Let the nutthugging begin

[ThisTeetsTaken]

who is gonna be the first to make excuses about the Springdale kids going else where? Let me get you all started with one.  "Even though Notre Dame and FLorida wanted them doesn't mean they're any good."  On a less sarcastic note:  What, if anything, does it mean for Mustains decision that his buddies are leaving Arkansas?

[marshog]

Let me be ther first:
Fact: Ark does not need to sign a TE this year.
Fact: Ark can find a better TE prospect than Cleveland if they desire to sign one this year.
Fact: Ark is so small that it refelcts poorly when an instate kid is offered and turns us down.
Fact: Springdale not only is doing a great job on the grid, they are doing an amazing job in the PR department. These kids names are out there, they are hyped, and they are rolling in offers.
Fact: They all may be overhyped.
Fact: Ark offered the S5 as a strategy to help get Mustain.
Fact: That strategy did not work.

[CorningHog]

I am a Nutt hugger!  No doubt about it!  Love him, think he is an excellent coach, great recruiter, very good judge of talent,
not going to doubt him.

Just remember, he is our coach and will be this season!

GET THIS DOWN!

We will get Mustain and i think Norman!

GO HOGS!

[SonOfMud]

Let me be ther first:
Fact: Ark does not need to sign a TE this year.  The Hogs are by no means stocked with top notch talent at the TE position. 
Fact: Ark can find a better TE prospect than Cleveland if they desire to sign one this year. Recruited by Florida is pretty good.  The Hogs can find better?  Probably not.  When is the last time the Hogs signed a great TE from out of state?  
Fact: Ark is so small that it refelcts poorly when an instate kid is offered and turns us down. 
Fact: Springdale not only is doing a great job on the grid, they are doing an amazing job in the PR department. These kids names are out there, they are hyped, and they are rolling in offers.
Fact: They all may be overhyped.
Fact: Ark offered the S5 as a strategy to help get Mustain.  Don't think this is true.  Considering they are all offered by multiple schools. Though it does help.
Fact: That strategy did not work.

[CorningHog]

Good post Hoop,

I agree totally.  Cleveland never was a good bet to come here.  For whatever reason, it happened and I think it was inevitable.

I can understand kids that have not grown up Hog fans or lived in the state long.  He has a great opportunity at Florida.  If we were not in his Top 5 to begin with, it was a lost cause.

I am sure HDN would have taken him for sure.

GO HOGS!

[CorningHog]

Hey Hoop,

How did you get 65,000 applauds?  Do all these posts really add up to how many each person on here has?  I can't see Irwin posting that many.  How long has this site been up and running?

I think it is funny to see the applauds to smites thing.  Doesn't mean much though the way people throw those around.

Go Hogs!

[Oklahawg]

Let me be ther first:
Fact: Ark does not need to sign a TE this year.
Fact: Ark can find a better TE prospect than Cleveland if they desire to sign one this year.
Fact: Ark is so small that it refelcts poorly when an instate kid is offered and turns us down.
Fact: Springdale not only is doing a great job on the grid, they are doing an amazing job in the PR department. These kids names are out there, they are hyped, and they are rolling in offers.
Fact: They all may be overhyped.
Fact: Ark offered the S5 as a strategy to help get Mustain.
Fact: That strategy did not work.

TE is one of the three weakest position at UA, along with P/K and FB. Hell, maybe that's 4 weakest positions.

The TE coach at UA is the weakest recruiter on the staff. He was responsible for ZERO commits last year. That includes ZERO TEs. I have distinct reservations about his ability to lure a comparable replacement into the fold. Maybe...big maybe...if the passing offense shows a more sophisticated use of the TE.

It reflects poorly on UA when a high-profile recruit is supposedly given red-carpet treatment (early June's version of the story) and now says he was not recruited aggressively by UA (late July's version). Those stories should be consistent.

Malzahn is the more important Springdale person to UA...compared to Cleveland. If/when Malzahn comes to UA then Cleveland's mind may change. This may be a stronger indication that Malzahn's imminent move to UA is not as big a "lock" as we've been led to believe. I can't say one way or the other.

All 5 may be overhyped but that story will never fly in Arkansas...even if its very true. For that story to be determined "true" requires us waiting 5 years to see how these players flesh out as college players. HDN will either have recruited better players using their scholies or will be gone. A moot issue.

