ARKANSAS … WILL WIN THE SEC

[threeNout]

I expect to have a good season but Hogs will be out of the running for the SEC title after the first 4 games.  The roster brings a great opportunity for success not seen since being in the SEC.  The schedule does not.

No chance to start the SEC 4-0? I know they'll all be tough games, but I believe we have a chance to start 4-0 in the SEC.  At 3-1, if we split with Auburn/Bama, we'd still be very much alive for the West.

I have a hard time conceding we can only go 2-2 the first 4 SEC games, because the schedule is so hard. If we win at Tennessee, it should gives us the confidence and a hot hand to go play well at Bama.

At 4-0, we'd be in the driver's seat, at 3-1, we'd still have a puncher's chance.

We just need an offense that other teams can't stop and will keep our D fresh. We may or may not have that but I like everything I've seen shaping up.

[navyhog24]

Actually anyone who even halfway paid attention to Tennessee or knew any Tennessee fans didn't think that. Tennessee fans hated his guts, mainly because of his 4th quarter troubles every year...

Go figure

[Oklahawg]

Heck, why not?

I can believe all I want. Biggus is always spot on with his breakdown, but I WANT to believe.

[jimmiewkersh]

Living life on the edge there Jimmie?   

For a fat, retired minister, I guess I am.

[bphi11ips]

Heck, why not?

I can believe all I want. Biggus is always spot on with his breakdown, but I WANT to believe.

Biggus is one of the few here allowed to be spot on.  Hopefully, if we wind up going 7-5, as Harry King predicts, lofty preseason expectations will not be replaced with bashing coaches and players.  I'll choose for the time being to believe for these reasons:

The schedule is brutal, but it always is.  We'll need some luck.  Arlington is as close to neutral as a neutral field in an opponent's home state can get.  I'd rather play the Aggies in Dallas every year than home-and-home.   It's a real advantage in even years.  Arkansas is better than Tennessee.  Alabama must establish a QB, a breakaway threat at at RB, and a big playmaker at receiver.  We return the same offense that should have beaten them last year.  We get an open date against an Auburn team playing its second road game.  Kentucky is getting better. If we are 5-1 or better the crowd will be nuts.  This is one where we are out-talented, but we should win anyway.  We're a better team than the rest of our opponents, but the ball will probably have to bounce just right to win at Ole Miss and LSU.

I'm shocked that anyone can say here that 4 QB's on our schedule are more talented than Brandon Allen.  That may be true, but three of them have less than a full season of starts between them, and the other one can't do it all himself.  I'll take the three-year starter, 5th year senior over all of them in those four games. 

Keon Hatcher is better than anyone gives him credit for being.  He's needed a vertical threat to create space for him underneath.  Dominique Reed could be that missing piece.  True screens to great running backs will add a new dimension to an offense with the best tight ends in the country.  We're okay this year in the passing game.  Even the best defenses on our schedule will have their hands full with this offense. 

Our O-line is full of freshmen in the two-deep.  One thing you never see mentioned about ground and pound is how long your O-line is on the field.  Sort of the reverse of a defense on an uptempo team.  It's a concern, but the freshmen will have to step up and give starters enough rest to hang in the fourth quarters where SEC championships are won.

It's about time for a little luck.  What goes around comes around. Could this be year the ball bounces our way?

[Hogarusa]

No chance to start the SEC 4-0?

There's a chance.  Maybe 1.3%.

[Theolesnort]

Biggus, I agree with #1. The schedule is TERRIBLE! For the second year in a row the conference saw fit to screw over Arkansas. We are, I believe the ONLY team to have 2 back-to-back road games.

I'm not totally convinced on #2. I'll take a 5th year senior that may be a little less highly thought of over sophomores with a ton of hype.

#3 may be pretty hard to argue with, we don't have elite WR's and probably never will. But, if Enos can create just enough favorable match-ups in every BIG game to allow our running game to thrive we will be fine. We will never be a true passing team and that is OK.

#4 is where I really have to disagree. We have a VERY solid starting 5 on the O'Line and enough back-ups to give them a bit of rest. Do we have 10 kids that are all 4*? NOPE!
But, we have a 4* RS Freshman(Wallace), a 4* RS Sophomore(Koehler), 2 5th year seniors(Beck/Danenhauer) and RS Freshman walk-on(Gibson) that has been tabbed as 2nd team ready to help out.

