Wally Hall really does tell it like it is - things Hogs fans do not want to..

[GuvHog]

For sure, except I always thought Danny Ford actually did a lot of rebuilding by recruiting the talent needed to compete at the top of the SEC.

Unfortunately, John White handcuffed Broyles with his committee ("because that's the way we hired faculty at Georgia Tech"), and all that talent was turned over to a flim-flamming counterfeiter.

Danny Ford did indeed recruit some good talent but unfortunately he couldn't coach a lick.

[bphi11ips]

You can post all the words you want but you're still wrong.


For 4 seasons fans gave Bielema the benefit of the doubt. They showed up, as they also did for the TCU game, in strides and cheered hard. I could list all the games while Bielema was here when the crowd showed up, even if it didn't have to


This was a year  coming off a season where they crapped the bed the last 2 games and put out some really embarrassing performances.



This was Bret's product to sell to the fans and he took a big dump. The blame is his and his alone

It's crazy for you to blame the fans for being tired of that circus.




Even though your point is wrong because they showed up to the TCU game and watched the razorbacks look like crap.

You're entitled to your opinion. If you believe Arkansas can build a winning SEC program with crowds like the one that showed up for TCU then you are in for a rude awakening.

[rhames]

You're entitled to your opinion. If you believe Arkansas can build a winning SEC program with crowds like the one that showed up for TCU then you are in for a rude awakening.

Hahaha. Ok

[lilRockNDubb]

Aww, you ruined his comment.

Cutcliffe, Leach, O'Leary, Freeze, Paul Johnson, Dykes never played football.

[majestic]

Danny Ford did indeed recruit some go talent but unfortunately he couldn't coach a lick.

Danny Ford couldn't coach a lick. You are so dumb. His heart may not have been in coaching anymore, but he won the SEC west in his third year here. 122–59–5 and a national championship. Good Lord, you just get dumber with time.

[hawgon]

It wasn't a stupid move by Long.  It was a calculated move to keep his guy and by extension himself in power for as long as he wanted.  Long knew that once he fired Petrino and hired Bielema that his security was tied to Bielema.  He figured a huge buyout would keep Bielema around for at least seven or eight years and he would eventually achieve consistent mediocrity.

He didn't figure that Bielema was as bad as he actually was and he didn't think that we would actually have the cohones to fire him whatever the cost.  It was a miscalculation, but it was a calculation.  In the end, he was concerned more with his own power and maneuvering than he was Arkansas.

[rude1]

It wasn't a stupid move by Long.  It was a calculated move to keep his guy and by extension himself in power for as long as he wanted.  Long knew that once he fired Petrino and hired Bielema that his security was tied to Bielema.  He figured a huge buyout would keep Bielema around for at least seven or eight years and he would eventually achieve consistent mediocrity.

He didn't figure that Bielema was as bad as he actually was and he didn't think that we would actually have the cohones to fire him whatever the cost.  It was a miscalculation, but it was a calculation.  In the end, he was concerned more with his own power and maneuvering than he was Arkansas.

I don't disagree with this, but my thoughts are "where were the other people who are also in charge of taking care of the assets?" I mean your AD is proposing giving a football coach who is 10-15, 2-14 conference, a good raise, extension, and a ridiculous buyout, and no one stands up and goes "WTH, that is absolutely unreasonable and will NOT be approved"?

Instead everyone locked stepped behind King Jeff and allowed this misuse of funds to take place. At the end of the day, NO ONE has stood up and been accountable for it, yeah King Jeff was fired, but he had to be paid in full too. If this is our business model, we will be the program where coaches come to enrich themselves, fail, and leave with enough money never to work again, this is not sustainable........

[Pig Worshipper]

Yes, the Arkansas football and basketball programs can only breach the bonds of mediocrity by finding The Indispensable Man as head coach. Frank Broyles, Lou Holtz, Bobby Petrino, Nolan Richardson and Eddie Sutton were such men. It is possible to have very good programs at Arkansas but it will probably take a commitment to hiring young, Scott Frost-type of coaches at a high salary and hope they catch fire.
Chad Morris and Mike Anderson are not the quality of head coach who can do it for Arkansas. We are still in our Wilderness Years.
Eventually we will hire the right people and things will be very good again. I just hope I'm still around to see it! Go Cubbies, er, Hogs. See, it is possible for long suffering fans to finally rejoice with a championship!

[HognotinMemphis]

Pretty good post. Here's a clue....just my .02 cents but next time we get a coach who can win at the rate of Petrino (or even Houston Nutt for that matter) don't fire him to fall in love with a guy and proclaim him a savior of everything football wonderful....only to win 11 conference games in 5 years. Complete garbage and waste of 6 straight years for the football program is what we have gotten.

