Did i hear what i thought i heard on DTS

[forrest city joe]

                                 Did rick just say we are not a major program anymore? I wonder why rick? he is getting us ready for another 7 and 5 season. after which a lot of people will say everything is fine, and a trip to a small bowl game. it's relly sad when our former AD thinks we are not a major program anymore.

[Arazorbackguy1]

Wait just a sec...   So now Sunshine Rick get's beat up on because he is telling it like it is?   Weren't people complaining that he wasn't very critical of the Hog's and was always pumping them up?

[WilsonHog]

Joe, it is what it is.

I suspect that there are few people nation-wide who believe that we're a major program.

I like to think that I can argue/defend most anything, but even I couldn't make a case that we're still a major program. The numbers are just too stark over the last 16 years to believe otherwise.

We're in a major conference, but conference membership alone is not enough.   

[three]

When was Rick ever AD?  I know he was SID, but I don't think he was ever AD, was he?

[SwinedMelon]

Uh- Frank Broyles has been the AD for the last 30 years.

[forrest city joe]

                            I mean sid. wilson i never said rick was wrong. i said i wonder why  we are not. here it is. Houston nutt has taken the program backwards. for the most part we were a top 15 program in the 60,s, 70, and 80,s. rick,s friend coach nutt has had 8 going on 9 years to make it a major program again. he has failed.

[Wooisme]

Reality from Rick Shaeffer?

Somebody bettah check the DNA....   

[Porkerpower]

Give ole Hatfield and Ford another kick all you huggers.

Looking back, they weren't so bad after all.

Any veteran college football fan across America would still rank us in a top 25 poll I would think over the last 50 or so years.

It's just in the last 15 years, almost all in the SEC, we have faltered.

We will be back, and I think immediately, with or without Nutt.

Malzahn will be the straw.

[Hogstocking]

Joe, it is what it is.

I suspect that there are few people nation-wide who believe that we're a major program.

I like to think that I can argue/defend most anything, but even I couldn't make a case that we're still a major program. The numbers are just too stark over the last 16 years to believe otherwise.

We're in a major conference, but conference membership alone is not enough.   

I agree. UAs won 3 bowl games in 20 years, below 500 vs SEC, the two times we did make it to the SEC title game we get outscored 64-6,  no BCS appearances, and haven't won 10 games in a season in 15 or 16 years.  That doesn't sound like the resume of a major program.  Hopefully this is the year when all that turns around

[Golfer]

NM

[forrest city joe]

                       I will ask agan, WHY? Why have we been this bad over the last 20 years? and why has coach nutt not been able to bring us back in the last 8 going on 9 years? there is a reason we are not a major program anymore.

[Feralhog]

Wait just a sec...   So now Sunshine Rick get's beat up on because he is telling it like it is?   Weren't people complaining that he wasn't very critical of the Hog's and was always pumping them up?

Doesn't it depend upon the context as to whether or not Rick was telling it like it is?  If the context was, WAKE UP HOG FANS, HDN HAS BEEN HERE 9 YEARS AND WE ARE NO LONGER CONSIDERED A NATIONAL POWER, then Rick was telling it like it is.

I have a feeling that the above CAPS is not in context with Rick, but rather something like......you know people, it's a bit silly for us to go on expecting to compete at a high level in the SEC.  the rest of the country no longer views arkansas as a national power in football, it's about time hog fans look at things realistically and be satisfied with winning 6 games and going to a bowl.

[Factual Fiction]

You heard correct young man and if you know what is good for you, you'll keep your mouth shut and send in your donation to the Foundation.

[THROWITDEEP]

Frank is big brother.

[Factual Fiction]

Frank is big brother.

he's watching you right now!

[silvertip]

We're in danger of being passed by S. Carolina to be the #7 team in the SEC. Too many embarrassing losses on TV, including 2-4 in last 6 bowl games = no respect.

S. Carolina is our permanent SEC-East opponent. I wonder if it wasn't the arrival of Spurrier at SC that woke up JFB & Lindsey to the fact that we couldn't keep going with HDN as OC. Being the perennial 8th place SEC team is a grim prospect.

