Brett McMurphy seems to agree with.......

[Martygit]

.....the other Saturday Down South article:

"I don't think Arkansas is ever going to experience the heydays of the Southwest Conference, competing for national championships. So, what really are your expectations at Arkansas? Is it to get to a bowl game every year, or is it to compete for a division title?"

https://www.saturdaydownsouth.com/arkansas-football/college-football-insider-brett-mcmurphy-weighs-bret-bielemas-future-arkansas/

[Hogdomer]

To beat TCU, Texas Tech, Toledo, Rutgers, Missouri, Texas A&M (at least occasionally) and Mississippi State.  In other words, beat the teams you are more talented than and at least beat the teams you are close to in talent every once in awhile. 

Also, how about having a better conference winning percentage than someone other than Vandy and Kentucky, who care only about academics and basketball, respectively.

[Tusks]

Heyday is subjective, but to make a run at a NC should be the goal.

Again for the 1M time, if it's not then lower ticket prices, change conferences and throw a party on saturday afternoons.

[Martygit]

 "change conferences"

BINGO!!!!!!!

[GoHogs1091]

Heyday is subjective, but to make a run at a NC should be the goal.

Again for the 1M time, if it's not then lower ticket prices, change conferences and throw a party on saturday afternoons.

Change to which conference?

Conference USA
Sun Belt
Southland

We could probably win in Conference USA, so that would be a better option than the Sun Belt or Southland.  Those 2 conferences have some talent.

[JaketheSnake]

To beat TCU, Texas Tech, Toledo, Rutgers, Missouri, Texas A&M (at least occasionally) and Mississippi State.  In other words, beat the teams you are more talented than and at least beat the teams you are close to in talent every once in awhile. 

Also, how about having a better conference winning percentage than someone other than Vandy and Kentucky, who care only about academics and basketball, respectively.

Very subjective.  Who we are more talented than depends on what? 

Texas A&M, TCU, and Ms St should have better talent than we do right now since they are in better recruiting locations. 

[HighcountryHog]

Accept mediocrity and go about your days.

[KlubhouseKonnected]

"change conferences"

BINGO!!!!!!!

Or at least Divisions, so people can stop getting incontinent over the records of Kentucky and Vandy

[hoghearted]

Accept mediocrity and go about your days.

But be sure you're not late with the check....

[GoHogs1091]

Accept mediocrity and go about your days.

That article was sad to read.  Its as if reading between the lines McMurphy feels the Razorback football program is a little fish in a big pond football program.

I presume all of the years of mediocrity after Coach Hatfield has taken its toll on the football program and all of the years of mediocrity after Coach Hatfield has affected national perception of the football program.

On the bright side though, we have 2 video boards in the stadium.  We also have the view of the roof of Bud Walton Arena and the view of the south facade of the stadium when topping the hill on I-49 Northbound just past the Greenland exit.

[Hogdomer]

Very subjective.  Who we are more talented than depends on what? 

Texas A&M, TCU, and Ms St should have better talent than we do right now since they are in better recruiting locations. 

Let's go with recruiting rankings or number of players in the NFL.  Both would suggest we are more talented than TCU or MS State.  I'm only asking to beat A&M once. 

[Roaringboar]

.....the other Saturday Down South article:

"I don't think Arkansas is ever going to experience the heydays of the Southwest Conference, competing for national championships. So, what really are your expectations at Arkansas? Is it to get to a bowl game every year, or is it to compete for a division title?"

https://www.saturdaydownsouth.com/arkansas-football/college-football-insider-brett-mcmurphy-weighs-bret-bielemas-future-arkansas/

It's only because the fanbase sets its sights so low.....that's our problem now with the current adminstration......to many people keep defending them even though they haven't done crap since getting here......

[JaketheSnake]

Let's go with recruiting rankings or number of players in the NFL.  Both would suggest we are more talented than TCU or MS State.  I'm only asking to beat A&M once. 

Historically we still own A&M.  Last 5 years they have owned us. 

a&M has more NFL players than we do, 41/29.  TCU has two less than UA.  That appears we are about right where we are finishing in W/L.  https://www.sportingcharts.com/nfl/stats/number-of-nfl-players-by-college/2016/

[JaketheSnake]

It's only because the fanbase sets its sights so low.....that's our problem now with the current adminstration......to many people keep defending them even though they haven't done crap since getting here......

Yeah, it's the fans fault. 

[Hawghiggs]

Heyday is subjective, but to make a run at a NC should be the goal.

Again for the 1M time, if it's not then lower ticket prices, change conferences and throw a party on saturday afternoons.