My personal opinion is that these contracts should be built more so in the direction win more games = more money. Lose more games = less pay. No doubt there is compensation for the winning side (bowl games, championships) but you never hear anything about penalties for not winning. At a school like Arkansas especially, coaches cannot be lazy like Bielema. There has to be some sort of incentive to win...if a contract is drawn out to where it's basically a guaranteed $25 million plus vacation no matter what happens on the field where is the incentive or motivation to win? The guys first year we won 0 conference games and in the press conference on loss number 8 he was commenting that he was glad we lost the game. That right there tells you zero incentive to win.

The stats SEC W/L wise the past wasted 6 years have added to and made much worse our conference rep. We were once a firm middle of the pack SEC football program...not any more.

The good news is we are on a complete clean slate with a new AD and coach. May be tough but to me it is now a legit possibility with new leadership and a new culture for our program to claw its way back to middle of the pack respectable level we experienced with the Nutt and Petrino years.

JK, you always make sense and use your common sense. I agree with your post here.

[bphi11ips]

Yes, the Arkansas football and basketball programs can only breach the bonds of mediocrity by finding The Indispensable Man as head coach. Frank Broyles, Lou Holtz, Bobby Petrino, Nolan Richardson and Eddie Sutton were such men. It is possible to have very good programs at Arkansas but it will probably take a commitment to hiring young, Scott Frost-type of coaches at a high salary and hope they catch fire.
Chad Morris and Mike Anderson are not the quality of head coach who can do it for Arkansas. We are still in our Wilderness Years.
Eventually we will hire the right people and things will be very good again. I just hope I'm still around to see it! Go Cubbies, er, Hogs. See, it is possible for long suffering fans to finally rejoice with a championship!

How do you know Chad Morris is not that quality coach? 

[hawgon]

I don't disagree with this, but my thoughts are "where were the other people who are also in charge of taking care of the assets?" I mean your AD is proposing giving a football coach who is 10-15, 2-14 conference, a good raise, extension, and a ridiculous buyout, and no one stands up and goes "WTH, that is absolutely unreasonable and will NOT be approved"?

Instead everyone locked stepped behind King Jeff and allowed this misuse of funds to take place. At the end of the day, NO ONE has stood up and been accountable for it, yeah King Jeff was fired, but he had to be paid in full too. If this is our business model, we will be the program where coaches come to enrich themselves, fail, and leave with enough money never to work again, this is not sustainable........

Why you don't honestly think anyone was going to stand anywhere other than four square behind Captain Integrity after the slaying of Bobby Petrino and the nationwide publicity blitz thereafter do you? 

[rude1]

Why you don't honestly think anyone was going to stand anywhere other than four square behind Captain Integrity after the slaying of Bobby Petrino and the nationwide publicity blitz thereafter do you? 

Unfortunately I guess it was too much to ask, they all lined up behind him like sheep, and King Jeff lined his pockets, the fat man's pockets, and had the football program in shambles before anyone awaken from King Jeff's spell and realized there was a problem............

[Hogwaller]

I knew you would comment but I find it interesting how my comments almost always embolden those who do not post much to reply. The other two guys who commented have less than 1,000 posts.

Just because people don't comment a lot doesn't mean they don't pay attention and don't have a grip on what's happening. Some folks don't say anything unless they think it's important to say it. Can't say that for everybody. Some folks are real impressed with numbers. So are churches without much substance. The subject is brought up from time to time on here and it kinda grates on me. Numbers are just numbers. That is all.

[bphi11ips]

Unfortunately I guess it was too much to ask, they all lined up behind him like sheep, and King Jeff lined his pockets, the fat man's pockets, and had the football program in shambles before anyone awaken from King Jeff's spell and realized there was a problem............

Jeff Long was a disaster for Razorbacks football. Maybe not for athletics in general. Maybe he leaves things financially sound. I don't have the information to develop an informed opinion on finances. My sense is it will be years before we will know the full impact of the NEZ project and the cost of gettng rid of Long and Bielema. There are many variables and unknowns over decades to come to have an answer just yet.

What I do know is that the Arkansas Razorbacks football team is not a business. It is not taxed like a business. It is a cash cow and a money pit. Revenue must be generated and managed, but that doesn't make it a business. The Razorbacks are an institution. The success or failure of the football team impacts the state of Arkansas in a myriad of ways. Whether it should or not is not the question. It does. Because it does, the AD and head football coaches are stewards above and beyond all else. The team is 120 years old. It will be here when they are gone. For all his faults, Frank Broyles was a steward.

It's time to put the Jeff Long era behind us.

[wachhog]

We haven't been consistently good since the 80s and then again for a short period of time under Petrino. 

Petrine was our best chance. And what did we do? Fired him.
I agree with Wally. Things are bad. And it is our so-called leadership's fault.

[GuvHog]

Danny Ford couldn't coach a lick. You are so dumb. His heart may not have been in coaching anymore, but he won the SEC west in his third year here. 122–59–5 and a national championship. Good Lord, you just get dumber with time.

