Which side of the ball do you want to see the most improvement? Offense or Def?

[Ben]

Improvement on any side is crucial and wanted. But where do you want to see the most improvement? Offense or Defense?

[Boss Hog in the Arkansas]

Only problem I saw with the offense last year was stalling out in the endzone. Defense has many more issues that must be addressed. Heck, special teams needs more improvement than the offense

[phadedhawg]

Defense

[bennyl08]

Offense just needs the average amount of improvement that one should expect to see for players going from their first year of major action/starting into the second.

Defense needs improvement beyond just that which could come in the form of a different teacher and scheme.

[hogsanity]

Defense, and it's not even close.

[BigE_23]

Let's see - last season we averaged 30.3 ppg on offense while giving up 31.1 ppg on defense - so I think it's pretty obvious. We have to shore up that defense first and foremost.

[Calling All Hogs]

Defense. I don't recall ever seeing a team that put less pressure on the opposing QB than the Hogs last year.

[The Kig]

Defense, defense, defense... easiest question ever put to Hogville.  We were atrocious, awful, terrible, non-existent, and any other adjective that means bad you can think of the last couple of years... and it is the one area where even a modest level of improvement will yield substantial overall improvement. 

[hoggytonk]

Defense

[Wildhog]

Considering our defense was historically bad last year (record-setting bad), I'll go defense.

[PorkRinds]

The closer this season gets the more of a disaster I'm expecting.  The RWIII injury made a position of strength into a position of weakness.  I'm afraid we are going to have to be a passing team and we have one proven receiver.  The line better be improving pass pro or we are in trouble no matter what the defense does.

[Wildhog]

The closer this season gets the more of a disaster I'm expecting.  The RWIII injury made a position of strength into a position of weakness.  I'm afraid we are going to have to be a passing team and we have one proven receiver.  The line better be improving pass pro or we are in trouble no matter what the defense does.

If we can't stop anybody it doesn't matter how good the offense is.

[PorkRinds]

If we can't stop anybody it doesn't matter how good the offense is.

I mean, not really. I'm expecting the defense to suck.  If our offense sucks too it could go from mediocre to god awful in a hurry!

[Wildhog]

I mean, not really. I'm expecting the defense to suck.  If our offense sucks too it could go from mediocre to god awful in a hurry!

So glad we're having this discussion in year five. 

[PorkRinds]

So glad we're having this discussion in year five.

Hey maybe we will be pleasantly surprised. But I'm not counting on it.  I'm like anakin at this point. Just waiting for an excuse to go to the dark side.

[Wildhog]

Hey maybe we will be pleasantly surprised. But I'm not counting on it.  I'm like anakin at this point. Just waiting for an excuse to go to the dark side.

Come on in... the water is fine!

[yocdaddy]

I am a 5'11 215lb 42 year old that could have gained 5 yards per carry because of our scheme.  And, I'm not exactly elusive 

The defense better improve in a hurry.

[Pudgepork]

Defense.   If memory is correct, ole miss and tcu were the only 2 games that Hogs showed a D.  Perhaps Miss Stake also

[jgphillips3]

Defense.  Our offense is already very good.  Significant defensive improvement would move us into possibilities of double digit wins and New Year's Day bowls and such.

[runninhog]

Defense needs the most help, but I don't think we're going to be any better. LB scares the hell out of me.
So, I'll go with something simple....better pass blocking on the OL. We're going to need to score a lot of points.

[PonderinHog]

Uh, what was the question?

[theFlyingHog]

An OP like this makes me feel like there is collusion to drive posts and clicks. How anyone could watch last year's team and ask a question like that blows my

[nchogg]

Defense. I don't recall ever seeing a team that put less pressure on the opposing QB than the Hogs last year.

I said that so many times while watching our games last year.

[LZH]

Let's see - last season we averaged 30.3 ppg on offense while giving up 31.1 ppg on defense

Fire Enos!.....he's underachieving! 

