I can not and will not defend this.no defense,no wins

[forrest city joe]

How do you shoot 55% from the field and lose? this team is playing no defense.and that has been the case most of the year.can't get any stops on defense.these home games coming up will not matter if they don't start playing some defense.Lsu shot 15 of 30 from the 3 point line.and 52% from the field.i don't know what Mike can do to fix this defense,other than go a lot of zone.i am not going to lie and say i am not worried about this season. i am very worried.because if this team does not start playing better right now.this season is lost. i have not given up on the team.i still 100% support our players and coaches.i still trust Mike Anderson to get this fixed.GO but it has to start today.defense and rebounding is all i want to hear about.GO HOGS.

[checkraiser88]

He's starting to turn guys, way to go

[PharmacistHog]

Good post joe.

[Kevin]

The system and the players effort on defense is the problems. I don't look for cma to fix it.

[jst01]

Props.

[3of5-2]

A-nother
V-isibly
E-ffortless
R-routine
A-wful
G-ame
E-nds in a loss.

[cardsNhogs]

I didn't get excited on the wins because I see the same mistakes in every game. We continue to switch every ball screen leading to mismatches. We do not defend the 3 ball. We give up too many offensive rebounds. The press has zero effectiveness and often leads to open baskets or guys scrambling and then out of position. This is a very poorly coached basketball team!

[cardsNhogs]

We don't run a half court offense either. We have to score in transition.

[forrest city joe]

He's starting to turn guys, way to go

I have not turned on Mike Anderson. i call things like i see it.the defense is bad and is costing them games.blame the coach all you want,but some of this is effort.defense is hard because it takes more effort.if they don't start getting a lot more stops.they will not win.

[checkraiser88]

I have not turned on Mike Anderson. i call things like i see it.the defense is bad and is costing them games.blame the coach all you want,but some of this is effort.defense is hard because it takes more effort.if they don't start getting a lot more stops.they will not win.

geez, we could lose out and it wouldn't be the HC

[rude1]

I have not turned on Mike Anderson. i call things like i see it.the defense is bad and is costing them games.blame the coach all you want,but some of this is effort.defense is hard because it takes more effort.if they don't start getting a lot more stops.they will not win.

Hate to break it to you Joe, but this is Mike Anderson's defense. The players are trying to execute what he wants, if they can't do it, it is on him to change to a defense they can play effectively, but he has stubbornly continued to try and make this roster play that defense.

[cardsNhogs]

I have not turned on Mike Anderson. i call things like i see it.the defense is bad and is costing them games.blame the coach all you want,but some of this is effort.defense is hard because it takes more effort.if they don't start getting a lot more stops.they will not win.

It's a lot more than just effort but even if it was just effort from the players then that's on the head coach also.. Well coached teams play hard for their Coach!

[McKdaddy]

He's starting to turn guys, way to go

[rude1]

It's a lot more than just effort but even if it was just effort from the players then that's on the head coach also.. Well coached teams play hard for their Coach!

Agreed. If the scheme is wrong for the players on hand, all the effort in the world isn't going to change that.

[forrest city joe]

We don't run a half court offense either. We have to score in transition.

It's not about that. you win by playing consistant defense.and the Hogs are not doing it right now.until that changes,they are going to keep losing.

[AlmaHog2011]

I have not turned on Mike Anderson. i call things like i see it.the defense is bad and is costing them games.blame the coach all you want,but some of this is effort.defense is hard because it takes more effort.if they don't start getting a lot more stops.they will not win.

I am in this boat. I still love Mike Anderson.. But your post describes how I feel. Respect Joe I know you are a real Hogfan.

[Letsroll1200]

How do you shoot 55% from the field and lose? this team is playing no defense.and that has been the case most of the year.can't get any stops on defense.these home games coming up will not matter if they don't start playing some defense.Lsu shot 15 of 30 from the 3 point line.and 52% from the field.i don't know what Mike can do to fix this defense,other than go a lot of zone.i am not going to lie and say i am not worried about this season. i am very worried.because if this team does not start playing better right now.this season is lost. i have not given up on the team.i still 100% support our players and coaches.i still trust Mike Anderson to get this fixed.GO but it has to start today.defense and rebounding is all i want to hear about.GO HOGS.

This defense is a problem. It is what it is. I honestly dont think it get fixed this year. This is not Razorback basketball! Mike is going to get fired because his love for Anton Beard.