The recruiting strategy may wind up working brilliantly. From a PR perspective, its much healthier for some of the 5 to go elsewhere--there are damn few high schools that produce 5 D1 prospects. I find it implausible that all 5 are indeed high-major players. One appears to be and two others appear close. Webb is at the back of the list because of the system he's in.

[ThisTeetsTaken]

Nope, didn't miss the talk about Cleveland.  And no, I didn't expect a player who plays a position in which we are weak in, to commit to a coach who just started recruiting him from a state on the east coast instead of one who lives a few miles away.  My complaint is that we have one good TE on campus right now and he is a senior.  Winston may be good, but he hasn't played a down yet.   Nevertheless, we need to get a TE.   Seems as though we could recruit him harder than anyone else because he is so close to us.  But, you're all right, just let him go and we'll get someone else.  Just like if Mustain goes somewhere else, we'll just get a top five qb's from someone else's state some other time because right now we are loaded at that postion too.

[DisplacedHogFan]

Nope, didn't miss the talk about Cleveland. And no, I didn't expect a player who plays a position in which we are weak in, to commit to a coach who just started recruiting him from a state on the east coast instead of one who lives a few miles away. My complaint is that we have one good TE on campus right now and he is a senior. Winston may be good, but he hasn't played a down yet. Nevertheless, we need to get a TE. Seems as though we could recruit him harder than anyone else because he is so close to us. But, you're all right, just let him go and we'll get someone else. Just like if Mustain goes somewhere else, we'll just get a top five qb's from someone else's state some other time because right now we are loaded at that postion too.

Adapt, Improvise, Overcome...hopefully the coaching staff lives by that philosophy and won't spend their time crying over spilled milk like some of our illustrious posters here. I think we can probably come up with a similar talent at TE. Not to mention that we should be pretty well set for the next 2 to 3 years at that position. It sucks to have lost Cleveland, but he's made up his mind (maybe) and it's time to go find another TE on par with him. I think it can be done. No disrespect to Mr. Cleveland intended but it's not like that's an intregral part of our offense. We WILL be hurting if we whiff on the other 3 prospects from Springdale, however. That will hurt our program much more than the loss of Webb or Cleveland (who I will again state are fine players).

[El Dog Hog]

Quick question..... Wasnt Winston torn between Arkanasas and Florida......

O and isnt he from Little Rock???

YES!!!! I KNEW IT. I knew HDN could recruit Arkansas.

Cleveland wants to play right away. If Winston is as good as hyped then it should be a nice 3-4 years.

[CorningHog]

Exactly!  You got it Eldorado!  Winston will be the star for us at TE for 4 years!

Come on, give our boy a chance to get this season going!  I listened to Conference Call and I am glad we have HDN.  Man, some of those guys are BORING!  I would fall asleep listening to them.

GO HOGS!

[ThisTeetsTaken]

Don't you guys think we might need more than one TE over the next 3-4?

[thundergraham15]

Well someboby finally hit the nail on the head.

[Hogpkins]

I am so tired of hearing this bovine hockey about schools offering the other players just to get Mustain. What are you people (who say this) smoking? That is not the way differnt top college programs just toss around scholarships! Sorry, but I could not disagree with you more.

I wouldn't be so sure of that.  Many top programs are willing to do whatever it takes to get a top recruit like Mustain, even if it means cheating.  Offering a scholarship to a couple of kids who have questionable talent is less risky than cheating.  Let's not kid ourselves about how far most schools would go to land someone like Mustain.  Arkansas is NOT the only school whose recruiting tactics include offering a so-so kid in hopes of getting his much more talented friend.  Other schools do this all the time because it actually works sometimes.

I was not surprised to hear that Cleveland committed elsewhere.  But, for all of you who share my optimistic approach, think about this:  Cleveland said he felt he had to hurry up and commit to Florida while the door was still open (he says he had to commit before another TE did which is probably true; others have speculated he had to commit before Mustain committed somewhere besides Florida because Florida might be less high on Cleveland when Mustain is no longer around, possibly pulling his offer). 

So Cleveland committed to Florida to "save his spot."  He probably sees this as a win-win situation.  He may not be sure that Florida is his choice, but goes ahead and commits just in case that's where he wants to go.  He always has the option of changing his mind.  Verbals don't mean that much, and believe me, it's a lot easier to re-neg on a verbal to a school a thousand miles away than it is to re-neg on a verbal to your homestate school (ala Cedric Houston).  Cleveland could re-neg on his verbal and no one in Florida would even remember it in a couple of months.