[forrest city joe]

Wait just a sec...   So now Sunshine Rick get's beat up on because he is telling it like it is?   Weren't people complaining that he wasn't very critical of the Hog's and was always pumping them up?

Wait just a sec...   So now Sunshine Rick get's beat up on because he is telling it like it is?   Weren't people complaining that he wasn't very critical of the Hog's and was always pumping them up?

Doesn't it depend upon the context as to whether or not Rick was telling it like it is?  If the context was, WAKE UP HOG FANS, HDN HAS BEEN HERE 9 YEARS AND WE ARE NO LONGER CONSIDERED A NATIONAL POWER, then Rick was telling it like it is.

I have a feeling that the above CAPS is not in context with Rick, but rather something like......you know people, it's a bit silly for us to go on expecting to compete at a high level in the SEC.  the rest of the country no longer views arkansas as a national power in football, it's about time hog fans look at things realistically and be satisfied with winning 6 games and going to a bowl.

Doesn't it depend upon the context as to whether or not Rick was telling it like it is?  If the context was, WAKE UP HOG FANS, HDN HAS BEEN HERE 9 YEARS AND WE ARE NO LONGER CONSIDERED A NATIONAL POWER, then Rick was telling it like it is.

I have a feeling that the above CAPS is not in context with Rick, but rather something like......you know people, it's a bit silly for us to go on expecting to compete at a high level in the SEC.  the rest of the country no longer views arkansas as a national power in football, it's about time hog fans look at things realistically and be satisfied with winning 6 games and going to a bowl.

Wait just a sec...   So now Sunshine Rick get's beat up on because he is telling it like it is?   Weren't people complaining that he wasn't very critical of the Hog's and was always pumping them up?

Doesn't it depend upon the context as to whether or not Rick was telling it like it is?  If the context was, WAKE UP HOG FANS, HDN HAS BEEN HERE 9 YEARS AND WE ARE NO LONGER CONSIDERED A NATIONAL POWER, then Rick was telling it like it is.

I have a feeling that the above CAPS is not in context with Rick, but rather something like......you know people, it's a bit silly for us to go on expecting to compete at a high level in the SEC.  the rest of the country no longer views arkansas as a national power in football, it's about time hog fans look at things realistically and be satisfied with winning 6 games and going to a bowl.

you are right on the money my friend. BINGO.

[1994]

 Some of the stats on line show that our program is "Major' but it's the fans that make it that way.

http://www.ncaa.org/stats/m_basketball/attendance/2006_basketball_attend.pdf
www.CollegeSportsReport.com
http://www.ncaa.org/stats/baseball/attendance/2004_attendance.pdf

[Wooisme]

Ahhhhhhh.....context.  

Better than DNA.   

[EastexHawg]

It's all part of the game...lowering expectations.  Rick is merely protecting his buddy HDN.

[ClubChubby]

I think there is really only one person to blame for the last 15 years, and that's frank broyles. He ran off Holtz and hatfield, took us to the sec. We're rich like rick james, but we lost our national mojo. We also lost all our tradition. Though I admit I too thought it was a good move at the time, as I don't think anyone predicted all the money nwa would have a few years later. We might have taken oklahomas place in some of those NC games if we'd stayed with the swc, and taken our rightful place in the big 12.

He gets outmanuevered into hiring nutt. He did great using nutt's one good year with ford's players to build the palace.

Then his buddy gets us in trouble with the ncaa. Instead of resigning for the good of the program, frank does whatever is necessary to keep his throne. Who cares that caused the longest investigation in the history of the ncaa. Or that he then gave nutt the two year pass, cause he knows it's his fault, and so does everyone else.

We're the only school in the sec giving out two year passes to a 6th year coach.
 
We have a great chance to get back to national prominence. Great facilities (thanks frank), a booming economy in a nice area. Best conference affiliation. But we still have our vulnerabilities, and everyone in the state knows it will take a great coach to get us over the hump.