[hogsanity]

I have not turned on Mike Anderson. i call things like i see it.the defense is bad and is costing them games.blame the coach all you want,but some of this is effort.defense is hard because it takes more effort.if they don't start getting a lot more stops.they will not win.

Atta boy blame the players. Explain why the players change but we've seen the same issues for almost 7 full seasons. The only constant is the coach.

[26.2Hog]

Joe, I agree the defense has been poor, and today it was even worse. 

LSU scored 17 more points today than they've scored against anyone else in conference play.  Let that sink in.

I am sorry, but Mike is the problem.  He recruits the players and coaches the players.  The buck stops with him.

[Letsroll1200]

It's a lot more than just effort but even if it was just effort from the players then that's on the head coach also.. Well coached teams play hard for their Coach!

They don't close out on the 3.

[pigture perfect]

They just don't don't get motivated to play hard sometimes. My old high school coach would get us so fired up for road games that we didn't have any drop offs. His phrase was Let's go ruin their Homecoming. And we usually did.

[rude1]

They don't close out on the 3.

They don't take anything away defensively, they don't stop dribble penetration, and they don't identify and close out on the shooter.

[The OTR]

Joe do you blame any of this, even a little bit, on Mike?  Just curious.

[nwahogfan1]

How do you shoot 55% from the field and lose? this team is playing no defense.and that has been the case most of the year.can't get any stops on defense.these home games coming up will not matter if they don't start playing some defense.Lsu shot 15 of 30 from the 3 point line.and 52% from the field.i don't know what Mike can do to fix this defense,other than go a lot of zone.i am not going to lie and say i am not worried about this season. i am very worried.because if this team does not start playing better right now.this season is lost. i have not given up on the team.i still 100% support our players and coaches.i still trust Mike Anderson to get this fixed.GO but it has to start today.defense and rebounding is all i want to hear about.GO HOGS.

Good honest comments.  I think you nailed it pretty well.  Good tough Defense and rebounding wins games on the road.   I agree I did not see it today.

[Letsroll1200]

They don't take anything away defensively, they don't stop dribble penetration, and they don't identify and close out on the shooter.

I agree. There's no ownership on this team. Too many me guys on defense but you need we guys. Somebody has to care! Somebody has to challenge their brother.
Beard can't stay in front of his man and we don't help on the back end. I've watched Mike team everygame and Mike can't reach these guys.

[dmfdds]

Just not very much passion and fire from the bench. It's unfortunate but it's time for a change.

[AlmaHog2011]

This defense is a problem. It is what it is. I honestly dont think it get fixed this year. This is not Razorback basketball! Mike is going to get fired because his love for Anton Beard.

What a waste. How much better would Hall and Jones be if given the minutes Beard gets? And wasting time on Cook? I don't get it.  Play Bailey he's got athletic ability and potential.

I go back to the best game we played last year. Beard was sick and didn't play at South Carolina.

[AlmaHog2011]

Just not very much passion and fire from the bench. It's unfortunate but it's time for a change.

And Mike lacks passion. The charge call on Gafford early was terrible the guy move the entire time and Mike never said a word to the ref.

[Oliver]

The only thing more surprising than a Razorback win today is a Joe post critical of MA

[Letsroll1200]

What a waste. How much better would Hall and Jones be if given the minutes Beard gets? And wasting time on Cook? I don't get it.  Play Bailey he's got athletic ability and potential.

I go back to the best game we played last year. Beard was sick and didn't play at South Carolina.

I don't understand it

[lynbug]

I didn't get excited on the wins because I see the same mistakes in every game. We continue to switch every ball screen leading to mismatches. We do not defend the 3 ball. We give up too many offensive rebounds. The press has zero effectiveness and often leads to open baskets or guys scrambling and then out of position. This is a very poorly coached basketball team!

This is why we keep going downhill.

[hobhog]

I haven't spoken to one of my group of Hog fans that doesn't want a change. Unless he pulls a Nolan and wins SEC tourney, he's gone.

[Hog Pharm]

Just imagine how many points we'd score if opposing teams left Macon, Barford, and Jones open as much as we leave other team's shooters open. I actually feel sorry for our guys.

[Danny J]

Hate to break it to you Joe, but this is Mike Anderson's defense. The players are trying to execute what he wants, if they can't do it, it is on him to change to a defense they can play effectively, but he has stubbornly continued to try and make this roster play that defense.

