss of the seniors from last year, the loss of an All-SEC running back, his lone returning wide out and the injury to his 5th year senior QB. HE tells the BOT that based on all that happened early in the season and the way that the team responded that BB does indeed deserve another year to get this thing lined out.

I believe that the BOT and the University will agree and 2018 is set for BB's return. After all they do tend to remember what you do in November! Guys, I can see this happening, maybe a little luck involved but possible.

My biggest question for 2018 would be this one thing----- Did the 2017 season teach BB enough that he doesn't continue to make the same mistakes?
If it happens as I have it laid out I hope that BB has learned:

1, Let his coordinators call their game, either hire coordinators with his same philosophy or allow them to coach to their philosophy, they will do a better job.
2. Play the kids that give you the best chance to win, period!
3. Realize that there are NO weeks off, even in the off season.
4. Winning is work, work for the players, work for the assistant coaches and most of all work for the Head Coach.

[swineology]

For BB the best case scenario is that we play SENIOR night for a bowl game and win. That puts him at 6 wins and BOWL ELIGIBILITY. Long comes out shortly after and praises BB for the outstanding job that he did overcoming the loss of the seniors from last year, the loss of an All-SEC running back, his lone returning wide out and the injury to his 5th year senior QB. HE tells the BOT that based on all that happened early in the season and the way that the team responded that BB does indeed deserve another year to get this thing lined out.

Sorry
6-6 doesn't do it for me in year 5

[lakecityhog]

Doesn't for me either, but I bet it would for JL. Anyone with the inclination to excuse this season could EASILY look at the injuries alone and find reason to be be more forgiving. Especially if BB were able to "rally the troops" to a bowl game. And I truly believe that JL wants to keep BB.

[Pig in the Pokey]

Bowl eligibility is not some milestone to be celebrated. It's the absolute floor and isnt a measure of success. It's literally bragging about being .500 ! WOW! Screw fat bert.

[Porkchop#1]

My biggest question for 2018 would be this one thing----- Did the 2017 season teach BB enough that he doesn't continue to make the same mistakes?

4. Winning is work, work for the players, work for the assistant coaches and most of all work for the Head Coach.

Can't imagine that..at all.  Years 4,3,2, & 1 didn't teach the guy anything. 

A blind man could see the special teams have been a cluster all along during his tenure...still are, probably worse than ever. Embarrassingly bad.

He don't get it apparently. 

It's hard to make HDN's record look good, but by dangy, compared to Bert, HootN is Bear Bryant.

[swineology]

Doesn't for me either, but I bet it would for JL. Anyone with the inclination to excuse this season could EASILY look at the injuries alone and find reason to be be more forgiving. Especially if BB were able to "rally the troops" to a bowl game. And I truly believe that JL wants to keep BB.

I thought HV already has JL fired

[texas tush hog]

I thought HV already has JL fired

Doubtful, but we can only hope.

[lakecityhog]

Guys, several of these responses are what YOU think about the situation and truthfully that doesn't matter. What matters is what JL can sell to the BOT and I believe that JL could sell them that with all that went down this year BB has done an admirable job.

Remember, it doesn't have to be the unvarnished truth it just has to be believable! How many of you really think that the University, the AD or the BOT wants to go thru firing a coach and the hassle of hiring another unknown quantity???

[Pig in the Pokey]

Look, dudes. Long is getting his contract EXTENDED next month. That is because he's already handled his business in regards to this football program. Long aint gonna go anywhere, but Fat Bert is.

[TeufelHog]

Hate to say it, but I expect Auburn to curb-stomp us this weekend.  That LSU loss still stings terribly because Auburn is a better team than LSU.  That, combined with Gus coaching for his job now, is going to cause this team to come on like gang-busters.  Expect it to be bad, and expect the score to get "run-up" by Gus because he is taking it poorly in the media and with the fan-base.  Typical "not being able to close out opponents," not keeping their foot on opponents necks," and "playing not to lose" for the last 2 years.  Even though they are still in control of their own destiny, Auburn fans have been calling for his job off-and-on over the last 2 years, but especially this week.  They want him gone. 

He/They is/are coming to Fayetteville with something to prove.  This would be a huge win for our Hogs if they can pull it off.  While I saw some improvements against Bama, I just don't think it's gonna happen against Auburn.

[JaketheSnake]

I only hear the title in the voice of Vector from Despicable Me! 