Yet frank chooses houston dole nutt to get us there. Unbelivable really. At least half the fans are against him. Needs a local coach to eke out a 7th in recruiting. We've all seen the man's gameday coaching.

Houston nutt is NOT the one.

You guys know this is straight out my ass, just bitchin' as usual. I love frank, we all do. To this day if I hear his voice on tv or radio, the hair on the back of my neck stands straight out, and it's all I can do to keep from calling the hogs. But............,

Frank's been in charge for 30 years, and we haven't had a great season in 28. 

[Shizzle]

I feel like, we have for the first time in the last 10 or so years gotten the type athletes that it takes to return to prominence. Whether we do or not remains to be seen. I personally do not remember a time in Razorback history when we had a stable of offensive weapons we now possess. Mustain, Hillis, DMac, Felix Jones, Monk, Williams, Salters, Crawford  and Norman. That is serious bigtime potential that is nine players with the potential to be drafted into the NFL and maybe a Heisman candidate or two in the bunch.
Defense was making huge strides by the end of last year, Herring will make our D one of the best in the nation.
Bottom line in my thinking, time has come for HDN to put up or shut up and go on down the road. If we have any kind of a breakout season then the recruits should be easier to come by, this is it for HDN he will either sink or swim in the next two years.

[forrest city joe]

                                Im in wait and see mode the season. my mind is made up on nutt. but he could change it with an sec championship this season. 7 and 5 wont get it done for me.

[TennesseeRaz]

                       I will ask agan, WHY? Why have we been this bad over the last 20 years? and why has coach nutt not been able to bring us back in the last 8 going on 9 years? there is a reason we are not a major program anymore.

In reality, if we still played in the SWC, we'd have been good enough to win 8-11 games every year.  I don't think we've slipped that much.  Am I happy about our recent records?  No

[Wooisme]

Context....(I now see ol' Rick's point of view)

Lowering expectations....(We're aRcanSaw.  Why should we do gooder?) 

Now, I see the light.  

Houston Dale Nutt:  "Let's enjoy this wonderful man while we have him!"

Thank you, Rick.  Thank you very much.  

Wow... maybe the Trojans won't beat us by more than 35!  Won't that be great.  

[Slacker]

                                 Did rick just say we are not a major program anymore? I wonder why rick? he is getting us ready for another 7 and 5 season. after which a lot of people will say everything is fine, and a trip to a small bowl game. it's relly sad when our former AD thinks we are not a major program anymore.

Statement of the obvious.

[Sonofahog]

What I heard today was a caller said he thinks there are only 35 or so "major" football schools and about 10 or so "elite" football schools,  and that Arkansas was dangerously close to not even being one of the major schools.  Rick said he "could agree with that" or "he didn't have a problem with that statement".   The caller was right. But all it takes is one good year to get back on the map.  The questions are when will that year be and who will the coach be?

I believe it will be Gus.

[Arkapigdiesel]

I don't know what saddens me more......a once proud program that has assumed the spoiler role, or the fans that are happy being in that role.

[Hogward R. Murrow]

                                 Did rick just say we are not a major program anymore? I wonder why rick? he is getting us ready for another 7 and 5 season. after which a lot of people will say everything is fine, and a trip to a small bowl game. it's relly sad when our former AD thinks we are not a major program anymore.

Yes, Rick said we are NOT a top 25 program.

Intrepret this as a few ways:

Rick predicts that the hogs will not be a contender in the future.

Rick is preparing us for what we all know is true.

Rick is protecting HDN.

Question: Do we all need to accept the hogs will not be competetive again?

I have been a hugger since HDN was hired, with this admission we are destined to be compared with Iowa, Clemson, etc.

Fire Nutt now if we want to be a real football program again.

[PIGINAPOKE]

I think there is really only one person to blame for the last 15 years, and that's frank broyles. He ran off Holtz and hatfield, took us to the sec. We're rich like rick james, but we lost our national mojo. We also lost all our tradition. Though I admit I too thought it was a good move at the time, as I don't think anyone predicted all the money nwa would have a few years later. We might have taken oklahomas place in some of those NC games if we'd stayed with the swc, and taken our rightful place in the big 12.