We shouldn't be changing conferences. We need to build a new conference.

[hogfan14]

Let's go with recruiting rankings or number of players in the NFL.  Both would suggest we are more talented than TCU or MS State.  I'm only asking to beat A&M once.

State has put a lot of really good players in the NFL under Mullen though. Fletcher Cox, Dak, Preston Smith, Chris Jones, Benardrick McKinney, Darius Slay, Gabe Jackson.

We may put more in the league but it seems fewer of ours are starters

[hoglady]

Historically we still own A&M.  Last 5 years they have owned us. 

a&M has more NFL players than we do, 41/29.  TCU has two less than UA.  That appears we are about right where we are finishing in W/L.  https://www.sportingcharts.com/nfl/stats/number-of-nfl-players-by-college/2016/

Nobody gives a crap that we beat Texas A&M regularly over 20 years ago in the SWC.
That's irrelevant today.
They absolutely own us in today's world.

[JaketheSnake]

Nobody gives a crap that we beat Texas A&M regularly over 20 years ago in the SWC.
That's irrelevant today.
They absolutely own us in today's world.

They have come out on top for a few years.  They own us in W/L,  but they haven't been blowing us out. 

Yes I understand we live in the time that microwaves cook too slow. 

[devildoghawg]

It's amazing how fast people forget 2010 and 2011.  Petrino has us in the top 10, even the top 3 competing with LSU for basically a guaranteed shot at the Natty, and then a Sugar Bowl, and that was with lower recruiting rankings and a more dominate SEC.  Arkansas is plenty capable, what is not capable is this bogus coaching staff and their mentality on the current offensive state of football.

[Hogdomer]

They have come out on top for a few years.  They own us in W/L,  but they haven't been blowing us out. 

Yes I understand we live in the time that microwaves cook too slow. 

They've beaten us six years in a row.  That is owning a team.

[hobhog]

But be sure you're not late with the check....

Do you write one?

[JaketheSnake]

They've beaten us six years in a row.  That is owning a team.

Bama owns us.  A&M is the annoying little brother that keeps getting away with things.  Three overtimes and they've won each? 

[Tusks]

It's amazing how fast people forget 2010 and 2011.  Petrino has us in the top 10, even the top 3 competing with LSU for basically a guaranteed shot at the Natty, and then a Sugar Bowl, and that was with lower recruiting rankings and a more dominate SEC.  Arkansas is plenty capable, what is not capable is this bogus coaching staff and their mentality on the current offensive state of football.

[farfromgroovins]

It's amazing how fast people forget 2010 and 2011.  Petrino has us in the top 10, even the top 3 competing with LSU for basically a guaranteed shot at the Natty, and then a Sugar Bowl, and that was with lower recruiting rankings and a more dominate SEC.  Arkansas is plenty capable, what is not capable is this bogus coaching staff and their mentality on the current offensive state of football.

This
We should have these expectations and from what I have seen in most of the SEC this year, we should have been in a better position to capitalize on the rest of the leagues lackluster play.

[hogginbama]

This
We should have these expectations and from what I have seen in most of the SEC this year, we should have been in a better position to capitalize on the rest of the leagues lackluster play.

Actually it was set up to be a down year. Recovering from the debacle known as John L and basically no recruiting activity for 2 years set this year up for failure. The few players that CBB was able to sign his first recruiting class had to play as freshmen and the last ones left at the end of last season. The next class was a small amount better, but not much since recruiting connections were burned and in the process of being rebuilt. That is why we now have freshmen/sophs playing in front of seniors, the young guys are just better. An entire receiving corps has been replaced, defense sucked last 2 years so CBB did what any CEO would do.....he canned the guy....so we are now with a new DC implementing a new scheme. That new scheme doesn't mean "instant success" it means one step forward, two steps back until the players are in "react mode" and not "thinking mode". As the season progresses they will get better, hopefully the fans give them the time to get better.

[hoghearted]

Do you write one?

What's the matter ? Did I hurt your feelings?

[Inhogswetrust]

I think a lot of people forget there are scholarship limits today that weren't in place during Franks years for the most part. Therefore good players in high population states and recruiting areas have to go elsewhere sometimes. That and the proliferation of games on Tv means they will get exposure no matter where they play. All it takes is having great non cheating  recruiting and good coaching. Those combinations are what is hard to find no matter where the school is located. Players do still have a tendency to stay close to home BUT good players do sometimes venture out. We've got a lot of them over the years BUT we have to have a very good recruiting head coach and coaching staff.

[Al Boarland]

Bama owns us.  A&M is the annoying little brother that keeps getting away with things.  Three overtimes and they've won each?