Hey, it's possible!

[thundergraham15]

I am so tired of hearing this bovine hockey about schools offering the other players just to get Mustain. What are you people (who say this) smoking? That is not the way differnt top college programs just toss around scholarships! Sorry, but I could not disagree with you more.

I wouldn't be so sure of that.  Many top programs are willing to do whatever it takes to get a top recruit like Mustain, even if it means cheating.  Offering a scholarship to a couple of kids who have questionable talent is less risky than cheating.  Let's not kid ourselves about how far most schools would go to land someone like Mustain.  Arkansas is NOT the only school whose recruiting tactics include offering a so-so kid in hopes of getting his much more talented friend.  Other schools do this all the time because it actually works sometimes.

I was not surprised to hear that Cleveland committed elsewhere.  But, for all of you who share my optimistic approach, think about this:  Cleveland said he felt he had to hurry up and commit to Florida while the door was still open (he says he had to commit before another TE did which is probably true; others have speculated he had to commit before Mustain committed somewhere besides Florida because Florida might be less high on Cleveland when Mustain is no longer around, possibly pulling his offer). 

So Cleveland committed to Florida to "save his spot."  He probably sees this as a win-win situation.  He may not be sure that Florida is his choice, but goes ahead and commits just in case that's where he wants to go.  He always has the option of changing his mind.  Verbals don't mean that much, and believe me, it's a lot easier to re-neg on a verbal to a school a thousand miles away than it is to re-neg on a verbal to your homestate school (ala Cedric Houston).  Cleveland could re-neg on his verbal and no one in Florida would even remember it in a couple of months.

Hey, it's possible!


[/quote/ I really don`t understand that if a coach tell me they are only recruiting one TE I would rethink my option because you don`t know how many position changes they are gonna do.

[Oklahawg]

HDN has to show a lot of folks--here, recruits, etc.--that he'd change how the TE is used to recruit an impact TE. The TE is a block-first option at UA. Cleveland is a glorified WR, filling the role that Boo Williams has in New Orleans and that MJ may have with the Jags. Is the TE role going to change? Hopefully. A lot depends on having a good QB and a good OL.

No excuses--I'm befuddled as to why we didn't work harder (if that's the case) on Cleveland. I can't fault him for looking elsewhere, and he probably knows that if he's that good and he switched so he could join MM at UA there'd be a spot for him.

[BigSnout]

who is gonna be the first to make excuses about the Springdale kids going else where? Let me get you all started with one. "Even though Notre Dame and FLorida wanted them doesn't mean they're any good." On a less sarcastic note: What, if anything, does it mean for Mustains decision that his buddies are leaving Arkansas?

So you are saying that if a couple of other big time schools wanted them then they must be good, right?  Well Nebraska and LSU wanted HDN as a coach so then he must be a good coach.  Just trying to follow your logic.

[ThisTeetsTaken]

who is gonna be the first to make excuses about the Springdale kids going else where? Let me get you all started with one. "Even though Notre Dame and FLorida wanted them doesn't mean they're any good." On a less sarcastic note: What, if anything, does it mean for Mustains decision that his buddies are leaving Arkansas?

I've never said HDN wasn't a good coach. I just don't think he is good enough to win an SEC championship at Arkansas.  He probably could with recruits falling in his lap at a place like LSU.

So you are saying that if a couple of other big time schools wanted them then they must be good, right? Well Nebraska and LSU wanted HDN as a coach so then he must be a good coach. Just trying to follow your logic.

[old timer]

Let me be ther first:
Fact: Ark does not need to sign a TE this year.  The Hogs are by no means stocked with top notch talent at the TE position. 
Fact: Ark can find a better TE prospect than Cleveland if they desire to sign one this year. Recruited by Florida is pretty good.  The Hogs can find better?  Probably not.  When is the last time the Hogs signed a great TE from out of state?  
Fact: Ark is so small that it refelcts poorly when an instate kid is offered and turns us down. 
Fact: Springdale not only is doing a great job on the grid, they are doing an amazing job in the PR department. These kids names are out there, they are hyped, and they are rolling in offers.
Fact: They all may be overhyped.
Fact: Ark offered the S5 as a strategy to help get Mustain.  Don't think this is true.  Considering they are all offered by multiple schools. Though it does help.
Fact: That strategy did not work.

Around 15 catches and 200 some odd yards in 5 games doesn't exactly add up to sure thing quite yet.  Marshog makes some really good points. 