He gets outmanuevered into hiring nutt. He did great using nutt's one good year with ford's players to build the palace.

Then his buddy gets us in trouble with the ncaa. Instead of resigning for the good of the program, frank does whatever is necessary to keep his throne. Who cares that caused the longest investigation in the history of the ncaa. Or that he then gave nutt the two year pass, cause he knows it's his fault, and so does everyone else.

We're the only school in the sec giving out two year passes to a 6th year coach.
 
We have a great chance to get back to national prominence. Great facilities (thanks frank), a booming economy in a nice area. Best conference affiliation. But we still have our vulnerabilities, and everyone in the state knows it will take a great coach to get us over the hump.

Yet frank chooses houston dole nutt to get us there. Unbelivable really. At least half the fans are against him. Needs a local coach to eke out a 7th in recruiting. We've all seen the man's gameday coaching.

Houston nutt is NOT the one.

You guys know this is straight out my ass, just bitchin' as usual. I love frank, we all do. To this day if I hear his voice on tv or radio, the hair on the back of my neck stands straight out, and it's all I can do to keep from calling the hogs. But............,

Frank's been in charge for 30 years, and we haven't had a great season in 28. 

That is it to a t  Thanks.RIGHT ON  !!!!!!!!

[hogsanity]

                       I will ask agan, WHY? Why have we been this bad over the last 20 years? and why has coach nutt not been able to bring us back in the last 8 going on 9 years? there is a reason we are not a major program anymore.

FCJ, it is easy.  The whole recruting structure changed in the late 80's.  Everyone was scared to death to go into Tx because every recruit was watched like a hawk by the NCAA.  Then, when we moved to the SEC, no one ever imagined how hard it would be to recruit in that league.  We lost the only real in we had in Texas, telling as kid he could play against 8 schools in his state every year, 4 of them played in Texas.  Suddenly we were a school on an island.  Not really in SEC country, yet trying to play in that league.  It would be like putting Texas Am in the PAC10 or Big 10. 

Maybe HDn has not moved the program forward, although I think without 98,99 and 2003 the program would be much worse off than it is, but he has not driven it down either.  The slide started long before him.  Whoever the coach is that finally turns it around will be the guy who can figure out how to get 20+ real SEC trype athletes every year from outside the state of AR.

[hogsanity]

I am (ROAD HOGG = JWH) one of the least popular posters on this forum, from day one for one reason. The Arkansas Razorbacks of today are closer to being like LA-Tech than S. Cal, ND, Mich., LSU or OU. The Football Program has been LOOTED & TRASHED while the fans and local media sat idely by and accepted it.

It has been much to painful for me to watch without calling a "Turd" a "Turd." It is what it has become. SAD! I am sad that many of you good fans did not ever get to see some of the good Razorback teams that I saw.

Wilson Hog had one of the best posts ever put on this board the other day. We simply sold out for a big check. We sold out our fans and our heritage, not to mention our most fertile recruiting grounds. HDN is a TERRIBLE COACH, ALWAYS HAS BEEN, ALWAYS WILL BE!

Did HDN sell out for that big check from the SEC?  Or for that matter did Ford or even Crowe?  You sound as though you are trying to blame things on the move to the SEC, but then, as usual, you have to take a shot at Nutt. 

In hindsight, from a FB stand point, the move to the SEC was horrendously bad.  No one could fathom how hard recruting SEC type athletes would be.  It was great from a financial standpoint, and it has been fine in the other major sports, but it was bad for football.

[WilsonHog]

In hindsight, from a FB stand point, the move to the SEC was horrendously bad.  No one could fathom how hard recruting SEC type athletes would be.  It was great from a financial standpoint, and it has been fine in the other major sports, but it was bad for football.

Agreed.