BS. The only reason Forde won the division his 3rd year is because he had Joe Lee Dunn as his DC and Bama was ineligible (on probation). Joe Lee left in disgust after that 1 season. Ford was a has been who couldn't coach a lick.

[Sed76]

BS. The only reason Forde won the division his 3rd year is because he had Joe Lee Dunn as his DC and Bama was ineligible (on probation). Joe Lee left in disgust after that 1 season. Ford was a has been who couldn't coach a lick.

Didn't Arkansas finish with a better conference record and beat Alabama that year or am I remembering wrong? Don't recall us winning the west because of the Tide was ineligible.  That's how I remember it at least,  could very well be wrong.

[bphi11ips]

Didn't Arkansas finish with a better conference record and beat Alabama that year or am I remembering wrong? Don't recall us winning the west because of the Tide was ineligible.  That's how I remember it at least,  could very well be wrong.

You have a good memory:

https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/conferences/sec/1995.html

[12247]

Just to be certain I wasn't wrong, I just checked the AP and coaches poll and TCU was not in the top 25 at the start of the 2017 season.  I remember that although we beat the Florida Alantic team easily, the fans didn't see the fire and crisp team they expected before the season started.  There was lots of complaining on here.  We entered the TCU game at home and should have been ready, willing and able to take down TCU.  We were outcoached, outplayed, showed up for what we were, a pitiful team ruined by a pitiful coach.  TCU had 2 things we didn't, a decent HC and more speed.  We had everything else it took to win the game, everything to play for, playing a make or break game, at home, about equal talent and history on our side.  That was all negated by a dumbassed coach who really couldn't show he cared at all.

TCU could have made our season Bowl worthy but Bret couldn't prepare a piss ant to crawl across dry ground.  Every person who had a damn thing to do with his hiring should have to have a life sized picture of Bret hung above their bed with, I caused this, in huge letters across the bottom of the picture.  The people on Hogville who stood up for him and Long until someone grew the balls to fire them both should be included with their copy of his picture above their beds.  Many of us put up with our posts being removed, sometimes being banned from Hogville, and having many posters chide us about how wrong we were.  Truth is, were weren't loud enough or telling it as bad as it was. 

[wachhog]

Petrino was the right hire. The fans knew it and were ultra excited by it. That was evident at the local Razorback Club meetings that spring before he'd ever coached a gam as head Hog. Bobby Proved them right.

The problem was and always had been, Jeff Long. Hiring him was a mistake of EPIC proportions.

This. And I bet that if you had taken a vote, a large majority of the fans knew that
April day he was fired that it was the end of Arkansas football for years to come. The wisdom of the crowd...

[bphi11ips]

Just to be certain I wasn't wrong, I just checked the AP and coaches poll and TCU was not in the top 25 at the start of the 2017 season.  I remember that although we beat the Florida Alantic team easily, the fans didn't see the fire and crisp team they expected before the season started.  There was lots of complaining on here.  We entered the TCU game at home and should have been ready, willing and able to take down TCU.  We were outcoached, outplayed, showed up for what we were, a pitiful team ruined by a pitiful coach.  TCU had 2 things we didn't, a decent HC and more speed.  We had everything else it took to win the game, everything to play for, playing a make or break game, at home, about equal talent and history on our side.  That was all negated by a dumbassed coach who really couldn't show he cared at all.

TCU could have made our season Bowl worthy but Bret couldn't prepare a piss ant to crawl across dry ground.  Every person who had a damn thing to do with his hiring should have to have a life sized picture of Bret hung above their bed with, I caused this, in huge letters across the bottom of the picture.  The people on Hogville who stood up for him and Long until someone grew the balls to fire them both should be included with their copy of his picture above their beds.  Many of us put up with our posts being removed, sometimes being banned from Hogville, and having many posters chide us about how wrong we were.  Truth is, were weren't loud enough or telling it as bad as it was. 

TCU was ranked 23 the day we played them:

https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/arkansas/2017-schedule.html

[Albert Einswine]

TCU was ranked 23 the day we played them:

https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/arkansas/2017-schedule.html

He said at the start of the season, so I assume he meant the initial poll.

[wachhog]

Just to be certain I wasn't wrong, I just checked the AP and coaches poll and TCU was not in the top 25 at the start of the 2017 season.  I remember that although we beat the Florida Alantic team easily, the fans didn't see the fire and crisp team they expected before the season started.  There was lots of complaining on here.  We entered the TCU game at home and should have been ready, willing and able to take down TCU.  We were outcoached, outplayed, showed up for what we were, a pitiful team ruined by a pitiful coach.  TCU had 2 things we didn't, a decent HC and more speed.  We had everything else it took to win the game, everything to play for, playing a make or break game, at home, about equal talent and history on our side.  That was all negated by a dumbassed coach who really couldn't show he cared at all.