We have enough talent from 1 to 85 to compete with ANYONE and I guarantee you that the team feels that way and we should too.

Well I also am a little more optimistic than Biggus about #4 I could be wrong but what Biggus is going off on is the fact that the big strong deep defensive line made the #2's on the offensive line look bad this Spring but then there were times they made the #1's look bad too. Anyway it was a war taking place in the trenches and the real point Biggus makes is that the #2's can't build depth with out playing enough and getting the needed experience. Kind of a dammed if you do dammed if you don't situation I think. Oh this Razorback team is very good to maybe bordering toward being great but I agree with Biggus in that with the schedule we play it may not be enough so picking Ark to win the SEC is a little overboard but who knows they may be more great than very good.

[Biggus Piggus]

Good thing our WRs don't play against their WRs. Theirs have to play our D, which ain't shabby.

Yeah, maybe. Arkansas's pass defense numbers last year were great against teams with awful QBs and middling to bad against everybody else but Bama. Against Bama, I tend to think Arkansas was a good style match for the Tide. And it was a home game.

The point about WRs -- Regardless of what style of offense you play, talent level at WR makes a huge difference. It is a big swing factor in deciding which team has more busts on defense.

Arkansas improved in many ways last year, but the pass defense still gave up too many big plays. Overall, the secondary appears to be upgraded. Is it shutdown-the-best upgraded?

On the flip side, Arkansas's frequency of big pass plays + number of home runs were second-division in the SEC. The passing game has a ways to go just to catch up with average, for efficiency and big-play potential.

[EastexHawg]

I just don't know what to say, so I guess I won't say anything other than...every team is a contender before the season starts.

[bphi11ips]

On the flip side, Arkansas's frequency of big pass plays + number of home runs were second-division in the SEC.

On the other hand, the running game is upper division anywhere.  We don't have to pass for 300 yards to beat upper division teams.  We just have to keep the safeties honest enough to keep them out of run support on every down, we have to throw well enough underneath to keep the LB's from plugging every gap, and we have to use screens to keep the corners and outside LBs from crashing.  We have the balance to do all three.  We'll have our fair share of "chunk plays" off of play-action as well.  What we have to avoid is trying to beat A&M and Auburn at their own game.  Make them play ours and we win.   

[bphi11ips]

Arkansas improved in many ways last year, but the pass defense still gave up too many big plays. Overall, the secondary appears to be upgraded. Is it shutdown-the-best upgraded?

This is a big question mark for me.  I'm not sold on the secondary but like the way Robb Smith has it moving.  SEC officials have been tolerant of contact for years, especially where national contenders are concerned.  We'll see if Arkansas gets the Chavis-treatment if we turn out to be one.  When in doubt, grab an arm.  But you have to be close enough to the receiver to grab one and you have to play for a contender to get away with it.   

[GuvHog]

This is a big question mark for me.  I'm not sold on the secondary but like the way Robb Smith has it moving.  SEC officials have been tolerant of contact for years, especially where national contenders are concerned.  We'll see if Arkansas gets the Chavis-treatment if we turn out to be one.  When in doubt, grab an arm.  But you have to be close enough to the receiver to grab one and you have to play for a contender to get away with it.   

How good the defense secondary is depends on how good the front 7 plays. If a QB is given too much time to throw, even the best defensive back field in the nation would get picked apart.

[bphi11ips]

How good the defense secondary is depends on how good the front 7 plays. If a QB is given too much time to throw, even the best defensive back field in the nation would get picked apart.

Then I feel better, because I think we will pressure the QB. 

[Großer Kriegschwein]

We are getting better, the improvement in both offense and defense + one more year of recruiting & developing our way out of the hole has led people to not really know what we're capable of.

1) Some people look at our losses on the defensive side of the ball as the reason we stay at 7 maybe 8 wins.

2) The majority of people believe there will be a definite improvement through development in spite of the defensive players we lost to the NFL. We improved by 4 games between year one and year 2, so we will improve roughly the same amount between year 2 and 3, 9-10 wins this season.

3) A few people believe that the entire squads on both offense and defense have improved dramatically through the process, that they don't depend on a few players. We learned to win again last year and now we are where BB told us we would get eventually. 11-12 wins this season and competing for a SEC Championship.