The annoying little brother with what is obviously a psychological advantage? That's a new one.

[JaketheSnake]

The annoying little brother with what is obviously a psychological advantage? That's a new one.

Yep.  They own us so much that it usually take them more than regulation to decide the game. 

[Hoggish1]

Historically we still own A&M.  Last 5 years they have owned us. 

If only everyone would stop living in the past.  When aTm got into the SEC there was a sea change in that program.  Anybody with eyes should be able to see that a $500 million face-lift for Kyle Field signaled a monumental transition that cleaved, for good, the old SWC away from their personality and former tendencies.

Now, we just have to do something about it going forward.

[Redhogs]

It's amazing how fast people forget 2010 and 2011.  Petrino has us in the top 10, even the top 3 competing with LSU for basically a guaranteed shot at the Natty, and then a Sugar Bowl, and that was with lower recruiting rankings and a more dominate SEC.  Arkansas is plenty capable, what is not capable is this bogus coaching staff and their mentality on the current offensive state of football.

Not some of us...that's we are pissed at the sorry state of affairs...and all the losers willing to accept this loser mentality. Screw this author, never ever heard him say one positive thing about AR football and he's been around forever. He does not get to decide where this program goes in the future..unless we let him and others like him define us. By the way where wall the talk in that article about all the integrity Ar. has?  Yea, thought so. Hey losers, just keep making every excuse in the book and let these good times roll.

[IronHog]

Actually it was set up to be a down year. Recovering from the debacle known as John L and basically no recruiting activity for 2 years set this year up for failure. The few players that CBB was able to sign his first recruiting class had to play as freshmen and the last ones left at the end of last season. The next class was a small amount better, but not much since recruiting connections were burned and in the process of being rebuilt. That is why we now have freshmen/sophs playing in front of seniors, the young guys are just better. An entire receiving corps has been replaced, defense sucked last 2 years so CBB did what any CEO would do.....he canned the guy....so we are now with a new DC implementing a new scheme. That new scheme doesn't mean "instant success" it means one step forward, two steps back until the players are in "react mode" and not "thinking mode". As the season progresses they will get better, hopefully the fans give them the time to get better.

So what you are saying is if things go right BB can go 7-6 in about three years?

[JaketheSnake]

If only everyone would stop living in the past.  When aTm got into the SEC there was a sea change in that program.  Anybody with eyes should be able to see that a $500 million face-lift for Kyle Field signaled a monumental transition that cleaved, for good, the old SWC away from their personality and former tendencies.

Now, we just have to do something about it going forward.

A sea of change?  They are a very average team.  Unfortunately, so are we.

They had a once in a lifetime athlete at QB that gave them a couple years of better than average.  Sea of change is a joke.

[Redhogs]

So what you are saying is if things go right BB can go 7-6 in about three years?

That's exactly what he is saying..it's like Bert just walked through the door yesterday and has had nothing to do with setting up the current state of the program. He's magically gonna fix it now after screwing up for the last 5 years...can't make this crap up, you just can't.

[IronHog]

That's exactly what he is saying..it's like Bert just walked through the door yesterday and has had nothing to do with setting up the current state of the program. He's magically gonna fix it now after screwing up for the last 5 years...can't make this crap up, you just can't.

BB has had some pretty good teams since he'd been here.....heck this team isnt "bad"


But he just doesn't "get it". He needs to be in the midwest

[Redhogs]

BB has had some pretty good teams since he'd been here.....heck this team isnt "bad"


But he just doesn't "get it". He needs to be in the midwest

Oh agreed..this team is not bad, but the results are. That's what makes this fiasco even worse.

[hogsanity]

What I can't figure out is why so many people's expectations have risen the last few years for the program as a whole. In a time when The SEC has been really good, and the secw has been the best div in the sec and many years in all of college football, suddenly the Hogs are supposed to be a 9+ win team? Based on what? And please no one say 2010 and 2011, two years out of 25 in the sec does not a trend make. I mean during the bcs era 51 different teams, 1/3rd of fbs schools, went to at least 1 BCS bowl, including such powers as Wake Forest, uconn, niu, pitt, utah, and hawaii. A large portion of schools have the capability to rise up and have a 1 or two year run when they get a special group of players, but they also lack the recruiting ability to maintain those levels.

So why is a program that has historically been about a 7 or 8 win team supposed to rise up to the top of a league that, top to bottom, is still very tough? And you can bring up toledo, tt, tcu but I am asking about the program, in general, not specific games. The team that lost to toledo and tt ended up winning 8 games.