[hoglady]

Bielema hasn't had a team ready to start the season since he got here.

You could give him 10 more years and he still won't have a team ready to start the season.
You could give him a team returning every starter from the year before and he still wouldn't be ready.
It's who he is.

[presidenthog]

Bowl eligibility is not some milestone to be celebrated. It's the absolute floor and isnt a measure of success. It's literally bragging about being .500 ! WOW! Screw fat bert.

This x1000. Our fan base has seen mediocre for so long we have people celebrating a bowl game. That is pathetic. Where we are as a program is pathetic.

[wendellgee]

Bielema hasn't had a team ready to start the season since he got here.

For all his faults, this is my biggest gripe with him.

[Roaringboar]

Bowl eligibility is not some milestone to be celebrated. It's the absolute floor and isnt a measure of success. It's literally bragging about being .500 ! WOW! Screw fat bert.

It doesn't matter what you say, the Bielemers are going to come out and support Bert right up to the point he shoves this program off a cliff......they come on here and if you say anything against Bert they scream "You don't know your facts" "You're not a real fan" "You don't have any idea what you're talking about" while providing no real-world support for their claims.....they still think we'll beat Auburn (That's cute) and they will keep thinking that when there's 10 seconds left in the fourth quarter and we trail Auburn 63-3.........But that won't matter either because if we lose they'll just say, "But it was a good Auburn team we lost to" after trashing them all week and then they'll go on and say, "We could still win all of our last five and get to seven".....then it will be our last four, and once we lose another and knock ourselves out of bowl elgibility, they'll start screaming the whole "IT WAS A REBUILDING YEAR" B.S. that Bert is trying to sell now.......The Bielemers will stick with their worthless coach up to the moment he gets fired, and even then they'll try to say, "He wasn't fired for being a bad coach, he was just fired for not winning enough games".....Doesn't that sound stupid......it's the logic all of these Bielemers are using right now on hogville, and frankly the ignorance and blind following of a horrible coach is just annoying now.......

[hoglady]

This x1000. Our fan base has seen mediocre for so long we have people celebrating a bowl game. That is pathetic. Where we are as a program is pathetic.

In my 50+ years as a fan- I've never seen Hog fans so accepting of pathetic, either.

[Broadway Rob]

It doesn't matter what you say, the Bielemers are going to come out and support Bert right up to the point he shoves this program off a cliff......they come on here and if you say anything against Bert they scream "You don't know your facts" "You're not a real fan" "You don't have any idea what you're talking about" while providing no real-world support for their claims.....they still think we'll beat Auburn (That's cute) and they will keep thinking that when there's 10 seconds left in the fourth quarter and we trail Auburn 63-3.........But that won't matter either because if we lose they'll just say, "But it was a good Auburn team we lost to" after trashing them all week and then they'll go on and say, "We could still win all of our last five and get to seven".....then it will be our last four, and once we lose another and knock ourselves out of bowl elgibility, they'll start screaming the whole "IT WAS A REBUILDING YEAR" B.S. that Bert is trying to sell now.......The Bielemers will stick with their worthless coach up to the moment he gets fired, and even then they'll try to say, "He wasn't fired for being a bad coach, he was just fired for not winning enough games".....Doesn't that sound stupid......it's the logic all of these Bielemers are using right now on hogville, and frankly the ignorance and blind following of a horrible coach is just annoying now.......

I hear what you're saying, however, I haven't read a single post defending him this year.  I may have missed the one or two that have been posted, but the fan base has turned its back on him.  He knows it.  Just listen to him when he asks fans to come support the team Saturday.  He acknowledges that fans are frustrated and irritated.  He hears the rumblings. 

[jst01]

It'll be almost a relief when Auburn stomps the Hogs and Ole Miss wins easily so these dumb posts stop happening. This team isn't as good as it's SEC opponents.

[hawgon]

It'll be almost a relief when Auburn stomps the Hogs and Ole Miss wins easily so these dumb posts stop happening. This team isn't as good as it's SEC opponents.

Yeah, just make it end already.  I can't take another year of this.  It will completely end my fandom me I really don't want that to happen.

[From Tusk Till Dawn]

In my 50+ years as a fan- I've never seen Hog fans so accepting of pathetic, either.

Sorry but think you are remembering wrong.  Since joining the SEC we have had:
9 seasons under 6 wins
5 seasons at 6 or 7 wins
Overall losing record in the sec

The days of whipping up on Rice and Baylor are long gone.