TCU could have made our season Bowl worthy but Bret couldn't prepare a piss ant to crawl across dry ground.  Every person who had a damn thing to do with his hiring should have to have a life sized picture of Bret hung above their bed with, I caused this, in huge letters across the bottom of the picture.  The people on Hogville who stood up for him and Long until someone grew the balls to fire them both should be included with their copy of his picture above their beds.  Many of us put up with our posts being removed, sometimes being banned from Hogville, and having many posters chide us about how wrong we were.  Truth is, were weren't loud enough or telling it as bad as it was. 

He should be naked in that picture with all the rolls of blubber hanging over. That's what those on Hogville who sung his praises should have to go to bed to

[wachhog]

Sweet dreams.

[bphi11ips]

He said at the start of the season, so I assume he meant the initial poll.

I got that.  As I recall, ESPN FPI had TCU at about 16 preseason.  I thought that was high and said so at the time.  I don't necessarily disagree with 12247 about the job Bielema did here on the field.  I do think he and the players deserved a better crowd before and at the start of the TCU game and said that above.  The fact that they were ranked on gameday is just another reason why.

[Pork Twain]

I normally think of Wally as the Guv of journalism, but this is pretty accurate.  Too many are stuck in the 60's

[HognitiveDissonance]

I'm still chuckling how Wally wrote a column begging Gus Malzahn to come back home, and then after the fact has written over and over that Malzahn was never going to come here.

Yes, I know the 'Gus needs to come home' had some humor, but point remains: Wally is doing some revisionist history after the fact. At the time, he had no idea what Gus was going to do, else he wouldn't have wrote the column.

[redeye]

Didn't Arkansas finish with a better conference record and beat Alabama that year or am I remembering wrong? Don't recall us winning the west because of the Tide was ineligible.  That's how I remember it at least,  could very well be wrong.

Yep.  That was our first ever win over Alabama, and IIRC, it came on a controversial, last second TD pass to JJ Meadows in BDS.  Bama fans went bezerk, claiming the ball had bounced off the ground, which is still debated to this day.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t9toCYUMon0

I'd actually forgotten that we finished with a better conference record, because I'm constantly hearing how we only won in '95 due to Bama being ineligible.

[hogfanny]

We don't need long term contracts or big buy-outs here. Three-four years is all anyone can last here in Football, it's just too hard of a job. Embrace the "stepping stone" mentality, pay a young fire-pistal $3-4  million for three years then start looking. An A-State on steroids.

Use some money on some players or quit trying at all. Also need to start a free retirement home for officials or something to get them happy. Archie Cooley for director football success 101.

[redeye]

I began following Arkansas the year Holtz took over, in an unrelated coincidence.  Shortly after I began, I heard the stories of our '64 team and I knew Arkansas had been very good.  I also knew that the AP had awarded the '64 title to Alabama and that we'd fallen short in both '65 and '69.  So I spent most of the next decade or two thinking that Arkansas only needed to win an AP title to establish itself as a football powerhouse, on the same level as Alabama, Oklahoma, Nebraska, etc.  I suspect I wasn't alone in thinking this way.

So even back then, I didn't think Arkansas received the respect that it had almost earned, unquestionably.  Maybe if the AP were less biased, or better judges, we would have?  Instead, we were dismissed as the underdog in every big game and expected to play the role of the bridesmaid, but never the bride.  I suspect this is why our old-timers refuse to acknowledge that Arkansas is anything other than great, because they've had a life-long goal of capturing the glory that escaped us in the past.

Even so, we relished that underdog role and fed off it, much like Nolan's teams did.  Back then, Arkansas overachieved and made those who dismissed us look like idiots.  Personally, I think we need to get back to that mentality and stop worrying about how many titles we've failed to win or what others think about us.  Just go out on the field and play hard like Razorbacks, and then win or lose, accept the result.  It doesn't matter what other SEC teams do, but just what Arkansas does, and for that reason, I'll always be proud of the great seasons we've had in the SEC.  Arkansas is, and always has been, an underdog, so let's play like we have something to prove, again.

[bphi11ips]

Redeye deserves a Red Bull.

[LZH]

I began following Arkansas the year Holtz took over, in an unrelated coincidence.  Shortly after I began, I heard the stories of our '64 team and I knew Arkansas had been very good.  I also knew that the AP had awarded the '64 title to Alabama and that we'd fallen short in both '65 and '69.  So I spent most of the next decade or two thinking that Arkansas only needed to win an AP title to establish itself as a football powerhouse, on the same level as Alabama, Oklahoma, Nebraska, etc.  I suspect I wasn't alone in thinking this way.

So even back then, I didn't think Arkansas received the respect that it had almost earned, unquestionably.  Maybe if the AP were less biased, or better judges, we would have?  Instead, we were dismissed as the underdog in every big game and expected to play the role of the bridesmaid, but never the bride.  I suspect this is why our old-timers refuse to acknowledge that Arkansas is anything other than great, because they've had a life-long goal of capturing the glory that escaped us in the past.

