Hawgon, EastexHawg, Jeff Anderson

[Atlhogfan1]

Simple. When Saban came from Michigan State to LSU, he quickly realized that his Big 10 style offense wo0uldn't work in the SEC so he changed it and won a national title. He changed Bama's offense from a power offense to a spread and has won multiple national titles.

No.  Dammit this is so far off.  He didn't change until he hired Kiffin.  McElwain was his OC for the 2011 NC team and that wasn't a spread offense.  They abused LSU in the NCG with the TE's out of power sets. 

[Atlhogfan1]

Read the transcript of Barry Alverez' comments to the LR Touchdown Club regarding building a Big 10 team versus building an SEC team.

Read it.  Big linemen grow in Wisconsin and he used that to build Wisconsin. 

[Mulberry Squeezins]

I got in trouble for panning the Bielema hire too.  Then, after 2014 and the 2015 finish, I thought I might have been wrong.  Now, the reasons I thought he was a bad fit have panned out.  It sucks.  I wish I had been wrong back then and we were riding high.  I wish you guys jumping us for thinking he was a bad hire had been right.  All we can do now is wait for the inevitable...together.

Not that it matters but I can respect this.  Anyone who denies that 2015 showed progress  is likely someone who is incapable of at least an attempt at viewing this objectively.  I'll be the first to say that I  was feeling  pretty good about the hire.  And even though we lost a boatload along the OL, my expectations for the line remained high for 2016 based upon my belief that line play was Bielema's expertise and was even willing to excuse some of the drop off for 2016 on Chaney going to UGA. However, the leash for me was short because of the debacle the last two games. Seeing Austin run for his life against Florida Atlantic went a long way toward solidifying my mind and pretty much lost my confidence in Bielema being able to get it done.

[Mulberry Squeezins]

Nobody on this board has or ever had super powers.  But yes a lot of fans can discern play on the field.  My statement was hindsight so divine has nothing to do with it any more than your opinion he was going to be a huge success.

I challenge you to find a single post from me stating anything close to a prediction from me that he will be a huge success. Up until last year a saw a program progressing and was hopeful that we were on the right track. The frustrating part for me was the number of players opting to leave early.  My belief is for us to compete year after year,  we have to field teams with players who have been developed over time. We can't afford the kind of turnover we had with early departures like 2015.  I'm not sure what you watched and hated in 2015, but the last half of the season our damn offense was as good as any I had seen in my nearly 50 years following the hogs. 

[Cinco de Hogo]

I challenge you to find a single post from me stating anything close to a prediction from me that he will be a huge success. Up until last year a saw a program progressing and was hopeful that we were on the right track. The frustrating part for me was the number of players opting to leave early.  My belief is for us to compete year after year,  we have to field teams with players who have been developed over time. We can't afford the kind of turnover we had with early departures like 2015.  I'm not sure what you watched and hated in 2015, but the last half of the season our damn offense was as good as any I had seen in my nearly 50 years following the hogs.

I think you are proving to be not so much of a MMQB football expert who was wrong but stil wants his feathers smoothed.  Go somewhere else you aren't getting that from me.  It's like the ones who were wrong still want the ones who were right to backpedal or something.  I don't need anything from you, no admission, nothing. 

It's very easy to say we all wanted things to work out and we did but right now that's not the case.  I personally haven't crowed about anything but did comments in this thread because of Wilson's post.  I argued MY case years ago and got banned.  I've never broken this boards rules.

[Grizzlyfan]

Read it.  Big linemen grow in Wisconsin and he used that to build Wisconsin.

Yes, now finish his thought.  That's not enough in the SEC.  You need size AND speed.  We have very little of the latter.

[OneTuskOverTheLine™]

Wilson I forgive you for banning me....I just want better for this program and have all along.

How about we see some folks go back to their earlier screen names? I want to know who I'm talking to.

[hawgon]

Yes, now finish his thought.  That's not enough in the SEC.  You need size AND speed.  We have very little of the latter.

And if you have to make a choice, choose speed.  Bert goes the other way and takes size over speed. 

[Mulberry Squeezins]

I think you are proving to be not so much of a MMQB football expert who was wrong but stil wants his feathers smoothed.  Go somewhere else you aren't getting that from me.  It's like the ones who were wrong still want the ones who were right to backpedal or something.  I don't need anything from you, no admission, nothing. 

It's very easy to say we all wanted things to work out and we did but right now that's not the case.  I personally haven't crowed about anything but did comments in this thread because of Wilson's post.  I argued MY case years ago and got banned.  I've never broken this boards rules.