I personally think we need to prove we can win close games and on the road. Our road graders on the OL & DL need to prove they can get it done in a hostile environment. If we win our first 2 games away from home, then I'll move into #3 solidly. But stand at a 9-10 win season right now.

[Theolesnort]

This is a big question mark for me.  I'm not sold on the secondary but like the way Robb Smith has it moving.  SEC officials have been tolerant of contact for years, especially where national contenders are concerned.  We'll see if Arkansas gets the Chavis-treatment if we turn out to be one.  When in doubt, grab an arm.  But you have to be close enough to the receiver to grab one and you have to play for a contender to get away with it.   
[/quote And this is the nexus of how well our secondary will be. Rob Smith had us play the receivers physical toward the end of the year and that seems to be in the cards for the future. Why else bulk up the corners and safeties during the off season like they are doing. Instead of zone coverage with a little man thrown in it will be man coverage with a little zone now and then. They can do this because the front seven will make this possible. In this day and age even the best of teams give up a long pass play here and there. I am just hoping that our here and there is a little less frequent than most good teams. Still though the zebras have to be taken into consideration in that we are not Bama. But Bielema is building up a good personality liking within the conference so could be as his teams improve the zebras may come around with a benefit of a doubt like the other good teams get. I'm crossing my fingers on that one.

[Bigdavis]

This is a big question mark for me.  I'm not sold on the secondary but like the way Robb Smith has it moving.  SEC officials have been tolerant of contact for years, especially where national contenders are concerned.  We'll see if Arkansas gets the Chavis-treatment if we turn out to be one.  When in doubt, grab an arm.  But you have to be close enough to the receiver to grab one and you have to play for a contender to get away with it.   

I just don't know what else they have to do to sell you. We are talented and deep in the secondary. Bielema and Smith say the secondary is our strength.

[The Kig]

This is gonna be one of those years where we are much better but our record doesn't necessarily reflect that improvement.

sorta like last year... we were a much improved team and thankfully won 3 of our last 4.  Otherwise, it would have looked very much like the year before in the W/L column.  While we outplayed T&M and Bama, the only thing that matters is the final score. 

Having said that, the fundamental shift in mindset from knowing we were going to lose, to thinking we might be good enough to win, and finally to knowing we could win was an important psychological shift for the mindset of the program.  The base that CBB has laid now has players completely bought into the system and they KNOW they can win.  They expect to win.

Doesn't necessarily mean we will win.  The SEC West is chock full of teams that also know they can win.  However, when we line up across from another team with the same mindset, gloriously great battles will ensue. 

This team has the potential to win every game this year.  They also have the potential to be on par with last year due to the parity in the West.  However, for the first time in a long time, I KNOW we can win every game...

Personally, I think we end up somewhere 10-3 to 11-2, but am not going to rule out 15-0 until the clock ticks to zero.

[bigdaddyhawg]

IMO the best case scenario for the Hogs this fall is:

1-Hogs go 10-2, 6-2.

2-No other team steps up, SECW balance takes a toll on other leaders, and

3-The 6-2 is good enough to get a tie, and somehow we end up winning the tie-breaker.

I just don't see us being good enough to win the West outright.  We'd have to go 7-1 in conference to win it outright.  We'd have to have about 100 things go perfectly right down the line for that to happen, and I don't buy into that remote possibility.

It's going to be a really good season at any rate.  We're going to put some hurt on some folks who need it!!

[Bigdavis]

I keep thinking the difference this year is the virtual reality thing. I know we talked about it a lot when it first came out but it doesn't seem like people are as excited about this opportunity as they should be. If it improves our offense even close to what it did for Stanford in their first year using it. Look out!

I just stumbled on an article about Arkansas using it that I hadn't seen before.

http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/2015/may/21/virtual-reality-quarterback-trainer-derek-belch/

[bphi11ips]

I just don't know what else they have to do to sell you. We are talented and deep in the secondary. Bielema and Smith say the secondary is our strength.