[old timer]

Well...the Hogs DEFINITELY need more tight ends. I'm not quite sure we can find a catchig tight end as skilled as Cleveland either -- at least we aren't deep on the recruiting trail of one right now. Additionally, I am so tired of hearing this bovine hockey about schools offering the other players just to get Mustain. What are you people (who say this) smoking? That is not the way differnt top college programs just toss around scholarships! Sorry, but I could not disagree with you more.

But, I also find this thread a bit odd, when most recruiting specialist had predicted that Cleveland would be going out of state anyway. Especially because he has only lived in Arkansas a short while and has no ties to this state whatsoever. It was expected and predicted by damn nearly everyone. So, when he did commit it was no surprise to most of us. Of course, most suspected that he would be a legacy commit at his father's alma mater, Colorado. But, now he has made it official that he is going out of state and suddenly someone like T-3 has a coronary! Did you miss all the talk about Clelveland prior to today, T 3???

Guys lets wait and see if Cleveland can post some numbers in real games on Friday night before we crown him the cream of the crop for tight ends.  This is getting crazy.

[GreatScott]

Let me be ther first:
Fact: Ark does not need to sign a TE this year.
Fact: Ark can find a better TE prospect than Cleveland if they desire to sign one this year.
Fact: Ark is so small that it refelcts poorly when an instate kid is offered and turns us down.
Fact: Springdale not only is doing a great job on the grid, they are doing an amazing job in the PR department. These kids names are out there, they are hyped, and they are rolling in offers.
Fact: They all may be overhyped.
Fact: Ark offered the S5 as a strategy to help get Mustain.
Fact: That strategy did not work.

marshog... those aren't 'facts'... they are ALL opinions, lol ...

[thundergraham15]

who is gonna be the first to make excuses about the Springdale kids going else where? Let me get you all started with one. "Even though Notre Dame and FLorida wanted them doesn't mean they're any good." On a less sarcastic note: What, if anything, does it mean for Mustains decision that his buddies are leaving Arkansas?

So you are saying that if a couple of other big time schools wanted them then they must be good, right?  Well Nebraska and LSU wanted HDN as a coach so then he must be a good coach.  Just trying to follow your logic.

Bigsnout that is saying a mouth full to these fans. But I agree with you

[thundergraham15]

Well...the Hogs DEFINITELY need more tight ends. I'm not quite sure we can find a catchig tight end as skilled as Cleveland either -- at least we aren't deep on the recruiting trail of one right now. Additionally, I am so tired of hearing this bovine hockey about schools offering the other players just to get Mustain. What are you people (who say this) smoking? That is not the way differnt top college programs just toss around scholarships! Sorry, but I could not disagree with you more.

But, I also find this thread a bit odd, when most recruiting specialist had predicted that Cleveland would be going out of state anyway. Especially because he has only lived in Arkansas a short while and has no ties to this state whatsoever. It was expected and predicted by damn nearly everyone. So, when he did commit it was no surprise to most of us. Of course, most suspected that he would be a legacy commit at his father's alma mater, Colorado. But, now he has made it official that he is going out of state and suddenly someone like T-3 has a coronary! Did you miss all the talk about Clelveland prior to today, T 3???

Guys lets wait and see if Cleveland can post some numbers in real games on Friday night before we crown him the cream of the crop for tight ends.  This is getting crazy.

You are right on time with this quote that is what it`s all about if he can produce on the field.

[toshortrock]

ain't this something

[tophawg19]

the TE position at ark. is just another o-lineman . unless cleveland could beef up or the offense changes he wouldn't have fit anyway . he is more of an h-back in size than a plugger who blocks and catches a few balls . we wasted jason peters talent cause we didn't have a coach who could get the job done .

[ThisTeetsTaken]

Peters was a d-lineman that refused to play anything but TE.  The coaches were afraid he would leave if they made him play his natural position.  How does that make you feel?

[tophawg19]

WTH . does that mean . peters was a fast player with good hands and agile for his size . he had the potential to be a great TE if we had anyone who coach TE's . none of the one's we've had have developed since davenport . we use our TE's as o-linemen so it doesn't matter who we get . peters was a player who would have been a good recieving TE as well as a good blocker .

[marshog]

Fact: I confuse fact for opinion
Fact: By offering Webb and Cleveland, Nutt helped them get more offers, thus helping Gus, thus helping himself in the future.