Even so, we relished that underdog role and fed off it, much like Nolan's teams did.  Back then, Arkansas overachieved and made those who dismissed us look like idiots.  Personally, I think we need to get back to that mentality and stop worrying about how many titles we've failed to win or what others think about us.  Just go out on the field and play hard like Razorbacks, and then win or lose, accept the result.  It doesn't matter what other SEC teams do, but just what Arkansas does, and for that reason, I'll always be proud of the great seasons we've had in the SEC.  Arkansas is, and always has been, an underdog, so let's play like we have something to prove, again.

+1

[oldhawg]

I began following Arkansas the year Holtz took over, in an unrelated coincidence.  Shortly after I began, I heard the stories of our '64 team and I knew Arkansas had been very good.  I also knew that the AP had awarded the '64 title to Alabama and that we'd fallen short in both '65 and '69.  So I spent most of the next decade or two thinking that Arkansas only needed to win an AP title to establish itself as a football powerhouse, on the same level as Alabama, Oklahoma, Nebraska, etc.  I suspect I wasn't alone in thinking this way.

So even back then, I didn't think Arkansas received the respect that it had almost earned, unquestionably.  Maybe if the AP were less biased, or better judges, we would have?  Instead, we were dismissed as the underdog in every big game and expected to play the role of the bridesmaid, but never the bride.  I suspect this is why our old-timers refuse to acknowledge that Arkansas is anything other than great, because they've had a life-long goal of capturing the glory that escaped us in the past.

Even so, we relished that underdog role and fed off it, much like Nolan's teams did.  Back then, Arkansas overachieved and made those who dismissed us look like idiots.  Personally, I think we need to get back to that mentality and stop worrying about how many titles we've failed to win or what others think about us.  Just go out on the field and play hard like Razorbacks, and then win or lose, accept the result.  It doesn't matter what other SEC teams do, but just what Arkansas does, and for that reason, I'll always be proud of the great seasons we've had in the SEC.  Arkansas is, and always has been, an underdog, so let's play like we have something to prove, again.

That's part of the story.

The other part is that those of us who were young and impressionable, and cut our teeth on Razorback football from 1959 to 1972 were treated to competitive teams with the following records:

9-2
8-3
8-3
9-2
5-5
11-0
10-1
8-2
4-5-1
10-1
9-2
9-2
8-3

Eight top ten end of season rankings in that time period, two more top twenty rankings.  Only one losing season. 

Major disappointments included:
A 7 point loss to Georgia Tech in the Gator Bowl.
A 1 point loss to Duke in the Cotton Bowl.
A 7 point loss to Alabama in the Sugar Bowl.
A 4 point loss to Ole Miss in the Sugar Bowl
A 7 point loss to LSU in the Cotton Bowl
A 1 point loss to Tennessee in the Liberty Bowl
A 13-12 loss to #3 Texas in 1959.
A 7-3 loss to #1 Texas in 1962 (Razorbacks were robbed by Texas officials).
A 17-13 loss to #1 Texas in 1963.
A 15-14 loss to #1 Texas in 1969.

But the point being is that there just were no 30, 40, 50 point blow outs that seem to be common place today.

I could also list all the high points that I experienced in those years, but they are much more numerous.  I do remember that in the mid to late 60's as a teenager/young man, we would drink to celebrate a Razorback victory more often than to lament a loss.  Seems to be just the opposite today.

Younger folks rightfully say that we are not in the past anymore, which is certainly true.  And I would not want to go back to SWC days, I always wanted Arkansas to join the Big Eight, but of course it never happened in spite of Frank Broyles's efforts. 

Unless the football program gets a foothold and turns itself around, I can truthfully say that I already have as many great memories about Razorback football than younger generations will ever have a chance to acquire.  Being mired in mediocrity becomes habit forming after a while, and dampens expectations. 

However I continue to believe that the Razorbacks can become competitive again consistently so that top twenty rankings are expected and not just hoped for.  Arkansas has been the "Indiana" of the SEC long enough.

   

[southeasthog]

BS. The only reason Forde won the division his 3rd year is because he had Joe Lee Dunn as his DC and Bama was ineligible (on probation). Joe Lee left in disgust after that 1 season. Ford was a has been who couldn't coach a lick.

Yep.  That was our first ever win over Alabama, and IIRC, it came on a controversial, last second TD pass to JJ Meadows in BDS.  Bama fans went bezerk, claiming the ball had bounced off the ground, which is still debated to this day.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t9toCYUMon0

I'd actually forgotten that we finished with a better conference record, because I'm constantly hearing how we only won in '95 due to Bama being ineligible.

You were Guv'ed.

[GuvHog]

You were Guv'ed.

