Roster Management

[lakecityhog]

Did any of you hear Ken Hatfield on Drive Time this week? He talked about the hire and the future and just gave some thoughts. He was asked about what he thought was a reasonable timeline for CM to start winning with his system. I thought his answer was GREAT(so did Marcus Elliot) He said there is no time line, he will have a senior class that doesn't want to go out losers and want to win NOW.

If I am reading the roster correctly, we have 25 seniors in 2018 with 6 to 8 being walk-ons. We will have 6 kids that are 5th year guys and 6 that did not redshirt. Then we will have 5 Juco's that are seniors.(possible exception is M Taylor)

The real killer is that Hatfield commented on his 1st class, I believe he said that he redshirted every single one of them. He said that did several things, gave them time to adapt to college ball, gave them time to adapt to college life, gave them time to mature and grow their bodies and it allowed them to contribute much more in the 5th year than they would have as a HS player. Kenny really hit redshirting hard talked about how important it is for the health of the team.

Think about Zack Rogers, he played in 3 games as a freshman and possibly having him for 2 more years. Think about Clary, Munson, Barnes and Fisher and how little they actually contributed this year and how much more they would probably contribute as a 5th year senior.

I hope so much that CM sees the value of redshirting!

[LightHog]

Link to the podcast please?

[JONAS]

I think every freshman should redshirt.

[hoginla]

I think every freshman should redshirt.

Especially as a 1st year coach, you have nothing to lose really by red-shirting and everything to gain - 1 more year in the playbook, weight room, classroom - all good.  Maybe burn it on a 5* monster skill player that you expect could leave after 2nd or 3rd year.

[Hugo Bezdek]

I think every freshman should redshirt.

I think most freshmen should redshirt. If a guy is a sure bet to leave for the NFL after 3 there's no point in redshirting him. There's no good reason to play guys like Clary and Henry as true freshmen. Hopefully they'll redshirt this year.

[lakecityhog]

That has been one of major issues with BB since year 1. He put himself behind the 8-ball by playing so many true freshmen his 1st year and he really hurt him in year 4 and 5.

Sure you might only get 2 years out of some kids, but I doubt it would be very many. So many of the kids that BB played as freshmen played on Special Teams. I'm thinking Special Teams? really? Every RS freshman and Sophomore should be on Special Teams not your true freshmen!

If a kid from HS beats out a junior you have either recruited very badly in the past, failed to develop players or you simply don't understand what you are doing! The fact is that our team recruiting has hovered from #23 to #30 for the past 15 years, so that all but eliminates bad recruiting.

[Hopeful Hog]

You guys did hear Morris say that one of his recruiting tools was that they could play right away, right?

[colbs]

I think every freshman should redshirt.

Disagree.  Skill players that can help you should not be RS unless injuried.  Look at RBs, when is the last time a RB back that was good stayed used all of their eligibility? Dmac, Felix, Knile, Jwill, and Collins all left the early.  If RS you would have only gotten probably 2 years vs 3 years from them. Agim if RS wouldn't stay 5 years in the program.  The most he will stay is 4 and more than likely 3.

Now IMO an OL & QB should almost always be RS.  If you only plan on giving a freshman limited snaps or mop up duty then yes they should be RS. 

[colbs]

That has been one of major issues with BB since year 1. He put himself behind the 8-ball by playing so many true freshmen his 1st year and he really hurt him in year 4 and 5.

Sure you might only get 2 years out of some kids, but I doubt it would be very many. So many of the kids that BB played as freshmen played on Special Teams. I'm thinking Special Teams? really? Every RS freshman and Sophomore should be on Special Teams not your true freshmen!

If a kid from HS beats out a junior you have either recruited very badly in the past, failed to develop players or you simply don't understand what you are doing! The fact is that our team recruiting has hovered from #23 to #30 for the past 15 years, so that all but eliminates bad recruiting.

