Schaeffer's Corner – "Competition Ongoing"

[The_Bionic_Pig]

The biggest news of the summer so far is Robert Johnson's desire to compete.
http://www.arsnonline.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=1272

[Swino]

Whoa!  Ugoh is now a guard?  Who will be our starting left tackle?

[Swino]

"and guard Tony Ugoh will gain plenty of attention as the season progresses."

That is a big typo for RS.

[junkyardhog]

"There is a certain thinking that if any of the three is TOO good it will hinder the recruiting of gee whiz signal caller Mitch Mustain of Springdale. Mustain, though, is all about winning. He wants to play for a winner and won't shy from competition. Besides, he wants to redshirt as a true freshman and doesn't figure to be a factor wherever he enrolls until 2007."

......hmmmmmmm

[Biggus Piggus]

Mustain has been saying for a while that he did not want to go somewhere he'd be thrown to the wolves as a true freshman.  That suggests his mood on Arkansas will be affected by the performance of the QBs this fall.

[Biggus Piggus]

I don't think it is so much he wants an automatic redshirt, more to avoid stepping into a situation where the young QB gets hammered because the rest of the offense is young too.

[Bomis Hawg]

As long as he doesn't do great enough he'll leave as a Redshirt Sophomore, I'm for it. 

[Biggus Piggus]

I don't think it is so much he wants an automatic redshirt, more to avoid stepping into a situation where the young QB gets hammered because the rest of the offense is young too.

Yep, I understand his position.  I think I would feel the same way if I were in MM's shoes. That is really tough committment for a coach to promise.  You never know when an entire team is going to throw their names in the hat for the NFL draft, leaving a coach basically starting over.

I'd guess you probably can see that sort of thing coming, just as it was easily visible prior to the 2003 season that the Hogs were going to lose a boatload.  And it was easy to see Hamlin leaving early too.

Let's review that 2004 class just for fun.

WR--Jamaal Anderson (moved to DE), Anthony Brown (moved to DE), Cedric Logan, Marcus Monk.

TE--Marc Winston.

OL--Cody Green, Jonathan Luigs, Skye Peterson, Ryan Young (juco never to be seen again).

RB--Peyton Hillis, Kyle Payne, Korey Sutton (injured).

QB--Alex Mortensen.

DE--Fred Bledsoe (moved to DT), Marcus Harrison (moved to DT), Michael Tate.

DT--Fred Barnett (juco), Ernest Mitchell.

LB--Wes Dacus, Fred Fairchild (prep school), Zach Snider (moved to DE).

S--Rick Culbert, Randy Kelly, Desmond Williams, Woody Wilson (juco), D'Nerian Wrighter (gone).

CB--Michael Grant, Shedrick Johnson (moved to WR), Matterral Richardson, Darius Vinnett, Dallas Washington (moved to S).

P/K--none

Began as
13 offensive signees
18 defensive signees

Now is

11 offense
16 defense

which is still big numbers for one year.  They didn't get linebackers, defensive tackles, offensive tackles, sure corners in sufficient numbers, also didn't get a tight end who could play right away.  Change those things and you probably see more wins last season.  Had to re-sign Fairchild to get him, got a good one in Tyrell Graham, but then had to get reachy to fill the LB pipeline--Bibbs, Bryant, Robinson coming off injuries.  And you know what they're doing to try to find some ends.  It has been dis or gan ized.  And I hope Herring fix es that.

[PerryHog]

I sure hope rick's assesment of the oline is correct. I still can't figure out if Matt helped or hindered the oline.
And Howard, he'll have to be better than last year, or he'll just go in to give Hillis breathers.