I'd also forgotten about Arkansas having a better conference record than Bama did. My bad on that one. Joe Lee Dunn was a huge part of the reason for the Hogs success that year though. It's not a coincidence that the team tanked after he left. I still say hiring Danny Ford was a mistake.

[DeltaBoy]

Everyone in the thread so far has overlooked the root cause of the athletic woes since joining the SEC. John White.

White nearly destroyed all things athletic at the UofA. He forced Broyles into a search committee that resulted in Nutt when Tuberville was the guy. Instituted the infamous "D" rule that ruined several JC transfers and hampered recruiting against the rest of the SEC. In basketball, we could have had Self after Nolan left if not for White. My God, the list just goes on and on with all things White did to harm the University. The worst thing lingered up until this year, his greatest prize. He brought us Jeff Long. In true White fashion, Long did exactly what he was hired to do.

Amen John Boy White set us back 25 years at least. We struggled since I graduated from UALR in 1991.  Basket ball been bad since I got married in 1995.

[bphi11ips]

That's part of the story.

The other part is that those of us who were young and impressionable, and cut our teeth on Razorback football from 1959 to 1972 were treated to competitive teams with the following records:

9-2
8-3
8-3
9-2
5-5
11-0
10-1
8-2
4-5-1
10-1
9-2
9-2
8-3

Eight top ten end of season rankings in that time period, two more top twenty rankings.  Only one losing season. 

Major disappointments included:
A 7 point loss to Georgia Tech in the Gator Bowl.
A 1 point loss to Duke in the Cotton Bowl.
A 7 point loss to Alabama in the Sugar Bowl.
A 4 point loss to Ole Miss in the Sugar Bowl
A 7 point loss to LSU in the Cotton Bowl
A 1 point loss to Tennessee in the Liberty Bowl
A 13-12 loss to #3 Texas in 1959.
A 7-3 loss to #1 Texas in 1962 (Razorbacks were robbed by Texas officials).
A 17-13 loss to #1 Texas in 1963.
A 15-14 loss to #1 Texas in 1969.

But the point being is that there just were no 30, 40, 50 point blow outs that seem to be common place today.

I could also list all the high points that I experienced in those years, but they are much more numerous.  I do remember that in the mid to late 60's as a teenager/young man, we would drink to celebrate a Razorback victory more often than to lament a loss.  Seems to be just the opposite today.

Younger folks rightfully say that we are not in the past anymore, which is certainly true.  And I would not want to go back to SWC days, I always wanted Arkansas to join the Big Eight, but of course it never happened in spite of Frank Broyles's efforts. 

Unless the football program gets a foothold and turns itself around, I can truthfully say that I already have as many great memories about Razorback football than younger generations will ever have a chance to acquire.  Being mired in mediocrity becomes habit forming after a while, and dampens expectations. 

However I continue to believe that the Razorbacks can become competitive again consistently so that top twenty rankings are expected and not just hoped for.  Arkansas has been the "Indiana" of the SEC long enough.

   

For the benefit of those born in 1988 or later, "the 60's" weren't the only decade the Razorbacks were nationally prominent. 

Arkansas was ranked in 66% of AP Top 20 polls in the 70's.  The Hogs opened 1974 with a 22-7 win over number one USC.  In 1975 they beat 10-0, second ranked Texas A&M 31-6 and then beat Georgia 31-10 in the Cotton Bowl.  They finished 3rd in 1977 after beating second ranked OU 31-6.  Sports Illustrated made Arkansas its preseason number 1 pick in 1978.  QB Ron Calcagni was featured on the cover.  SI was the equivalent of ESPN in 1978.
Lou Holtz, like Broyles, was considered an "elite" coach.

Ken Hatfield coached Arkansas from 1984 to 1989. His record was 55-17-1, better than Broyles or Holtz.  Arkansas finished in the Top 20 five times in the 80's.  The SWC generally produced 3 or so Top 20 teams in the final poll during the 80's between Arkansas, Texas, Baylor, SMU, Texas A&M and Houston.  The notion that the SWC was a "crap conference" in the 80's is a myth.

I have never felt like Arkansas was always a disappointment.  I never felt like we were a second rate team or a perennial underdog and never felt like the media treated us that way,certainly not during the days when there were only three networks. Arkansas was a favorite of the big announcers like Keith Jackson and Chris Schenkel.  Arkansas was a key player in the rise of college football on television. 

The only thing that irritates me are those who attempt to rewrite history.

[hogsanity]

For the benefit of those born in 1988 or later, "the 60's" weren't the only decade the Razorbacks were nationally prominent. 