CB   29 Collins, Jared JR/2  2  Dean, D.J. JR/2  16 Floyd, Cornelius SO/1         
SS  26 Gaines, Rohan SR/3  20 Coley, De'Andre SO/1  13 McKinney, Davyon SR/3         
FS  28 Liddell, Josh SO/1  25 Dodson, Matt SO             
CB  5  Toliver, Henre' SO/1  9  Ramirez, Santos FR-RS

Looks more like blue collar upper classmen and talented underclassmen to me, but we'll see.  There's a reason no one on our defense made an SEC preseason all-conference team.  On the other hand, our defense played well last year, and I expect them to play well again this year.  I expect to see Deatrich Wise, Brooks Ellis, Bijhon Jackson, and Henre Toliver on some all-conference teams at the end of the year.   

[bigdaddyhawg]

There's a reason no one on our defense made an SEC preseason all-conference team. 

There is -- they don't play for Alabama or Auburn.

[Atlhogfan1]

As I said a few weeks ago, it is hard for me to get past the schedule and how it sets up and believe we have enough depth this early in the rebuild to win the SECW.  I look for the Hogs to give every opponent a fight this season barring a rash of injuries and win somewhere around 8 games.  Need to see how the ST's do and how healthy the oline can stay deep into the season.  Quality depth usually shows up on ST's and again not sure if we have it. 

[Hawgzinbowlz]

This is gonna be one of those years where we are much better but our record doesn't necessarily reflect that improvement.

I hope I am wrong on that last part.

I believe, 100%, that if we have a minimum amount of injuries we could win the SEC, overall. We have the horses. We could also lose several games that are very close.
If we go 8-4 in the regular season I won't be disappointed as we would still be making progress/improvement and 9-10 wins are certainly attainable, without overdrinking the Kool-Aid.
If CDE is an offensive catalyst and BA uses the Texas Bowl as a springboard, we could run the table.
I am certainly glad that CBB came to 'The Hill'.
Good to be a Hog Fan and, " Let's Get This Party Started ".

" GO HOGS "

[threeNout]

the fundamental shift in mindset from knowing we were going to lose, to thinking we might be good enough to win, and finally to knowing we could win was an important psychological shift for the mindset of the program.  The base that CBB has laid now has players completely bought into the system and they KNOW they can win.  They expect to win.

well said, and this could be the deciding factor in whether or not the Hogs can get it done in 2015 or not.

I think CBB said in that Rome interview that he wants his team to believe they are the biggest, toughest team in the SEC, to go out and play that way and prove it.

Having our first 3 SEC games away from home is tough, but if we survive Texas A&M and Tennessee, we should have a swagger to us going to Bama.

If we can start 2-0 in the SEC, then manage a split with Bama/Auburn, it's downhill from there, and because of parity, we may find ourselves in control of our own destiny again in a matter of a few weeks.

I feel like we may have an offense capable of beating everyone, if we can stay healthy enough to implement it from week to week.

[footballfan2]

On the other hand, the running game is upper division anywhere.  We don't have to pass for 300 yards to beat upper division teams.  We just have to keep the safeties honest enough to keep them out of run support on every down, we have to throw well enough underneath to keep the LB's from plugging every gap, and we have to use screens to keep the corners and outside LBs from crashing.  We have the balance to do all three.  We'll have our fair share of "chunk plays" off of play-action as well.  What we have to avoid is trying to beat A&M and Auburn at their own game.  Make them play ours and we win.

That will literally never happen. Auburn will continue to run it's offense no matter what. Even if Auburn gets behind, the offense doesn't change. Now if Arkansas gets behind, they have to start throwing to come back ... that could happen.

Order of finish in the West:
Auburn
Bama
Arkansas
Ole Miss
LSU
aTm
MSU

East will be UGA or UT .... Auburn beats either to win SEC and represent in the playoff.

[duckman]

The key to this season even more than years past is injuries, if we stay healthy, we can win the whole thing.  We have to stay healthy, our starters can match up with anyone right now....

[DeltaBoy]

Yep the Schedule has several of our opponents having big games before us.

[hammer66]

There's a chance.  Maybe 1.3%.

According to the Vegas oddsmakers we have a far greater chance than 1.3%. We have the 6th best team in the country according these experts.
R u just preparing yourself for a letdown before the season starts. I think we have a lot of fans who r afraid of success. Thank goodness our coaches and players believe 100% we can win them all. The best experts in the world also believe we have an excellent shot at winning the NC.
JMO, but I think some of our fans need to grow a bigger pair and not be so afraid to believe.
Hogs r going to go 15-0. Woo Pig

[Hoggard]

If any of you have the Texas Bowl on the dvr and you have time to go back and rewatch it then pay attention to the d-line when Coach H is coaching. I have been a fan of college athletics for years. And rarely if ever have I seen an entire group of young men paying so much attention to their position coach. These kids are HUNGRY. Mike Anderson doesn't command that much respect in the huddle. Petrino didn't. And I've yet to see a game when the cameras go on a coach during the game where at least one guy isn't busy doing his own thing or at least distracted.