First of all, you have no clue who I am. Kindly point to something that I've stated that warrants the wrath of the mighty cinco?  The only thing you've proven is a lack of willingness to recognize the possibility that you could ever be wrong. A fair minded person wouldnt be so quick to discount something when there's evidence that challenges their supposition like the progress shown in 2015. This kind  of arrogance will bite you senior. 

[Atlhogfan1]

Yes, now finish his thought.  That's not enough in the SEC.  You need size AND speed.  We have very little of the latter.

No need to finish it.  Bielema hasn't gotten the size plus skill combination.  If he had, we would be better.  We do have some speed.  Chose not to use it vs TCU and not correctly vs SC.  That you need size and speed comment is a no darn.  But where Bielema has failed has been in the oline and making us a physically imposing team.  If we were, Hammond, Jones, Hayden etc would be great compliments. 

And if you have to make a choice, choose speed.  Bert goes the other way and takes size over speed. 

Not true enough with either.  We don't have to choose. 

[hawgon]

No need to finish it.  Bielema hasn't gotten the size plus skill combination.  If he had, we would be better.  We do have some speed.  Chose not to use it vs TCU and not correctly vs SC.  That you need size and speed comment is a no darn.  But where Bielema has failed has been in the oline and making us a physically imposing team.  If we were, Hammond, Jones, Hayden etc would be great compliments. 

Not true enough with either.  We don't have to choose.

Sure you do sometimes.  A smallish receiver in the mold of a Joe Adams can still be a game changer.

[Grizzlyfan]

And if you have to make a choice, choose speed.  Bert goes the other way and takes size over speed.

Yes!  And the original poster said if he did it like he did in Wisconsin (size over speed) then Arkansas would be better.  Holy cow, completely around the block.

[Grizzlyfan]

No need to finish it.  Bielema hasn't gotten the size plus skill combination.  If he had, we would be better.  We do have some speed.  Chose not to use it vs TCU and not correctly vs SC.  That you need size and speed comment is a no darn.  But where Bielema has failed has been in the oline and making us a physically imposing team.  If we were, Hammond, Jones, Hayden etc would be great compliments. 

Not true enough with either.  We don't have to choose.

You don't even read your own posts do you?  You first stated that if Bielema would build the Hog team like he did in Wisconsin then Arkansas would be better.  Alvarez stated, correctly, that at Wisconsin both he and Bielema could get all the big guys they wanted.  But they couldn't get speed.  BUT THEY DIDN'T NEED IT.  You could win in the Big 10 with a power, plodding run game.  At least back then. 
 
You are right that Bielema hasn't been successful in recruiting size with speed.  But that's not what he did in Wisconsin.

[Atlhogfan1]

You don't even read your own posts do you?  You first stated that if Bielema would build the Hog team like he did in Wisconsin then Arkansas would be better.  Alvarez stated, correctly, that at Wisconsin both he and Bielema could get all the big guys they wanted.  But they couldn't get speed.  BUT THEY DIDN'T NEED IT.  You could win in the Big 10 with a power, plodding run game.  At least back then. 
 
You are right that Bielema hasn't been successful in recruiting size with speed.  But that's not what he did in Wisconsin.

I'm just not agreeing with you.  We would be better had he successfully built us as Wisconsin had been with the powerful oline being the center focal point.  And he does have some speed on the roster now.  We wouldn't just have a power plodding run game. 

[Atlhogfan1]

Yes!  And the original poster said if he did it like he did in Wisconsin (size over speed) then Arkansas would be better.  Holy cow, completely around the block.

Who said size over speed?  It must have been much earlier in the thread.  My post to which you responded was a post by hawgon where speed wasn't mentioned. 

[Cinco de Hogo]

First of all, you have no clue who I am. Kindly point to something that I've stated that warrants the wrath of the mighty cinco?  The only thing you've proven is a lack of willingness to recognize the possibility that you could ever be wrong. A fair minded person wouldnt be so quick to discount something when there's evidence that challenges their supposition like the progress shown in 2015. This kind  of arrogance will bite you senior.

I've stated many times I would be happy to be wrong and still would be.  Your barking up the wrong tree.  Like I said you just want your feathers smoothed and your not getting that from me, I don't owe you that no more than you owe me anything.

[Mulberry Squeezins]

I've stated many times I would be happy to be wrong and still would be.  Your barking up the wrong tree.  Like I said you just want your feathers smoothed and your not getting that from me, I don't owe you that no more than you owe me anything.