[EastexHawg]

I love how "national" media and people associated with other teams explain to us that Arkansas' proper place in the college football world is to try to get to a bowl game every year, and that our fans should be happy with that.  "Now just be good little boys, run along to the Texas Bowl, and let the big boys of the college football world worry about things like championships, big time bowls against highly ranked opponents, and top ten...maybe even top five...rankings.  Playing another 6-6 team in a game no one watches is good enough for you."

The best (worst) part is that quite a few of our fans have been so indoctrinated that they become almost indignant with anyone who says we should strive to be and actually can be much better.

It's like some of us have gone into a time machine.  It is 2005 all over again and we are trying to tell people that Nutt's mediocrity isn't the best we can do, that Arkansas can be a much better program if only we had an outstanding and innovative coach.  But no, that could never happen...

[jkstock04]

What I can't figure out is why so many people's expectations have risen the last few years for the program as a whole. In a time when The SEC has been really good, and the secw has been the best div in the sec and many years in all of college football, suddenly the Hogs are supposed to be a 9+ win team? Based on what? And please no one say 2010 and 2011, two years out of 25 in the sec does not a trend make. I mean during the bcs era 51 different teams, 1/3rd of fbs schools, went to at least 1 BCS bowl, including such powers as Wake Forest, uconn, niu, pitt, utah, and hawaii. A large portion of schools have the capability to rise up and have a 1 or two year run when they get a special group of players, but they also lack the recruiting ability to maintain those levels.

So why is a program that has historically been about a 7 or 8 win team supposed to rise up to the top of a league that, top to bottom, is still very tough? And you can bring up toledo, tt, tcu but I am asking about the program, in general, not specific games. The team that lost to toledo and tt ended up winning 8 games.

Do you really think the last 5 years is par for the course for our program? Does expecting better than that equal to rising expectations in your mind? That just doesn't make much sense. This is the worst stretch we have ever had in the SEC. Bret Bielema is the worst long term coach we have ever had in modern times.

[jkstock04]

I love how "national" media and people associated with other teams explain to us that Arkansas' proper place in the college football world is to try to get to a bowl game every year, and that our fans should be happy with that.  "Now just be good little boys, run along to the Texas Bowl, and let the big boys of the college football world worry about things like championships, big time bowls against highly ranked opponents, and top ten...maybe even top five...rankings.  Playing another 6-6 team in a game no one watches is good enough for you."

The best (worst) part is that quite a few of our fans have been so indoctrinated that they become almost indignant with anyone who says we should strive to be and actually can be much better.

It's like some of us have gone into a time machine.  It is 2005 all over again and we are trying to tell people that Nutt's mediocrity isn't the best we can do, that Arkansas can be a much better program if only we had an outstanding and innovative coach.  But no, that could never happen...

If Nutt achieved mediocrity what has Bielema achieved?

[hogcard1964]

I realize it's all about money and we'll never leave unless a deal could be made for a replacement that brings more to the table than Arkansas, but we cannot cut it in this conference football-wise.  We're actually now in the lower 3rd of the league as far as being competitive.  We do not have a good program folks. 

But what do you do?  Move to the unstable Big 12 and hope Oklahoma and Texas stick around?  Something tells me we would suck there also.  Right now we're worse than TCU, Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas St., Oklahoma St. and West Virginia. 

[hogsanity]

Do you really think the last 5 years is par for the course for our program? Does expecting better than that equal to rising expectations in your mind? That just doesn't make much sense. This is the worst stretch we have ever had in the SEC. Bret Bielema is the worst long term coach we have ever had in modern times.

Well, even figuring in his 1st season they are still averaging 6.25 wins a season which is just a game under the average for the 25 years they have been in the sec so it may not be par for the course but it is not much worse.

I have never said that BB is doing a good job or not, the current coach is not the point. Whoever the coach is, why have the expectations been pushed up to where the perceived floor for the program is now above what the program has averaged for their entire stay in the sec? That is where the disconnect with reality among a part of our fans really shows. The REALITY is most p5 schools are just like the Hogs, they are going to win between 5 and 8 games most years, and occasionally jump up and win 9+. That is just what college football has become, actually what it has been for 60 years.

[jkstock04]

Well, even figuring in his 1st season they are still averaging 6.25 wins a season which is just a game under the average for the 25 years they have been in the sec so it may not be par for the course but it is not much worse.

I have never said that BB is doing a good job or not, the current coach is not the point. Whoever the coach is, why have the expectations been pushed up to where the perceived floor for the program is now above what the program has averaged for their entire stay in the sec? That is where the disconnect with reality among a part of our fans really shows. The REALITY is most p5 schools are just like the Hogs, they are going to win between 5 and 8 games most years, and occasionally jump up and win 9+. That is just what college football has become, actually what it has been for 60 years.