CBB has recruited guys who want to be coached. Considering that we have the best group of assistants I can remember since Broyles was the head coach I'd say we are in very good shape.

Now lets see if Enos can get the same level of respect from his offense. Honestly every time I watch that replay I'm amazed by how well these young men are paying attention.

[Bigdavis]

If any of you have the Texas Bowl on the dvr and you have time to go back and rewatch it then pay attention to the d-line when Coach H is coaching. I have been a fan of college athletics for years. And rarely if ever have I seen an entire group of young men paying so much attention to their position coach. These kids are HUNGRY. Mike Anderson doesn't command that much respect in the huddle. Petrino didn't. And I've yet to see a game when the cameras go on a coach during the game where at least one guy isn't busy doing his own thing or at least distracted.

CBB has recruited guys who want to be coached. Considering that we have the best group of assistants I can remember since Broyles was the head coach I'd say we are in very good shape.

Now lets see if Enos can get the same level of respect from his offense. Honestly every time I watch that replay I'm amazed by how well these young men are paying attention.

The entire game is also on Youtube for people who don't have it on DVR

https://youtu.be/I_jhl4rMFGM

[ChiTown27]

To the people who keep saying our schedule doesn't line up, I say this:

We have a simple scheme on both sides of the ball. Our system is based on power and simplicity, so it won't take half the season to hone. Most of our early conference games are away, and most of those games are against teams that have complex offenses, and (or) new D coordinators, and (or) new quarterbacks. This is huge because they have to work out their kinks while we are blasting them with our 16 returning starters. The second half of the season is when most teams with QB issues, DC issues, and complex systems will be hitting their strides, barring injury. The second half is when we have the majority of our home games. Couple this with the games that our opponents face before us, and it all adds up to a recipe for success on our part. Last year, we lost four games by seven points or less. Missouri (7), TAMU (7), Miss State (7), Alabama (1). In an honest assessment of last year, the only two teams to whip us were Auburn (first game of our season, which we were tied at half), and Georgia (our defense had not gelled yet). Otherwise, we were in every game. This year, we have answers where others have question marks. I think this is our year to not only beat Alabama, but to beat them and leave no doubt that we were the better team. As Saban has even said, they lost their identity. We have one. And NOW we have speed on the edge to stretch the field. Gonna be a great year for our Hogs!

WPS!

[ChiTown27]

sorta like last year... we were a much improved team and thankfully won 3 of our last 4.  Otherwise, it would have looked very much like the year before in the W/L column.  While we outplayed T&M and Bama, the only thing that matters is the final score. 

Having said that, the fundamental shift in mindset from knowing we were going to lose, to thinking we might be good enough to win, and finally to knowing we could win was an important psychological shift for the mindset of the program.  The base that CBB has laid now has players completely bought into the system and they KNOW they can win.  They expect to win.

Doesn't necessarily mean we will win.  The SEC West is chock full of teams that also know they can win.  However, when we line up across from another team with the same mindset, gloriously great battles will ensue. 

This team has the potential to win every game this year.  They also have the potential to be on par with last year due to the parity in the West.  However, for the first time in a long time, I KNOW we can win every game...

Personally, I think we end up somewhere 10-3 to 11-2, but am not going to rule out 15-0 until the clock ticks to zero.

Pretty much all of this.

[GrouchyOldGuy]

Not at all.

Coach bb will have us blowing and going all year 15-0 NC

[Swine-as-wine]

There's no better or more real reason to be excited, than at this very point in the season. Not a single loss, and dreams of an
undefeated National Championship year, as real and very much alive, as any team in the nation.