I'm not sure about these feathers you keep referencing?  Fact is , I'm not sure why you believed I referenced you with my op?  The only point I was making is and continue to try and make is there's nothing special about guessing right at the time we hired Bielema, one way or the other. Some people hated the hire,which is fine, but they certainly couldn't site the resume as the reason for the hate. Conversely. Some people loved the hire, which is fine also, but there's no guarantee that a successful formula for the Big 10 will transition to the SEC. Finally, there were people like me who may have or may not have been crazy about the hire but believed the hire was a solid one based upon the resume,  and adopted a wait and see attitude.   So let me ask you this. If BB is told to hit the pavement,  give me the name of your realistic, ideal replacement.

[Cinco de Hogo]

I'm not sure about these feathers you keep referencing?  Fact is , I'm not sure why you believed I referenced you with my op?  The only point I was making is and continue to try and make is there's nothing special about guessing right at the time we hired Bielema, one way or the other. Some people hated the hire,which is fine, but they certainly couldn't site the resume as the reason for the hate. Conversely. Some people loved the hire, which is fine also, but there's no guarantee that a successful formula for the Big 10 will transition to the SEC. Finally, there were people like me who may have or may not have been crazy about the hire but believed the hire was a solid one based upon the resume,  and adopted a wait and see attitude.   So let me ask you this. If BB is told to hit the pavement,  give me the name of your realistic, ideal replacement.

Mike Leach was my #1 at the time and is still high on my list but I don't know why he would take a leap into the fire(SEC)

Jeff Brohm is probably my #1 right now and yes I have actually keep up with him since he begged Petrino for a position on his Western Kentucky team.  Petrino responded by making him his OC right then and there.  It would be nice if he where in year three at Purdue though.

Fuentes would be a Bielema like hire(not talking about scheme here) but I simple can't imagine him leaving VT for Arkansas.

The rest are a puddle, Bobo at CSU,  Norvell at Memphis, Venables, even Charlie Strong.  Chad Morris is another. 

Gus, never have understood the hate unless you loved Nutt.  Is he like Mike Anderson, you give him the chance just because maybe he deserves it after all.

Dowell Loggins...just no!

I'm ruling out Scout Frost, can't give him the guarantee that it would take to ward off a Nebraska advance.

I would be all in with throwing a rich mans money at Patterson(TCU).

I really liked Holgerson(WVU) back then but some of the shine is off that one.

Would anyone entertain Kiffin if he had three years at whatever directional school he is at now, if it looked like he had entered the world of adults.

Dan Enos, I would personally have to have a heart to heart with him completely off the record to go that route.  I think the assistant coaches we have right now would have been the best staff Petrino had while he was at Arkansas.  That should tell you how much I think of CBB.

Rhoads, not yet.

[Mulberry Squeezins]

Looks like you're sold out on the spread. Personally, I'd like to find a young aggressively minded defense guy that wants to find a way to shut it down. I think going back to a sort of hybrid 5 / 2 that would  shutdown the horizontal phase as well as pressuring the QB and ball hawking with the back 6, mixed with some blitzing.   It appears to me Spread offenses attack D's in much the same manner as the wishbone use to, with the added component of a vertical passing game.  I'd have two safeties on the hashes focusing on the vertical,  the remaining 4 covering intermittent maybe.  But that's another thread. Anyway, Someone will figure out how to shut it down

[Hoggish1]

His stint with the Miami Dolphins was a lost cause.  Probably not very many Coaches (if any) would have had dominant defenses with that Miami Dolphins roster.  It should be remembered what Saban had to do with one of those Dolphins defensive players.

It should also be remembered when Gary Gibbs was the Defensive Coordinator at Oklahoma, Oklahoma led the nation in Total Defense for 3 consecutive years.

It is obvious who Saban learned how to have a dominant defense from (Gibbs).

Saban's legacy with Miami can be summed up in one transaction:  Took Culpepper over Freeze

[Jeff "hogfanintx" Anderson]

I appreciate it Wilson. Would.much rather have been wrong about Bert.  My anger wasn't as much about the "worst possible hire", but about how I was not able to express it.  Water under the bridge brother.

[The OTR]

I appreciate it Wilson. Would.much rather have been wrong about Bert.  My anger wasn't as much about the "worst possible hire", but about how I was not able to express it.  Water under the bridge brother.

For what it's worth I've always been a fan of hogfantrix Anderson.  Always giving hell in buckets to anyone who would listen.

[Jeff "hogfanintx" Anderson]

For what it's worth I've always been a fan of hogfantrix Anderson.  Always giving hell in buckets to anyone who would listen.

many bans I deserved for personal.attacks, but it was generally because sometimes people could personally attack me and name call and not get a slap on the wrist. then when I fired back I was in deep doodee


and that would send me to the edge of crazy town.