He should have RS players like Ellis, Morgan, Skipper, Tolliver, Eugene, Clary, Liddell, and a few others.  These are guys that more than likely would stay in the program 5 years.

[The NewEra]

BB & staff burned a lot of kids red shirt opportunities last year and beyond because they were flailing in the wind.  They were looking for anything to help take the microscope off their poor coaching.

[nwahogfan1]

When true freshmen walk on started getting big minutes I knew we had problems!

[lakecityhog]

colbs, if you are recruiting at a consistent level the older guys should be more advanced and freshmen wouldn't be needed as often. Now, if you get a special talent that is simply too good to keep off the field, by all means play him.
But, if you burn a shirt then utilize the kid as much as you can. Don't play a kid in 1 to 3 games then sit him down. That is simply bad coaching and I have watched that for the last 5 years.

[oldhawg]

I always enjoyed watching the Shoats play in the days when freshmen were ineligible for varsity play.  Of course there were unlimited scholarships in those days that made it possible to field a freshman team.

[LumberBacks]

Think about Zack Rogers, he played in 3 games as a freshman and possibly having him for 2 more years. Think about Clary, Munson, Barnes and Fisher and how little they actually contributed this year and how much more they would probably contribute as a 5th year senior

There was absolutely no reason to play Rogers as a freshman.  His limited minutes in 3 games were mop up.  He suffered an ACL injury is Jr. year and broken ankle his Sr. year.  He played a total of 2.5 games his Jr./Sr. years in HS.  He could have benefitted from a redshirt year to get stronger and learn the offense, but Bielema burned his redshirt.  Would have been nice to have him 2 more years under CCM.

[RockyMtnHog]

I always enjoyed watching the Shoats play in the days when freshmen were ineligible for varsity play.  Of course there were unlimited scholarships in those days that made it possible to field a freshman team.

There are a lot of posters on this board that have never heard of the Arkansas Shoats.  For those of us that remember it just shows how old we are.

[colbs]

colbs, if you are recruiting at a consistent level the older guys should be more advanced and freshmen wouldn't be needed as often. Now, if you get a special talent that is simply too good to keep off the field, by all means play him.
But, if you burn a shirt then utilize the kid as much as you can. Don't play a kid in 1 to 3 games then sit him down. That is simply bad coaching and I have watched that for the last 5 years.

That was my point.  Every year Bama plays some freshmen and so does other elite teams.  It becomes a problem if you start burning RS on guys who get limited snaps. 

[Deuce Pigelow]

The problem is on the defensive side. The last staff dropped the ball in recruiting that side. Outside of Sosa and Scoota, who do we have that makes plays???

[HamGrowsOnTrees]

The problem is on the defensive side. The last staff dropped the ball in recruiting that side. Outside of Sosa and Scoota, who do we have that makes plays???

Curl and pulley. Ramirez brown grenlaw Henry.

Curl and pulley are NFL level players, the others I mentioned will be worth watching next year.

There is a myth on message boards that CBB didn't recruit well. Actually we have more talent now than we have had since 99.

I'm not a Morris fan but he is going to win 9 maybe 10 games with this roster next year.

[hawginbigd1]

He should have RS players like Ellis, Morgan, Skipper, Tolliver, Eugene, Clary, Liddell, and a few others.  These are guys that more than likely would stay in the program 5 years.

Your point is valid but there are names here that I am glad are gone.

[Deuce Pigelow]

Curl and pulley. Ramirez brown grenlaw Henry.

Curl and pulley are NFL level players, the others I mentioned will be worth watching next year.

There is a myth on message boards that CBB didn't recruit well. Actually we have more talent now than we have had since 99.

I'm not a Morris fan but he is going to win 9 maybe 10 games with this roster next year.