Bielemas SEC record and overall is historically low in comparison to other coaches for our school from stats I have seen. Maybe I've been misinformed though. What's the SEC record now? 10-23? 10-24? Is that on par?

[EastexHawg]

I realize it's all about money and we'll never leave unless a deal could be made for a replacement that brings more to the table than Arkansas, but we cannot cut it in this conference football-wise.  We're actually now in the lower 3rd of the league as far as being competitive.  We do not have a good program folks. 

But what do you do?  Move to the unstable Big 12 and hope Oklahoma and Texas stick around?  Something tells me we would suck there also.  Right now we're worse than TCU, Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas St., Oklahoma St. and West Virginia. 

In 2010 we were 6-2 and the #2 team in the conference.  We lost to Auburn, the national champion, and Alabama.  But, Alabama finished 5-3 in conference.  They lost to South Carolina (who we whipped on the road), Auburn, and LSU (who we also beat).  LSU was the only other 6-2 team in the conference, but we beat them.  That's why we went to the Sugar Bowl over LSU...and yes, Bama.

In 2011 we were the #3 "seed" in the SEC after losing to the two teams that played in the national championship game.  We finished 6-2 again.

Overall, for the two year period the cumulative SEC records of the top teams in the conference were:

LSU 15-2
Auburn 13-4
Arkansas 12-4
Alabama 12-4
Georgia 10-5
South Carolina 9-6

We tied with Alabama for the third best SEC record over those two years.  Overall we were 5-4 against the four other best teams in the conference, three of which played in national championship games, and 7-0 against everyone else.

We were "cutting it" in the SEC when we had...well, you know the rest.

[HardCore]

McMurphy added that Arkansas is one of the more difficult jobs to win consistently because the small recruiting pool in the state.


Okay.  So what needs to be done to fix the small recruiting base in the state? 

[Hogarusa]

Odd that people are just now coming to this realization. We have 0 SEC titles. 3 10+ win seasons since 1990

[farfromgroovins]

McMurphy added that Arkansas is one of the more difficult jobs to win consistently because the small recruiting pool in the state.


Okay.  So what needs to be done to fix the small recruiting base in the state?

Become an Adidas school?

[hogcard1964]

In 2010 we were 6-2 and the #2 team in the conference.  We lost to Auburn, the national champion, and Alabama.  But, Alabama finished 5-3 in conference.  They lost to South Carolina (who we whipped on the road), Auburn, and LSU (who we also beat).  LSU was the only other 6-2 team in the conference, but we beat them.  That's why we went to the Sugar Bowl over LSU...and yes, Bama.

In 2011 we were the #3 "seed" in the SEC after losing to the two teams that played in the national championship game.  We finished 6-2 again.

Overall, for the two year period the cumulative SEC records of the top teams in the conference were:

LSU 15-2
Auburn 13-4
Arkansas 12-4
Alabama 12-4
Georgia 10-5
South Carolina 9-6

We tied with Alabama for the third best SEC record over those two years.  Overall we were 5-4 against the four other best teams in the conference, three of which played in national championship games, and 7-0 against everyone else.

We were "cutting it" in the SEC when we had...well, you know the rest.

We had an actual "coach" at that time and that was more of a mirage than anything else.  He wouldn't have stayed past 2015 anyway.  Those two years Petrino had us in the top 12 and basically the two years we were decent under Nutt were the only times in recent years we've actually been "real good".  We've been decent to good maybe 6 or 7 years out of the 25 years we've been in the SEC.  Other than that, the best we could hope for is mediocrity.  Right now we're plain awful.

[Redhogs]

Do you really think the last 5 years is par for the course for our program? Does expecting better than that equal to rising expectations in your mind? That just doesn't make much sense. This is the worst stretch we have ever had in the SEC. Bret Bielema is the worst long term coach we have ever had in modern times.

I think we all know the answer...if one is being honest with themselves.

[jkstock04]

McMurphy added that Arkansas is one of the more difficult jobs to win consistently because the small recruiting pool in the state.


Okay.  So what needs to be done to fix the small recruiting base in the state? 

My idea to fix it would be for the university to somehow get involved in improving Arkansas high school football. A lot of kids with potential fall through the cracks and never even play sports. First thing I would do is work on repairing Little Rock school district and their sports programs. Start programs to get kids more involved in sports and school where they don't just drop out or fall into bad things.

May sound dumb but to me it sounds better than praying some 2* from Florida flips his commitment to us on signing day.