Thanks by the way.

[MissippHog]

Being turd is being a turd.

Being correct in hindsight doesn't excuse it.

[Jeff "hogfanintx" Anderson]

yay.

[LZH]

Robert Shields was a mod undercover! Wilson?

I have sources and ninja private investigators, and all of the breadcrumbs lead to.....?

[CareBear]

Well children I'm back. I just spent a year dealing with the most nefarious woman that I've ever met in my life, so I can honestly say that it is a pleasure to be back in the mix on Hogville. I'm not an "I told you so", type of person in regards to any subject. I do like observing things & watching for signs or "tells" if you will. I have experience in dealing with people who have manipulative personality traits and/or full-blown personality disorders. I was suspect of Bert's now infamous "Love Letter" to Jeff Long. I just don't see a guy who met his Blonde Barbie-esque wife at a Black Jack table in Las Vegas writing a letter to Jeff Long extolling his integrity for having fired Bobby. The 'ol vagus nerve was quivering when I heard that bit of malarkey. I have aspergers syndrome(autistic spectrum) which affords me a "photographic" memory and very strong powers of intuition. I specifically remember a caller on Bo Mattingly's show the day CBB was hired or perhaps the week he was hired telling Bo that we would see CBB make certain mistakes: clock management, strange personnel decisions, playing favorites, boneheaded moves in general. They all came to fruition my friends. every GD one of them & then some. Does anyone remember when Coach Alvarez was being interviewed by someone for ESPN & he had a surprised yet amused look about him? I suspect that Coach Alvarez was laughing inside because he knew that Bert conned his way into the Arkansas job. He had just left a turn key, plug-in type of situation at Wisky and was now headed for a job in the toughest division, of the toughest league in College Football History. He knew that Bert would eventually come to regret the decision. Ladies and gentleman I just had a bad feeling about the whole hiring process to be honest. The JLS interm dealio and the "ace in the hole" secret candidate BS. Kinda seems like Jeff bought into Bert's con man love letter and half-arsed the hiring process so as to have more time on the proverbial wine & cheese circuit or something similar. I know that us fans started getting hit with diversionary tactics to control the mood & message of the people. We were told that Bobby left the program in shambles. We were told that it takes time to bring in his kinda players. We were told "its coming"...lol :-)

I felt like we were bamboozled into taking a ride in a Big-10 clown car with two con men who kept telling us that "they knew the way". Be patient Arkies. It takes time to build it the "right way" ;-) I am 42 yrs old and have never felt this gross and helpless regarding any of our sports programs. This cluster fugazi has set the program back no doubt, but I feel that the true Razorback spirit cannot be tamped out so easily. Perhaps next time a situation like this occurs lets all give each other a chance to express his/her concerns. There have been a fair amount of us who called this sh*t show out from the beginning, but I won't spend time saying "I told you so", only welcome y'all to the light. Nuttin but love for everyone! So glad to be back <3 #wps

[Hogeration]

Well, I do know I moderated based on my own biases.

First step is admitting you have a problem. 

[jgphillips3]

I remember sitting there in stunned and horrified disappointment that we had hired this buffoon.  Then, many friends persuaded me to give him the benefit of the doubt.  I figured I would just hope for the best even though I felt like I knew what was coming.  In 2014 when we played hard nosed, I thought he might have a chance, then Holy Toledo!  In late 2015 I thought Enos might save CBB the way Gus could have saved Motho had he allowed him to do so.  But nope, then came last year and this year and the raw, uncompromising incompetence I had always feared was on full display.  However, we are all on the sinking ship together now so time to link arms and seek a new coach.

[Hogs-n-Roses]