Arkansas was ranked in 66% of AP Top 20 polls in the 70's.  The Hogs opened 1974 with a 22-7 win over number one USC.  In 1975 they beat 10-0, second ranked Texas A&M 31-6 and then beat Georgia 31-10 in the Cotton Bowl.  They finished 3rd in 1977 after beating second ranked OU 31-6.  Sports Illustrated made Arkansas its preseason number 1 pick in 1978.  QB Ron Calcagni was featured on the cover.  SI was the equivalent of ESPN in 1978.
Lou Holtz, like Broyles, was considered an "elite" coach.

Ken Hatfield coached Arkansas from 1984 to 1989. His record was 55-17-1, better than Broyles or Holtz.  Arkansas finished in the Top 20 five times in the 80's.  The SWC generally produced 3 or so Top 20 teams in the final poll during the 80's between Arkansas, Texas, Baylor, SMU, Texas A&M and Houston.  The notion that the SWC was a "crap conference" in the 80's is a myth.

I have never felt like Arkansas was always a disappointment.  I never felt like we were a second rate team or a perennial underdog and never felt like the media treated us that way,certainly not during the days when there were only three networks. Arkansas was a favorite of the big announcers like Keith Jackson and Chris Schenkel.  Arkansas was a key player in the rise of college football on television. 

The only thing that irritates me are those who attempt to rewrite history.

But they started a slow decline after the 69 shootout loss. 1970 was the 1st year that full integration started having an impact. IT was around then that the 1st recruiting classes to be fully integrated were becoming jr's and sr's. After 1969 the Hogs became much more of a roller coaster type program. Really good one year, down the next couple, then really good for a couple, then way down. Hatfield had a great run in the late 80's, when seemingly half the SWC was on probation.

But, once they joined the SEC, it was clear from the jump that the Hogs were woefully behind in talent, both home grown and recruited. It was also clear pretty fast that they had no idea how tough recruiting in the SEC was going to be.

[hawgon]

Let's stop this revisionist history that the SEC ruined Arkansas.  What was our record the last two years of the SWC?

[HognotinMemphis]

Just because people don't comment a lot doesn't mean they don't pay attention and don't have a grip on what's happening. Some folks don't say anything unless they think it's important to say it. Can't say that for everybody. Some folks are real impressed with numbers. So are churches without much substance. The subject is brought up from time to time on here and it kinda grates on me. Numbers are just numbers. That is all.

Why do my posts get an inordinate number of replies from those who do not post much relative to the average commenter on Hogville?

[hogsanity]

Why do my posts get an inordinate number of replies from those who do not post much relative to the average commenter on Hogville?

probably because they are secondary accts of people that do post alot so they can disagree with you twice. Kind of like how when anything bog is going on we see all these accts with 12 posts that have been created years ago and dormant for years.

[oldhawg]

But they started a slow decline after the 69 shootout loss. 1970 was the 1st year that full integration started having an impact. IT was around then that the 1st recruiting classes to be fully integrated were becoming jr's and sr's. After 1969 the Hogs became much more of a roller coaster type program. Really good one year, down the next couple, then really good for a couple, then way down. Hatfield had a great run in the late 80's, when seemingly half the SWC was on probation.

But, once they joined the SEC, it was clear from the jump that the Hogs were woefully behind in talent, both home grown and recruited. It was also clear pretty fast that they had no idea how tough recruiting in the SEC was going to be.

If memory serves me correctly, one of Ken Hatfield's questions to Frank Broyles when joining the SEC was first being discussed was something along the lines of, "How are we going to recruit Texas as effectively as in the past?"

So after nearly 30 years, guess that now we will find out if can be done.

[GuvHog]

But they started a slow decline after the 69 shootout loss. 1970 was the 1st year that full integration started having an impact. IT was around then that the 1st recruiting classes to be fully integrated were becoming jr's and sr's. After 1969 the Hogs became much more of a roller coaster type program. Really good one year, down the next couple, then really good for a couple, then way down. Hatfield had a great run in the late 80's, when seemingly half the SWC was on probation.

But, once they joined the SEC, it was clear from the jump that the Hogs were woefully behind in talent, both home grown and recruited. It was also clear pretty fast that they had no idea how tough recruiting in the SEC was going to be.

What years in the 70's were the Hogs way down and what were their records??

[HognotinMemphis]

Just to be certain I wasn't wrong, I just checked the AP and coaches poll and TCU was not in the top 25 at the start of the 2017 season.  I remember that although we beat the Florida Alantic team easily, the fans didn't see the fire and crisp team they expected before the season started.  There was lots of complaining on here.  We entered the TCU game at home and should have been ready, willing and able to take down TCU.  We were outcoached, outplayed, showed up for what we were, a pitiful team ruined by a pitiful coach.  TCU had 2 things we didn't, a decent HC and more speed.  We had everything else it took to win the game, everything to play for, playing a make or break game, at home, about equal talent and history on our side.  That was all negated by a dumbassed coach who really couldn't show he cared at all.