I'm reminded of a quote from Bear Bryant. He was speaking to his assistants after the 1969 season, when the Crimson Tide went 6-5. "I know I can get another job if I need one. Now, if you don't go out and get us some better football players, you're going to find out if you can get another job." 

[musiccityhog]

Wait just a sec...   So now Sunshine Rick get's beat up on because he is telling it like it is?   Weren't people complaining that he wasn't very critical of the Hog's and was always pumping them up?

Doesn't it depend upon the context as to whether or not Rick was telling it like it is?  If the context was, WAKE UP HOG FANS, HDN HAS BEEN HERE 9 YEARS AND WE ARE NO LONGER CONSIDERED A NATIONAL POWER, then Rick was telling it like it is.

I have a feeling that the above CAPS is not in context with Rick, but rather something like......you know people, it's a bit silly for us to go on expecting to compete at a high level in the SEC.  the rest of the country no longer views arkansas as a national power in football, it's about time hog fans look at things realistically and be satisfied with winning 6 games and going to a bowl.

This is a great post! That is exactly what RS is getting at. He wants us to be satisfied with 7-5 and Shreveport/Nashville.

[hogman64]

I am surprised so many people care what Rick's opinion is.........I dont..........

[CorningHog]

I am glad that a lot of you can read minds!  Wow, that is awesome.

Not to protect or defend Nutt or Rick Shaefer, but to read into it that Rick is saying that we not only are no longer a "major program" but also that we need to swallow the kool-aid or reality pill and accept that we should be happy about winning 5, 6 or 7 wins and call that "success" is really stepping out there in my opinion.

To me, it was more of a reflection of who IS a major winning program and the elite Top 10, Top 15 or Top 20 for that matter. 

Any true college football fan can look around and notice that we have disappeared from being in the hunt for BCS bowls, winning bowl games and competing for conference championships over the last 20 some odd years.  I would think that noticing what has transpired since '88 and '89 and Hatfield's last years and then also recognizing that since that time we have tasted only a few times in 16 years any success that would get noticed "Nationally".

Rick was pointing out the college football scene on the national stage.  We have not been on that one in quite a while.  It took almost 10 years to step out of the hole we were in before Nutt arrived and to say he has taken us backwards is overstating it a bit.

To say Nutt can accomplish and maintain the successes that Broyles, Holtz and Hatfield had when they were coaching at Arkansas would also be overstating it a bit.  Especially when you look at his 8 years as a whole.

One thing is for sure, the fans and supporters of Razorback football have experienced two consecutive years of losing football and the taste in our mouth is not one we wish to get used to, at least to the degree we have had to in 2004 & 2005.

Anything less than probably 8 wins with this schedule (excluding the bowl game) during the regular season would probably be deemed a failure.  We have enough talent returning and a favorable home schedule even though USC, Alabama and Tennessee are tough games and LSU at LR.  Only the thing is, USC, Alabama and parts of our whole schedule will be breaking in new QB's.  Most of these teams have lost a lot of their "Star" power but will replace them with able bodies that are possibly more talented than our veterans.

Nutt has endured all this and if he allows the coaches on staff to be true assistants and do their jobs without interference, (namely Malzahn) then this year could be the most exciting in more than two decades.  We will see soon enough.

I think the rope is on the short end now and there is not much left, patience or time with those who make the decisions. 

Football is right around the corner!

GO HOGS!

[HawgPilot]

Corning +1

[arkbengal]

"I have been a hugger since HDN was hired, with this admission we are destined to be compared with Iowa, Clemson, etc."

I'm staying out of this, but your are doing Iowa a disservice. They are the only team in the country to go to a New Year's Day bowl for the last four consecutive years.

[HatfieldHog]

It's all part of the game...lowering expectations.  Rick is merely protecting his buddy HDN.

I agree, this is what is really going on here.  If you'll remember many quotes from this spring, you'll realize that the staff is trying to play down the offence, and expectations, so that they will look like hero's when we win 8 and go to a decent bowl game.  It's all about perception, what you are satisfied with is the standard.