Well children I’m back. I just spent a year dealing with the most nefarious woman that I’ve ever met in my life, so I can honestly say that it is a pleasure to be back in the mix on Hogville. I’m not an “I told you so”, type of person in regards to any subject. I do like observing things & watching for signs or “tells” if you will. I have experience in dealing with people who have manipulative personality traits and/or full-blown personality disorders. I was suspect of Bert’s now infamous “Love Letter” to Jeff Long. I just don’t see a guy who met his Blonde Barbie-esque wife at a Black Jack table in Las Vegas writing a letter to Jeff Long extolling his integrity for having fired Bobby. The ‘ol vagus nerve was quivering when I heard that bit of malarkey. I have aspergers syndrome(autistic spectrum) which affords me a “photographic" memory and very strong powers of intuition. I specifically remember a caller on Bo Mattingly’s show the day CBB was hired or perhaps the week he was hired telling Bo that we would see CBB make certain mistakes: clock management, strange personnel decisions, playing favorites, boneheaded moves in general. They all came to fruition my friends. every GD one of them & then some. Does anyone remember when Coach Alvarez was being interviewed by someone for ESPN & he had a surprised yet amused look about him? I suspect that Coach Alvarez was laughing inside because he knew that Bert conned his way into the Arkansas job. He had just left a turn key, plug-in type of situation at Wisky and was now headed for a job in the toughest division, of the toughest league in College Football History. He knew that Bert would eventually come to regret the decision. Ladies and gentleman I just had a bad feeling about the whole hiring process to be honest. The JLS interm dealio and the “ace in the hole” secret candidate BS. Kinda seems like Jeff bought into Bert’s con man love letter and half-arsed the hiring process so as to have more time on the proverbial wine & cheese circuit or something similar. I know that us fans started getting hit with diversionary tactics to control the mood & message of the people. We were told that Bobby left the program in shambles. We were told that it takes time to bring in his kinda players. We were told “its coming”...lol :-)

I felt like we were bamboozled into taking a ride in a Big-10 clown car with two con men who kept telling us that "they knew the way”. Be patient Arkies. It takes time to build it the "right way” ;-) I am 42 yrs old and have never felt this gross and helpless regarding any of our sports programs. This cluster fugazi has set the program back no doubt, but I feel that the true Razorback spirit cannot be tamped out so easily. Perhaps next time a situation like this occurs lets all give each other a chance to express his/her concerns. There have been a fair amount of us who called this sh*t show out from the beginning, but I won’t spend time saying “I told you so”, only welcome y’all to the light. Nuttin but love for everyone! So glad to be back <3 #wps

IE(short version) We been played for 30 mil.

[Pork Twain]

I owe each of you an apology, an attaboy, an acknowledgement, whatever you want to call it. Likely a few other posters as well.

Five years ago you trashed the hiring of Bret Bielema, and I ridiculed you for it. Moderated your posts. Issued a few bans. I wanted the Bielema hire to work, and I purposely looked over the fact that the hire was misplaced; good resume, bad fit. Bielema's style of offense can work at places like Wisconsin, Iowa, and Nebraska - but not in the SEC, certainly not at Arkansas with him at the helm. I didn't want to admit it at the time, but it certainly looks like the spread concepts of Petrino, Leach, Briles, etc. gives us the better chance of success. We don't have the recruiting base or the national profile to sign enough athletes to make a more traditional approach work.

As for Jeff Long, I missed the boat on him as well. Great marketer. Very good bean counter. Lousy at negotiating coaching buyouts. I hope his next job is all that he wants it to be, I hope he gets it soon, and I hope his successor has Arkansas roots.

CBB's offense might have worked had he not done a 180 on it and the defense in the last two years and been unable to retain assistants.  I was wrong on Bret as well and an a$$ about it often.  I just wanted to give him his five years and I thought he had us headed in the right direction last year, and then the last two games happened and were shortly followed by the disaster this year.

So are we going off of ~$15 million for the buyout or the ~$5 million buyout?  One of those is awful and one is very reasonable, especially compared to what LSU and Tennessee have signed.  I am not sure of this magical person out there with Arkansas roots exists, but if you have a problem with what Long has done, you would likely be unhappy with most ADs out there.  If that was the case, JFB was a failure based on Kines, Crowe, Ford, HDN, Heath, and Pel.  Everyone is allowed to make a hiring mistake here and there.  Look no further than aTm (Franchione, Sherman & Sumlin), LSU (Orgeron), Florida (Muschamp & Durkin) and Tennessee (Kiffin, Dooley & Jones).  We are far from alone here.

I hope that if do fire Long or he leaves, we actually get a good replacement, because the wrong hire at that position will make the wrong hire at the HC of the football team seam miniscule and could burry our program.  Still waiting to hear even one realistic option that would be an upgrade.

[DeltaBoy]

After the Texas Bowl win season I really expected to see us continue to move forward but instead we regressed.

I was torn cause I really bought into his resume.

[Großer Kriegschwein]

After the Texas Bowl win season I really expected to see us continue to move forward but instead we regressed.

I was torn cause I really bought into his resume.

Uh.

We did get better.

Went 5-3 in SEC play the next year. It was '16 that seemed to spell the backwards slide.

[HognotinMemphis]

Uh.

We did get better.

Went 5-3 in SEC play the next year. It was '16 that seemed to spell the backwards slide.

True. After losing to Toledo at home.