[12247]

Our problems are upper management above Jeff Long type problems and I worry that will not change.

Bret should have never been hired.  His preferred plan of attack doesn't stand a real chance against decent SEC competition.  Even 5 years in, against poor SEC competition, we cannot win decent.

What we've learned about Bret is that he is STAND OFFISH, MANY ASSISTANTS DO NOT LIKE WORKING FOR HIM, HE DOESN'T TRAIN SPECIAL TEAMS, DOESN'T PREPARE FOR THE START OF THE SEASON, PLAYS PLAYERS HE LIKES RATHER THAN THE BEST PLAYERS ON HAND, BULLSHITS THE MEDIA TO KEEP THEM, IS GROSSLY OVERPAID FOR THE LEVEL OF COACH HE REALLY IS, HIS DEMEANOR IS NOT WHAT YOU REALLY WANT TO HAVE STANDING ON YOUR SIDELINE, EXAMPLES:  THE UNSHAVEN DRUNK LOOK AND I ADMIT, HES AT LEAST SHOWING UP SHAVEN NOW.  OUT OF TOUCH ON THE FIELD (STAND OFFISH).  ZERO FIRE IN HIS BELLY, APPEARING LOST LIKELY BECAUSE HE IS LOST.  CONSTANTLY HORSE kidding THE FANS ABOUT PLAYERS, PLAYING WHO GIVE US THE BEST CHANCE TO WIN ONLY TO MAKING HUGE CHANGES WHEN HE FINALLY NOTES THE FANS ARE ABOUT TO BOYCOTT.  I COULD GO ON FOR AN HOURS.

Long is OK with Bret and will retain this man.  And our complete upper management will approve another contract for Long and therefore, another nice contract for Bret.  Remember this:  3 years ago Nebraska would have made a hard run to get get Long but now, nope.  Even Nebraska understands and can see the light.  Until we have the very upper management making good long term decisions, our winning percentage in football will remain piss poor.

[Mo_Better_Hogs]

I'll start with the first point—beating Auburn. For that to happen, we have to play as well as we've played at times this year WHILE eliminating the worst of what we've done. Part of that is giving up big plays, great big devastating catastrophic plays. Can our offense be sharp? Can our defense be solid? And can our special teams be serviceable? These things are possible, but nothing points to this happening.

What happens after that? We cannot go 6-6 if that includes beating AU. We need 7. We have to beat CC, Mizzou, and sweep the Mississippis. Miss State is at home, that's gotta be a win. And we need to play LSU a good game.

What would all that mean? Plenty of people would talk about how we bounced back, how Bielema pulled it together. Then what happens in the bowl game? Personally our losses this year have soured me beyond what any win can overcome (unless Kelley gets red hot, and that's the reason for our success.)

If we go 6-6, there isn't much to celebrate. It means we beat ONE respectable team this year, either Miss State or LSU. And one ain't enough.

Now, what we as fans think, and Jeff Long thinks, may be 2 totally different things. We could go 5-7 and with all the injuries factored in (as the OP mentions), Long may be fine with that. We might as well prepare for that.

[East Clintwood]

Long doesn't give a da mn about winning.  He'll keep Bert no matter what his record.  The only way he fires Bret is if he's forced to do it.

Jeff Long needs to be fired first.

[phadedhawg]

There is no path forward for Bielema at Arkansas.  Ship has sailed. 

[Redhogs]

It doesn't matter what you say, the Bielemers are going to come out and support Bert right up to the point he shoves this program off a cliff......they come on here and if you say anything against Bert they scream "You don't know your facts" "You're not a real fan" "You don't have any idea what you're talking about" while providing no real-world support for their claims.....they still think we'll beat Auburn (That's cute) and they will keep thinking that when there's 10 seconds left in the fourth quarter and we trail Auburn 63-3.........But that won't matter either because if we lose they'll just say, "But it was a good Auburn team we lost to" after trashing them all week and then they'll go on and say, "We could still win all of our last five and get to seven".....then it will be our last four, and once we lose another and knock ourselves out of bowl elgibility, they'll start screaming the whole "IT WAS A REBUILDING YEAR" B.S. that Bert is trying to sell now.......The Bielemers will stick with their worthless coach up to the moment he gets fired, and even then they'll try to say, "He wasn't fired for being a bad coach, he was just fired for not winning enough games".....Doesn't that sound stupid......it's the logic all of these Bielemers are using right now on hogville, and frankly the ignorance and blind following of a horrible coach is just annoying now.......