TCU could have made our season Bowl worthy but Bret couldn't prepare a piss ant to crawl across dry ground.  Every person who had a damn thing to do with his hiring should have to have a life sized picture of Bret hung above their bed with, I caused this, in huge letters across the bottom of the picture.  The people on Hogville who stood up for him and Long until someone grew the balls to fire them both should be included with their copy of his picture above their beds.  Many of us put up with our posts being removed, sometimes being banned from Hogville, and having many posters chide us about how wrong we were.  Truth is, were weren't loud enough or telling it as bad as it was.

Good stuff. I am not going to claim that I thought Bret was a mistake from before he coached his first game at Arkansas like some have claimed (although the first sign was early in his first year at Rutgers, giving up a big halftime lead to lose), but I have said recently that if I had been in a position to do so, I would have fired Bielema the morning after the Auburn game in 2016. I had seen enough by then to know what we were going to get with him.

[HognotinMemphis]

probably because they are secondary accts of people that do post alot so they can disagree with you twice. Kind of like how when anything bog is going on we see all these accts with 12 posts that have been created years ago and dormant for years.

Ah, I think you hit on something here. I did not think of this. Thanks.

[hogsanity]

What years in the 70's were the Hogs way down and what were their records??

1972 they went 6-5  1973 they went 5-5-1 1974 they went 6-4-1 tied for 4th in the swc all three of those seasons. 1976 they went 5-5-1 and finished 6th in the swc.

[HognotinMemphis]

What years in the 70's were the Hogs way down and what were their records??

I can answer that off top of my head: season of '76, Broyles last season as HC. Hogs finished 5-5-1.

Also, in early '70's, Hogs had some mediocre years if memory serves: fall of '72 and '73 and maybe '74. I think Hogs had a losing record in those 3 years.

PS. Looked it up. No losing season record in early '70's but season records were fairly mediocre:

1972: 6-5
1973: 5-5-1
1974: 6-4-1
1975: 10-2
1976: 5-5-1

Holtz came in for 1977.

[HognotinMemphis]

1972 they went 6-5  1973 they went 5-5-1 1974 they went 6-4-1 tied for 4th in the swc all three of those seasons. 1976 they went 5-5-1 and finished 6th in the swc.

From season records in JFB's last 6 seasons as HC, I think it is reasonable to conclude that he was either losing his drive to coach and/or the game was beginning to pass him by. There was the sort of last hurrah in 1975 but with a good team back the next year, and one that Holtz did great things with after JFB retired, JFB went 5-5-1 in 1976, his last.

[hogsanity]

From season records in JFB's last 6 seasons as HC, I think it is reasonable to conclude that he was either losing his drive to coach and/or the game was beginning to pass him by. There was the sort of last hurrah in 1975 but with a good team back the next year, and one that Holtz did great things with after JFB retired, JFB went 5-5-1 in 1976, his last.

People do not like to talk about it, but you can trace all this back to integration of college football. Arkansas just has a small population to start with, and an even smaller AA population than did Texas in the old SWC days, or the top teams in the SEC now.

[bphi11ips]

But they started a slow decline after the 69 shootout loss. 1970 was the 1st year that full integration started having an impact. IT was around then that the 1st recruiting classes to be fully integrated were becoming jr's and sr's. After 1969 the Hogs became much more of a roller coaster type program. Really good one year, down the next couple, then really good for a couple, then way down. Hatfield had a great run in the late 80's, when seemingly half the SWC was on probation.

But, once they joined the SEC, it was clear from the jump that the Hogs were woefully behind in talent, both home grown and recruited. It was also clear pretty fast that they had no idea how tough recruiting in the SEC was going to be.

As usual, you are completely full of it.

Arkansas' s "decline" after 1970, not 1969, was precipitous - we sucked from 71-74.  Oklahoma State beat us the week after we beat USC, and OSU was not the Cowboys then we know today.  They were Tulsa.

As far as integration is concerned, stop talking out of your posterior.  Arkansas was a fully integrated football team from 1975, at the latest, forward.  Ask Jerry Eckwood, Ike Forte, Dennis Winston, William Hampton, Roland Sales, Vaughan Lusby, Muskie Harris, Ben Cowins, Michael Forrest, Leotis Harris.  Need I go on?  Arkansas has a very good recruiting base populated by African American athletes.  I've demonstrated those numbers lately.  You are a demogogue, and like most demogogues, you think the louder and longer you scream, the more likely it is someone will believe your nonsense.

Arkansas's lack of success in the SEC is due as much to poor coaches as it is to increased competition.  Both are factors.  Arkansas wasn't exactly a household name in 1958.  Broyles and great players and fans made it one.  Lou Holtz is a Hall of Fame coach.  Ken Hatfield punctuated the "slow decline" with six years of the best record by a head coach in Arkansas history.  Arkansas has had one coach since 1990 arguably in the same class as Broyles, Holtz and Hatfield.  His last team finished 5th in the country.