Alabama, who entered the playoffs last year as the #1 seed, can in no way be better than they were last year.
For starters, they still have Kiffin as their offensive coordinator, whose attack relies on the pass, and will be lead
by a QB with no experience at all, and minus what turned out to be the only receiver they had last year. Bama? NO

Auburn? I don't understand the hype for them at all. It's all agreed. Gus Malzahn is one helluva offensive coach.
He's going to need to be with only 4 returning starters from last year on that side of the ball. Their defense?
Too much credit is being handed to Muschamp, when the "talent" he has to work with at Auburn, has less star
totals than what he had for the Gators. The Tigers? NO.

LSU........their days are done.....period. The tie that bound them, has left the house, and even Chavez couldn't
find a way to stop us last year. Their days of heisting the top high school players from talent laden Houston are
in the past, with those players now finding homes with other teams. Miles never could coach to begin with, and
with his coaching staff taking that big of a hit with Chavez leaving, he'll be lucky to last another 2-3 years. LSU? NO

Mississippi State has one of the top QB's in the nation. At the moment, before a game is played. Funny about playing
those games isn't it? Prescott went from being the top Heisman candidate, to falling off the face of the map all in one
fell swoop. The Cow Bellers, have the least returning starters of any team in the SEC, on a team with the leagues least
injuries last year. What's that mean? It means any hype they have at all, is based solely on Prescott having a nice run
last year before bottoming out. Miss State? NO

The way that Ol' Miss has been recruiting, they could be on the verge of being a perennial contender in the SEC West.
Hugh Freeze, is such a good coach, that he was shut out by an Arkansas team with 1/3rd the talent of his own. Ushering
in a new QB might just make them better in that position, but the SEC proves over and over, that a 1st year player behind
center, had better be special if that team plans on success. The Rebels QB, spent his off season training time, doing community
service, over fighting in a bar, and threatening to shoot people. Ain't he special? NO......'Ole Miss NO

Texas A&M looks to be almost scary with the amount of high star recruits they've been gathering. Their offense has been
prolific with Coach Sumlin's Art Briles learned attack and with new defensive coordinator John Chavez hijacked from LSWho,
the sky is the limit this year for them. Or is it? A&M, isn't a grind it out team. They're run and gun. Fair or succeed on any
offensive possession.......their O isn't on the field very long. That means their defense is. There's one helluva big difference
between having a refreshed defense following LSU's grind it out attack offense, and a worn out defense that's been on the
field 2/3rds the amount of time their offense has with the Aggies. Viva John Chavez! ......no. Aggies? NO


I'm not a homer. Have to be at home to be a homer, and I no longer live in God's country. But by gawd I'm a Razorback
through and through, and always will be. I'm not a fan of Brett Bielema's offense, any more than I was of Bobby Petrino's
defense. In today's game, even good defenses, give up 4 touchdowns, and points have to be put on the board. What I am
a fan of, is his strategy, and utilizing the talent we have up on the hill. Arkansas? hell YES.


At this point before the season starts, we're undefeated and our dreams and hopes are both high. Despite having a QB, that
might not start on some old AIC teams, he is a 5th year senior, and there's always comfort in that....especially when you have
two hosses like Collins and Williams to hand off to. You don't have to be the best team to win the National title.....you need to
be lucky too.  To quote Dirty Harry.....do you feel lucky?

[bigdaddyhawg]

The way that Ol' Miss has been recruiting, they could be on the verge of being a perennial contender in the SEC West.
Hugh Freeze, is such a good coach, that he was shut out by an Arkansas team with 1/3rd the talent of his own. Ushering
in a new QB might just make them better in that position,

I was kind of thinking about this myself, that they could actually "potentially" improve their QB play.  But, still, I agree with you on this.

I think you make a lot of good points in here, but I think you may be missing something in regards to Bama: last year may have been a "blip on the radar".  Nick has been a solid D/solid run game coach until last year.  Your point is valid IF Nick continues to desire Wonder Boy to throw it and up temp his offense.  It just makes we think "What is Saban thinking?"

I think we're going to see several teams, i.e. Arkansas, Bama, Auburn, OM, fighting it out at the top with multiple losses each.  Things would have to fall our way in many, MANY areas, but it could happen.

[duckman]

The way that Ol' Miss has been recruiting, they could be on the verge of being a perennial contender in the SEC West.
Hugh Freeze, is such a good coach, that he was shut out by an Arkansas team with 1/3rd the talent of his own.

This is the reason I don't worry about recruiting any longer:

http://www.hogville.net/yabbse/index.php?topic=596114.0

Be sure and read Jack's post in there too.

