I haven't felt this positive since..?

[Tortfeasor]

Having hope is such a beautiful thing.

[bphi11ips]

I heard Mike Irwin on the radio today trying to tamp down optimism with a "we're just poor lil' ol' Arkansas" diatribe. He kept repeating our SEC record is 90-116-2 and "let that sink in."

"I don't know why anyone is optimistic about that" he intoned. 

I had to turn it off, because I knew if I called in and told facts, I wouldn't get far with Lil' Bo Peep before getting cut off.

LBP is fact challenged, just wants to spout off barstool philosophy off the top of his bald head, but here is what I came up with in my research:

In UA's first 20 years in the SEC, from 1992-2011 the SEC football record was 77-81-2, a winning percentage of .488 if you count ties as half a win and half a loss, .481 if you count the pct. of actual wins.

Why the first 20 years? For one thing, the start of the 2012 season was when Texas A&M and Missouri first competed in the SEC.

Mainly though, the 20 first seasons in the SEC dove-tailed with an event the likes of which this football program may have never seen.

April Fool's Day, April 1, 2012 was the UA football program's version of Pearl Harbor, the day Petrino wrecked that Harley.

There's no need to go into all the details again of the subsequent firing and the hiring of John L. Smith as Interim HC.

But here are the facts: from 1992-2011, we were just under .500 in SEC play, the 7th best record in the conference during that time.

Not great, but considering the Crowe firing right before SEC play began in '92,

having a lame duck coach the rest of the season, and bringing in a burned out Danny Ford as he and Broyles fought over his staff most of his time here,

two players committed suicide during the Ford era,

the underachieving Nutt era with the constant drama and politicking behind the scenes, the Mustain mess and infamous email, Gus being forced on Nutt,

Gus leaving after one year to go to Tulsa for less pay as he was about to be demoted,

planes flying banners over the stadium and the media furor that followed,

then in comes Petrino with a nuclear reaction from the national media over the way he left Atlanta with 3 games remaining in the season,

then his messy firing and Smiley appointed to take over the reins of the preseason #5 team in the polls,

Two serious injuries on the field in that ULM fiasco, the subsequent loss after leading big early in the 2nd half as a prohibitive favorite,

yet, still with all that, 4 games under .500 before the start of the 2012 season.

77 wins vs last place Vandy's record of 26-134.

Care to know what the won loss record in SEC play is since? 13-35. Winning pct. .271.

Meaning that of that 26 games below .500 overall in SEC play, 22 of the losses happened since the start of the 2012 season and the start of the JLS era.

Long made a hire in Bielema that the national hailed as a stroke of genius. We know how that turned out. 11-29 in 5 years of SEC play or 18 of the 26 games under .500 in SEC action.

I don't know who CM will be able to get to be DC or on the defensive side of the ball. I don't know if he can get Bohannon on the Hill or who he will fill out the class with.

I do know this: this guy may be the first coach we've had in the SEC era who fit and didn't have major baggage.

Time will tell whether he's the "right" guy or not. But for the first time in what seems like decades, there is hope.

Here are the SEC records of everyone since 2012:

1. 'Bama 43-5
2. UGA 34-14
3. LSU 31-17
4. UF 30-18
5T. Aub. 25-23
5.T A&M 25-23
7T. MSU 24-24
7T. USCE 24-24
9. MO 23-25
10. OM 22-26
11T. TN 15-33
11T. Vand. 15-33
13 UA 13-35
14. UK 12-36

Some may hand-wring over the record of the last 6 years and say "it can't be done here" or  whatever.

I say if a total mediocrity like Nutt can go 42-38 in SEC play it not only can be done, winning more than 50% of SEC games that is, it will be done with the right coach who can coach and recruit.

I'm not expecting an SECW championship any time soon, nor winning 8 or 9 next year. 6-6 with hope of better things to come is fine for now, anything more than that is a bonus.

The see where we are in years 3-4.

Great summary.  You have to go back to 1949-54 to find a 5 year stretch as bad as the last one.  It took a few coaches before we found the right one in 1958.  Chad Morris may be the right one.  Kind of feels like it at the moment.

[RockyMtnHog]

It has been a long time since we have had any hope and excitement.

[1dayinthelifeofporkiepig]

As our astute statesman Curly Howard once said: "Whoop-whoop-whoop-whoop nyuk nyuk nyuk!" Bring on football 2018!!!

[gbaurnett]

Since the day Nutt was let go.

Best post ever!

[Bash]

1/20/2017

[AHorseWithNoName]

I bet that was the last time you ever went to that dentist.

Yes.........and "This won't hurt a bit" has taken on a whole new meaning!

[Bigfoot]

...Thurman hit the go ahead three pointer with 50 seconds left in the game.

That one is still making rain.