Play defense coach

[Lanny]

Stop the press, go to a matchup zone and work on your offensive sets.  18% FG in the first half against LSU at home!  That will get a coach fired

[elksnort]

Do you think this new athletics director will fire Mike?

If he continues to make the NCAAT? What if they only make it to N IT?
They will be losing a lot of experience next season.

[Lanny]

Do you think this new athletics director will fire Mike?

If he continues to make the NCAAT? What if they only make it to N IT?
They will be losing a lot of experience next season.

Mike is not on the hot seat but this team is badly out of confidence.  They need to stop the idiotic press that never works.  Go to a matchup zone, allow Gafford to defend the penetration, box out and work on the half court sets.  Arkansas must pass the ball inside and stop relying on the outside shots.  If Anderson doesn't change things, there will be few wins left this year and the Hot Seat begins next year.

[The_Iceman]

Mile Anderson got bailed out so much last year by Dusty Hannah's pure desire and determination to win.

If Mike doesn't turn it around this year, or if someone doesn't step up to bail him out again, it will be time for Mike to be let go.

Look what Chris Beard is doing at TEXAS TECH in just his 2nd season....

[elksnort]

He seemed to make a few adjustments last season by using the zone some. He seems rather stubborn with adjustments. It's his 7th year with some good college talent. Not making the dance will be a failure in my book. And they keep playing like last night, they will not make it.

[cram224]

Stop the press, go to a matchup zone and work on your offensive sets.  18% FG in the first half against LSU at home!  That will get a coach fired

Arkansas has offensive sets?

[razorpimp]

Mike is not on the hot seat but this team is badly out of confidence.  They need to stop the idiotic press that never works.  Go to a matchup zone, allow Gafford to defend the penetration, box out and work on the half court sets.  Arkansas must pass the ball inside and stop relying on the outside shots.  If Anderson doesn't change things, there will be few wins left this year and the Hot Seat begins next year.

He may not be on the hot seat YET....but if disaster happens this year and they don't make the tourney....then it will be bad!  Next year looks like a really young, not very talented team!

The SEC has improved coaches all over the league, so Mike is showing just how mediocre he is!!!!!

[lstewart]

This team is very disappointing. Sitting close behind he goal, it appears we don't have the athletes that I'm seeing the from the other SEC teams. We don't have the size and strength inside, and don't have the quickness on the perimeter. Last night was enough for me... this was the year we should have been good. I'm sure we will turn it around somewhat, but why do you end up in a situation where you even need to turn around a team with this much experience? I figure we will find a way to just slip in to the tournament, make a quick exit, and then not be very good next year. I think last year's results are about the best we are ever going to see, and don't think we are going to push through to the next level with our style of play and lack of ability to compete in a half court game.

[rzrbkman]

Stop the press, go to a matchup zone

When the team was doing that earlier in the season it seemed to work and it also did not tire the guards out so quickly.

[Hog Pharm]

Mike is not on the hot seat but this team is badly out of confidence.  They need to stop the idiotic press that never works.  Go to a matchup zone, allow Gafford to defend the penetration, box out and work on the half court sets.  Arkansas must pass the ball inside and stop relying on the outside shots.  If Anderson doesn't change things, there will be few wins left this year and the Hot Seat begins next year.

Mike won't change things because his idea of defense is giving up points but getting a lot of turnovers. Better hope we start getting turnovers or it will continue to be UGLY.

[hogsanity]

Stop the press, go to a matchup zone and work on your offensive sets.  18% FG in the first half against LSU at home!  That will get a coach fired

BWAAHHHH, offensive sets bwahhhaa.  That is so funny. They have no offensive sets cause Mike cant teach them or the guys he recruits cant run them. A good coach, with a guy like Gafford, would make darn sure he did not go the 1st six minutes of the game with one touch.

[Ironhawg]

The defense was as usual last night.  What killed Arkansas last night was the offense.  You're not going to beat many teams when you only score 54 points. 

[TushCrush]

Pat Bradley offered a suggestion time and time again last night ... pass and then hard cuts. We have settled into a thing where we pass and stand, or pass and somebody jacks up a three. The motion offense needs more motion.

[cardsNhogs]

Mike is not on the hot seat but this team is badly out of confidence.  They need to stop the idiotic press that never works.  Go to a matchup zone, allow Gafford to defend the penetration, box out and work on the half court sets.  Arkansas must pass the ball inside and stop relying on the outside shots.  If Anderson doesn't change things, there will be few wins left this year and the Hot Seat begins next year.

All of this should happen but it won't happen which is why Mike has to go! I thought we were at our best last year when in the matchup zone. I thought this year we would see more of that but it has been less. Offensively we run nothing but high ball picks and then occasionally that curl action that every team in the country has figured out how to defend. 

[hogsanity]

The defense was as usual last night.  What killed Arkansas last night was the offense.  You're not going to beat many teams when you only score 54 points. 

they scored 75 at MSu and lost, they scored 77 at Aub and lost, so apparently they are not going to win when they "only" score 75 or 77 either.

[Ironhawg]

they scored 75 at MSu and lost, they scored 77 at Aub and lost, so apparently they are not going to win when they "only" score 75 or 77 either.

Nothing is working right now.  Defense is not good, offense is not good. 