Nfl level?? We will see. In 2016 we set the record for most points ever given up by a Razorback team. In 2017 we broke it again. So statistically the last two defenses are the worst defenses in the history of the program. The last staff did not recruit the defensive side of the ball well. The numbers dont lie. Either that r the defensive coaches were the worst in program history

[jackflash]

I like redshirting myself but not every kid going for go for this. you tell a high school he going to redshirt he may choose another school

[HamGrowsOnTrees]

Nfl level?? We will see. In 2016 we set the record for most points ever given up by a Razorback team. In 2017 we broke it again. So statistically the last two defenses are the worst defenses in the history of the program. The last staff did not recruit the defensive side of the ball well. The numbers dont lie. Either that r the defensive coaches were the worst in program history

Changing to a 3-4 when your weakest position group is lb just so the fans get off your back was The dumbest thing I've ever seen a coach do.  They didn't use our secondary right. It was just a doomed defense. We have the players on that side Man. Look I'm not a fan of the hires but the coaches are going to look like the performed miracles with these guys. The last coaching staff had no direction or fire left.

[rricha]

yea nuttt killed  dmac

[Dark Helmet Hog]

yea nuttt killed  dmac

There were a few games he came pretty close.

[The NewEra]

Curl and pulley. Ramirez brown grenlaw Henry.

Curl and pulley are NFL level players, the others I mentioned will be worth watching next year.

There is a myth on message boards that CBB didn't recruit well. Actually we have more talent now than we have had since 99.

I'm not a Morris fan but he is going to win 9 maybe 10 games with this roster next year.

Then you SHOULD be a Morris fan, because I don't think there is any way Bielema would have won 9 or 10 games next year with this roster.  He is the only coach in Razorback history that I remember who taught a team to flat give up game after game.

[HamGrowsOnTrees]

Then you SHOULD be a Morris fan, because I don't think there is any way Bielema would have won 9 or 10 games next year with this roster.  He is the only coach in Razorback history that I remember who taught a team to flat give up game after game.

I can't argue with you. I think Morris is going to pull a Nutt and have a great first two years with another persons recruits. I'm afraid history is about to repeat. But I'm on board. It is what it is.

[blueridger]

one of the best ways to measure the strength of a roster is by how many freshmen forego the redshirt.  in a perfect world, all freshmen redshirt.  if the current roster is strong enough and DEEP enough, I'm sure it will be an absolute necessity before Coach Morris burns one in 2018.  WR's are certainly somewhat of an exception.

[The NewEra]

I can't argue with you. I think Morris is going to pull a Nutt and have a great first two years with another persons recruits. I'm afraid history is about to repeat. But I'm on board. It is what it is.

I do hope he benefits off of the current roster.  Where I think we will be seeing the big difference between Morris and other coaches is his pipeline into the state of Texas.  I think he really knows what it takes to be successful recruiting and he will do the work necessary to recruit at a very high level.

When I listen to Mattingly and other talk show guys they throw out the high to mid 20's # as being Arkansas history, saying there is no reason to expect anything better.  Today I would disagree with them.  I don't know that we've ever had a coach with such strong ties to the state of Texas High School coaches.  Those coaches hold the keys to Arkansas's recruiting success in Texas.  I think Morris will eventually 3-4 yrs. have us in recruiting rankings in the teens.

[HamGrowsOnTrees]

I do hope he benefits off of the current roster.  Where I think we will be seeing the big difference between Morris and other coaches is his pipeline into the state of Texas.  I think he really knows what it takes to be successful recruiting and he will do the work necessary to recruit at a very high level.

When I listen to Mattingly and other talk show guys they throw out the high to mid 20's # as being Arkansas history, saying there is no reason to expect anything better.  Today I would disagree with them.  I don't know that we've ever had a coach with such strong ties to the state of Texas High School coaches.  Those coaches hold the keys to Arkansas's recruiting success in Texas.  I think Morris will eventually 3-4 yrs. have us in recruiting rankings in the teens.

If he does that I will personally carve a statue of him myself and sit it on his lawn or street corner. Hope you are right. Cheers