[threeNout]

I've come to appreciate Biggus's point about offensive line depth, depth in general, and needing to rotate in order to stay fresh, for the season's sake, if not for the game's sake as well.

I think our starters were unnecessarily stressed and pushed into the 4th quarter of a lot games last year, and I'm talking about many of the close games we lost, because we left too many points on the field in the first 3 quarters, due to mistakes, improper play calling and an unimaginative offense.

Many times, we'd have defenses on their heels the whole first half, with only a small or no lead to show for it.

This year, we need to physically dominate teams the first 2 1/2 to 3 quarters, and use better play calling and an imaginative offense to extract as many points during that time as possible.

Our strategy should be 20+ minutes TOP in the first half, and a 14-21 point lead. Dominate and Capitalize early and often and don't get caught in close games.

That would help minimize whatever depth problems we might have throughout the season.

[Swine-as-wine]

I was kind of thinking about this myself, that they could actually "potentially" improve their QB play.  But, still, I agree with you on this.

I think you make a lot of good points in here, but I think you may be missing something in regards to Bama: last year may have been a "blip on the radar".  Nick has been a solid D/solid run game coach until last year.  Your point is valid IF Nick continues to desire Wonder Boy to throw it and up temp his offense.  It just makes we think "What is Saban thinking?"

I think we're going to see several teams, i.e. Arkansas, Bama, Auburn, OM, fighting it out at the top with multiple losses each.  Things would have to fall our way in many, MANY areas, but it could happen.

Trouble between a head coach and an offensive coordinator is something we're quite familiar with. Throwing the ball is in "Wonder Boy's" dna.
Running and passing only when needed, or as a surprise, is in Saban's. From the look on Saban's face at times last year, we could fill in the blanks
of what was running through his mind, and my bet is that there was quite a bit of   &***$^### Kiffin! in those thoughts. Lane has a way of
sweet talking himself into some awfully good jobs over the years, and not that he's a complete idiot when it comes to drawing up plays, but
to walk into that Alabama job, and talk Saban into about a 145 degree change of offense scheme? I always thought that Kiffin was a fool,
but for Saban to fall for that, took the cake. Faster offense? The longer that stout defense is on the field, growing less and less stout as the
game wears on. We saw it in the playoffs, as O State kept pounding the ball on the ground, wearing that defense down to the bone. Bama
was either scoring fairly quickly, or 3 and out. There's only so much depth you can have on Defense, before you start taking away skill from
your offense. We saw it when Petrino was here in reverse, as virtually every skill player on the team was on the offensive side of the ball.


Alabama no longer has the best running backs in the conference. Their offensive line is maybe 3rd at best in the West. A Saban defense
is always going to be tuff, but they're going to wear down with the offense Kiffin is running, against quality teams.

We've got as good a shot as any, and since my blood is Razorback red, and in this heat wave we're getting I'm sweating like a HOG......hey...
why not. Like I said.....I'm feeling lucky. 

[Swinesong1]

And another...

[farmhawg]

Coach bb will have us blowing and going all year 15-0 NC

lol

[HAM ELLIOT]

This whole thread seems kinda funny after yesterday......   lol  At least we have something to laugh about!

[Swinesong1]

I'm sure the OP meant MAC

[bigbadhog]

The stars aligned alright, for the start to the end of the beliema experiment...

[farmhawg]

I think he meant, will get a win in the sec.

I am hoping at this point that we get one.

[JaketheSnake]

The stars aligned alright, for the start to the end of the beliema experiment...

Your signature line says all anyone needs to know about you.

[solitons]

Arkansas will win the SEC in football in 2015. That's it. That's your lead-in. No jokes, puns, quips, or unique statistics. Just that opinion.

Either you've clicked out now out of rage mixed with, "This guy's an idiot," or you're at least intrigued to find out why. Heck, after going on radio proclaiming it, I got a text from a friend saying he'd buy me any dinner I wanted if the Hogs won the SEC. Safe to say I now have a rooting interest.

At any rate, get ready for it, because the stars are aligning. There are reasons, too. It's not just predictions and hyperbole.

http://network.yardbarker.com/college_football/article_external/arkansas_will_win_the_sec/19238056

this prediction is UNCOMMON

[Danny J]

Technically we could still win the SEC.....