[Farrestor]

Agreed with OP,

Gafford is definitely our best defender in that he can shout out almost the entire lane, I wish we had one more really good post defender and we would be unstoppable inside, I think the Full Court Press kills his defense and as good as he is running up and down the court the big man gets tired. Also Gafford working inside opens up the guards and get them in a rhythm. I think the Sr. Guards early success has them in the mentality of shoot first instead of working a play and getting open shots.

[outlawhogeywells]

Mike is not on the hot seat but this team is badly out of confidence.  They need to stop the idiotic press that never works.  Go to a matchup zone, allow Gafford to defend the penetration, box out and work on the half court sets.  Arkansas must pass the ball inside and stop relying on the outside shots.  If Anderson doesn't change things, there will be few wins left this year and the Hot Seat begins next year.

I agree 100% with the match up zone.  our in your face man to man does not work because we don't have any guard that can play man to man defense.  other teams guards are eating us alive with the dribble drive and that puts gafford into situations where he gets into foul trouble. 
Play match up zone and pack the middle.
Gafford needs way more touches.  I don't see any offensive sets that works the ball through him

[waphill]

Gafford needs way more touches.  I don't see any offensive sets that works the ball through him

He's open nearly every possession, they just refuse to get him the ball.

[hogsanity]

He's open nearly every possession, they just refuse to get him the ball.

of course, because if Gafford is scoring it means whoever threw him the ball is not.

[HogInThaGrove]

BWAAHHHH, offensive sets bwahhhaa.  That is so funny. They have no offensive sets cause Mike cant teach them or the guys he recruits cant run them. A good coach, with a guy like Gafford, would make darn sure he did not go the 1st six minutes of the game with one touch.

A - Freaking - Men.

Embarrassing coaching ability and he makes millions.   

[Razorback de Nosferatu]

No half court offense at all.  He's never had one, and he won't find one now.  Just jack up (long) jump shots and pray momentum swings their way.  That's the strategy when the season of suck befalls Arkansas basketball.

Seven years now, and this is the way the Hogs have always played when things aren't going their way. 

If things get better, it's because the pendulum swings back and they start making baskets again.  I've never seen Mike adjust anything for the sake of MAKING THEIR OWN BREAKS. 

Don't figure he'll start now.

[hamARchy in the USA]

With the dismissal of Long and Bielema it was indicated that the leadership of the U of A expected a renewed commitment to excellence in athletics.  Winning matters.  Championships matter. 

MA was hired on as a proven underachiever.  Given 7 years to amount to something he's been cut more slack than any other coach in modern Razorback history.  Maybe ever.  Consider that Bielema brought with him a championship track record in a major conference and he got 5 years to turn around a football program with its 85 scholarship roster.   Basketball coaches with their 13 scholarships certainly don't need forever. 

It's been noted that top coaches can turn around programs quickly.  It's been done at Arkansas.  Sutton won his first conference title in the third year.  Richardson won his first in the fourth year.  Both came on board under much more trying circumstances than MA.

The Mike Anderson situation, in my view, is the acid test as to whether there has truly been a change in expectations at Arkansas.  It would hardly be considered demanding if in MA's 7th year he is told it's time to win an outright conference title or hit the road.

[Tejano Jawg]

This team is very disappointing. Sitting close behind he goal, it appears we don't have the athletes that I'm seeing the from the other SEC teams. We don't have the size and strength inside, and don't have the quickness on the perimeter. Last night was enough for me... this was the year we should have been good. I'm sure we will turn it around somewhat, but why do you end up in a situation where you even need to turn around a team with this much experience? I figure we will find a way to just slip in to the tournament, make a quick exit, and then not be very good next year. I think last year's results are about the best we are ever going to see, and don't think we are going to push through to the next level with our style of play and lack of ability to compete in a half court game.

This is what I'm interested in hearing (not that I like hearing it). Seeing the games 'in person' gives you a truer feel for the situation. This past football season, being at the TCU game, our second game of the year, I saw how troubled we were. It wasn't one thing here or there, I was worried about the higher view, how I felt after seeing us for 60 minutes. Just a bad, unsettling overall feeling.

I can only assume there are similarities. But watching them on TV last night, the feeling was bad enough. You can comprehend missing 3-pointers, but the trickier issue is WHY are we shooting them so often? We're wasting possessions. As Tush posted above—Pat Bradley offered a suggestion time and time again last night ... pass and then hard cuts. We have settled into a thing where we pass and stand, or pass and somebody jacks up a three. The motion offense needs more motion.

As for the defense...the SEC panel wasn't kind. Defense is effort. Jimmy Dykes talked about how their point guard simply had his way with us. He made us his b!#@h.

[jdlew]

It's never personal with me about a coach...I don't see how people let it turn into pure hate...(see BB and JL)..But I never wanted Mike to be hired because of the 94 ft. kamikaze defense... everone plays fast now and can handle the ball...He had a chance his first few years...but the SEC has had a serious coaching upgrade..and now better players...I like Mike.. but 7 years...What makes anyone think it's going to get better...The players coming in next year...not a difference maker in the bunch..

[onebadrubi]

our guards are not keeping their heads up.  numerous times last night gaffer and hall were wide open because LSU was slow at getting back...  poor in game coaching

[rzrbkman]

they scored 75 at MSu and lost, they scored 77 at Aub and lost, so apparently they are not going to win when they "only" score 75 or 77 either.

Good point!

[upperdeck_hawg]

There are two coaches in the SEC that are clearly in way over their heads. Mike is one and Avery Johnson is the other.