Yep and he made the necessary changes after the Vandy home loss last year. This year he has yet to make those adjustments on defense. If we continue to switch 1-5 and trap full court we will continue to see the same results.

[latrops]

I have not turned on Mike Anderson. i call things like i see it.the defense is bad and is costing them games.blame the coach all you want,but some of this is effort.defense is hard because it takes more effort.if they don't start getting a lot more stops.they will not win.

Might the scheme be increasingly ineffective with so many stoppages in play as well as the improved 3 point shooting by everyone, bigs in particular?

I just don't know that there is much point in forcing pace anymore unless you have the personnel to create turnovers and score in bunches.  We seldom have enough of either, much less both.

[Capt. Hamm]

We don't play defense. We have no team chemistry.

[jgphillips3]

If you didn't play your heart out on defense under Nolan, you had to walk back to the bench afraid he would rip your heart out of your chest and eat it as you died.  Mike may be a Nolan disciple, but that respect and fear that Nolan commanded is not there.  I'm afraid we are witnessing the beginning of the end of the MA era unless he wants to make some serious changes.

[Letsroll1200]

Arkansas will win 6 of the next 8 games. Mike will get their attention.

[rude1]

Arkansas will win 6 of the next 8 games. Mike will get their attention.

So you believe what you have been seeing is simply a lack of attention?

[The_Iceman]

Mediocre Mike will not turn this season around. We will miss the tournament this year. If we keep him, he won't make it next year either. Time to move on now before the rest of the league runs past us.

[forrest city joe]

Atta boy blame the players. Explain why the players change but we've seen the same issues for almost 7 full seasons. The only constant is the coach.

You can cry about the coach all you want.but he will be back next year.and Mike is not perfect.and he is the head coach so yes he get's some of the blame.but some of this is on the players.defense and rebounding is a lot about effort.but all you care about is getting the coach fired. to hell with anything else.you make me sick!

[cardsNhogs]

Arkansas will win 6 of the next 8 games. Mike will get their attention.

laughable

[hoglady]

They don't close out on the 3.

They let the player get set - once that happens you're done, they can't close fast enough to affect the shot. They've got to make it harder for these guys to get to their spot, fight to keep them from getting the clean pass. We play horrible off the ball defense and have a terrible time anticipating where the pass is going.
Just all around bad court awareness.

[cram224]

It may just be me, but around the 10:00 minute mark, it seamed like our players just looked gassed. No spring in there step. Barford looked really tired. It might help if Mike made an effort to get more minutes out of the bench for one game. I know the bench has not had a good game in sometime. Hall had a good game against A&M yet today he looked totally different.

[bhogs05]

Roll the ball out there Mike strikes again. No gameplan, no defense, no adjustments.  There is a reason every team shoots lights out from 3 against us..its bc we absolutely suck on defense, not because every team gets lucky and hot from 3 pt land. Glorified 3 pt shootaround when teams play us.   

[arkansas1994]

If you didn’t play your heart out on defense under Nolan, you had to walk back to the bench afraid he would rip your heart out of your chest and eat it as you died.  Mike may be a Nolan disciple, but that respect and fear that Nolan commanded is not there.  I’m afraid we are witnessing the beginning of the end of the MA era unless he wants to make some serious changes.

Yep, these players are not afraid of Mike, The play where Beard started to run for the loose ball and stopped, ( he would have probably had a layup), Nolan would have pulled him and Beard would have sat on the far end of the bench.
)

[WBOBO]

Something is odd and I can't figure it out.  I will make a determination
after game 3 of the next 3.

[Letsroll1200]

So you believe what you have been seeing is simply a lack of attention?

Yes. They dont seem to compete. Mike just haven't been able to hit the right button with this team. History tells me he will.

[ChicoHog]

I didn't get excited on the wins because I see the same mistakes in every game. We continue to switch every ball screen leading to mismatches. We do not defend the 3 ball. We give up too many offensive rebounds. The press has zero effectiveness and often leads to open baskets or guys scrambling and then out of position. This is a very poorly coached basketball team!

100% correct.  And don't forget the constant double teaming down low which creates open 3's for the shooters.  Just play straight up man to man! 

[ChicoHog]

Yes. They dont seem to compete. Mike just haven't been able to hit the right button with this team. History tells me he will.

History tells the rest of us he won't.  You are as stubborn as FCJ!