Pure gold...sadly it's accurate. Good post.

[theFlyingHog]

Auburn will not be flat!   Arkansas will do their best but defense can't stop a cold, SPECIAL TEAMS is not special and no resemblance of a running game.   C Kelley will have to do it all if he isn't killed (or Allen) but we can expect the same ugliness as last year when Uncle Gus comes to town, probably so giddy with excitement he can hardly stand it.

One of the many things that has destroyed my faith in BB(Enos?) is how he doesn't have a plan for when the opposing D brings the house. There are ways to make an aggressive defense pay yet we never seem to even try

[PorkSoda]

For BB the best case scenario is that we play SENIOR night for a bowl game and win. That puts him at 6 wins and BOWL ELIGIBILITY. Long comes out shortly after and praises BB for the outstanding job that he did overcoming the loss of the seniors from last year, the loss of an All-SEC running back, his lone returning wide out and the injury to his 5th year senior QB. HE tells the BOT that based on all that happened early in the season and the way that the team responded that BB does indeed deserve another year to get this thing lined out.

Sorry
6-6 doesn't do it for me in year 5

6-6 aint sexy, but it will buy him another year.

[Tusks]

6-6 aint sexy, but it will buy him another year.

He's not going 6-6

[PorkSoda]

He's not going 6-6

yeah, its a long shot at this point, but would indeed show a turnaround.

our current losses are against

#1
#5
#32
#35

at we had #5 and #32 on the ropes, but couldn't finish.

[Athog]

Can't imagine that..at all.  Years 4,3,2, & 1 didn't teach the guy anything. 

A blind man could see the special teams have been a cluster all along during his tenure...still are, probably worse than ever. Embarrassingly bad.

He don't get it apparently. 

It's hard to make HDN's record look good, but by dangy, compared to Bert, HootN is Bear Bryant.

He don't? What is that he do!

[ronmahony]

Long doesn't give a da mn about winning.  He'll keep Bert no matter what his record.  The only way he fires Bret is if he's forced to do it.

Jeff Long needs to be fired first.

Yep. He does, and I could watch that girl stroll in front of that map for hours!

[threeNout]

I think his best and probably only chance is a complete win out at 9-4.

not likely, and I AM ready for a new coach, but being a Hog fan, 9-4 is what I'll hope for.

[HoggyCat]

Doesn't for me either, but I bet it would for JL. Anyone with the inclination to excuse this season could EASILY look at the injuries alone and find reason to be be more forgiving. Especially if BB were able to "rally the troops" to a bowl game. And I truly believe that JL wants to keep BB.

"@jefflongUA: "I believe in ICA & Higher Ed there are ideals more important than Wins & Losses. If the leaders don't set the example...who will?"

[rmcchris]

Look it up here on Sunday. We will be unprepared and get hammered by Auburn.

[PorkRinds]

I hear what you're saying, however, I haven't read a single post defending him this year.  I may have missed the one or two that have been posted, but the fan base has turned its back on him.  He knows it.  Just listen to him when he asks fans to come support the team Saturday.  He acknowledges that fans are frustrated and irritated.  He hears the rumblings.

Some folks think that unless you go along with every dumbchit argument that can be pulled out of the collective rectum of hogville, you're happy with the coach and think he's doing a great job. It is what it is.

[jgphillips3]

We have less than a 1 in 10 shot of winning this game.  Their run game is a bad matchup for our D and their D-line and linebackers are a great matchup for them against our O.  I think we'll play better, but we aren't beating them.  Then we should lose to LSU and MSU but might beat Ole Miss and Mizzou if CK is still QB'ing after this weekend.  Coastal Carolina is a given of course.

[lakecityhog]

Guys, I AM NOT SAYING I WANT BB TO STAY!!!!!

I am saying that IF he stumbles around and wins 6 games there is a VERY good chance that JL will do his dead level best to give him 1 more year. I simply stated what I feel like will be his talking points when he makes the announcement.

So many of you have this thing about thinking that what YOU think should happen is what will actually happen and that simply is not the case. A blind man can see that JL is firmly in BB's corner and it will take a 4-8 or 3-9 type of season to force him to fire BB. I would not be shocked if a 5-7 season is acceptable to JL.

Face it the University and the BOT is firmly in Long's corner and baring a total collapse JL will more than likely get his way with BB.