[nwahogfan1]

Defense definitely and by a bunch.. I want to get our defense to only give up less than 25 ppg. Especially in SEC games.  If we do this then we have a shot at lots of 8+ win seasons.

[East Clintwood]

How is this even a question?

[GoHogs1091]

Here is all that I am wanting to see this season.

Better Special Teams play.
Better coaching (especially from the Head Coach and hopefully from the new Defensive Line Coach).
Better Defensive Line play and better Linebacker play.
Better overall Offensive Line run blocking.

Is the above too much to ask for?

[Pigsknuckles]

Haven't seen an Arkansas defense since the 2014 Texas Bowl. If one were to show up, I would have to check my ticket stub to see if I was at the right game.

[rlamb]

Go Hogs, if the Hogs had performed those 4 "hoped for improvement" areas at least to
the 25% level, we would have been 9-4 or 10-3?

[OS2 (SW) Razor Back]

the Efense and it aint even close.

[Bacons Rebellion]

This is one of those "gimme" questions to raise the class average, right?

[PonderinHog]

This is one of those "gimme" questions to raise the class average, right?

No Hogville Poster Left Behind!

[hogsanity]

This is one of those "gimme" questions to raise the class average, right?

You'd think, but at some point someone will say offense.

[Vantage 8 dude]

Absolutely no doubt it would be the defense. While the offense at times hasn't been the most consistent, for the past five years or so the defense has been very much our achilles heel. Haven't been able to put enough points on the board no matter how hard we've tried in so many games.

[Exit Pursued by a Boar]

Defense.   If memory is correct, ole miss and tcu were the only 2 games that Hogs showed a D.  Perhaps Miss Stake also

MSU-- we showed a D in one quarter, which was the difference in the game.

UF--We showed a D.

Zirc

[VirginiaHog]

D

[Pig In The City]

Our issues have been the offense unable to produce in the second half.  That makes the defense look worse than it actually is.

[hawginbigd1]

Our issues have been the offense unable to produce in the second half.  That makes the defense look worse than it actually is.

There is definitely some truth to this, but because we put "x" number of points on the board in the first half, most only see the defensive deficiencies which are plentiful. The defense will make the most improvement because the talent level is improved. The offensive line has to improve its run blocking greatly and I believe they will. We also need the QB from games 1-6 and not the QB from games 7-13!

So the real answer to the OP is both!

[cosmodrum]

Considering our defense was historically bad last year (record-setting bad), I'll go defense.

[tophawg19]

i think the one that could help most is special teams . add 10 yards to kick and punt returns and the offense gets a short field to work with . put the kick off's in the end zone and better punt coverage and the defense gets better because it can give up more yards without scores . which means they can gamble and blitz more.  A dependable FG unit changes the offensive play calling especially from 40 in. you can try big plays knowing if it doesn't work, you are still good for 3 .

[OneTuskOverTheLine™]

Defense needs the most help, but I don't think we're going to be any better. LB scares the hell out of me.
So, I'll go with something simple....better pass blocking on the OL. We're going to need to score a lot of points.

I don't understand how anyone can be scared of any specific position with the change to a 3-4 scheme. It really isn't rocket science. It's far easier for players to understand and perform. Y'all are in for a big surprise...

[Mike_e]

I'd say the left side.  Left guard and tackle.

I'd really like to see our QB unbroken through out the year.

As far as the D goes I'd be willing to bet $5000 or your dollars that we drop down into the 350- 375 ypg range over the season and 27 or so ppg.  There is a Huge difference between playing not to lose and playing to win.  CPR is going to turn those boys into winners.

[Pork Twain]

Defense...  If they improve and the offense is relatively the same, we will win a lot of games this year.  I think the offense started playing too tight last year, because they knew that thanks to Coach Klien, the defense was not going to stop anyone after halftime and they would need to score on every drive to give us a chance.