Are we a major program?  Sure we are.  Why?  Because we have 60 to 70 thousand butts in the seats at RRS every week.  Because we pay our "version" of a coach 1 mill plus,  and we are "the" major conference.  That makes our football program "Major."

See ya

[hogsanity]

It's all part of the game...lowering expectations.  Rick is merely protecting his buddy HDN.

I agree, this is what is really going on here.  If you'll remember many quotes from this spring, you'll realize that the staff is trying to play down the offence, and expectations, so that they will look like hero's when we win 8 and go to a decent bowl game.  It's all about perception, what you are satisfied with is the standard.

Are we a major program?  Sure we are.  Why?  Because we have 60 to 70 thousand butts in the seats at RRS every week.  Because we pay our "version" of a coach 1 mill plus,  and we are "the" major conference.  That makes our football program "Major."

See ya

We have 60k+  for big games, unless of course it is hunting season.  Big time programs sell out EVERY game.  From podunk tech to USC.  every ticket for every game is sold.

[hawkeyefan17]

I have been a hugger since HDN was hired, with this admission we are destined to be compared with Iowa, Clemson, etc."


This statement is an insult. I bet there are a lot of Arkansas fans here who wish Arkansas could do what Iowa has done in the 80's-00's.

I heard much of what Rick said on this topic and I thought he was fair but his comments on Iowa "only had success under their current coach" "Hayden Fry was good but not that good" I thought were a little unfair. The schools that have been to January bowls four straight years...Iowa, USC, Georgia and I know I am missing one.

Right now there is no comparison between Arkansas and Iowa. You should feel good if you get compared to Iowa, not slighted.

[Sao Ming]

Give ole Hatfield and Ford another kick all you huggers.

Looking back, they weren't so bad after all.

Any veteran college football fan across America would still rank us in a top 25 poll I would think over the last 50 or so years.

It's just in the last 15 years, almost all in the SEC, we have faltered.

We will be back, and I think immediately, with or without Nutt.

Malzahn will be the straw.

Riddle me this...is it Nutt or the SEC that is to blame to our lack of success and worldwide notoriety.  You might just find yourself in a Chicken/Egg argument.

[ClubChubby]

The sec is tough. Real tough. We couldn't have been less prepared for the sec in football. Isn't it obvious that with an 8th place coach, you're going to end up in 8th place?

I can't understand why the broyles complex wants to be mediocre. Things are so much better now than they were in franks' day. We've got first class everything. If frank could win with nothing, why can't we win now? Why can't we at least try?

So we've got recruiting issues. Do something about it.

Great coaches can win sec championships at arkansas. McDonnell, nolan, van horn.

A great coach can recruit football players to fayetteville.

[TulsaFan]

I'm still hanging on for one more year as a "hugger".  The reason being is that I think I have a little different perspective on where we stand and how we got there.  When we made the bold and un-precedented move to jump to the SEC and leave the SWC cold and dry, there are some things we didn't foresee....the formation of the Big 12.  I agree with many of you that geographically and even strategically (for recruiting purposes) we belong in the Big 12 and need to find a way to get there eventually.  Not because it is a weaker conference top to bottom (even though it is) but we stand a fighting chance and could be the link to help that conference become a very strong conference from top to bottom, eventually....once we regain our recruiting advantages (IE. state of Texas).

As far as giving HDN a two year pass, I can see another side to this that I don't think many of you see.  For several years running, our head coaching positions (I'm slightly including basketball) we were beginning to look like a revolving door university.  Dale WAS put in a tough position over the Herrod deal and Broyles flat out owed it to him to give him the money via the foundation, force a quality OC on him and give him one more run to see if he could rekindle the way Nutt was taking the program in '98 (although they were Ford's, it shows we can get players).

Finally, Broyles has now done what he had to do to right the ship.  He showed other potential coaches, should Dale need replacing that he has changed and will stand behind his head coach and support him in a way not very often seen anymore.  We would have had a hell of a time finding a quality coach, like a Butch Davis, to even consider us the way things were progressing there for a while....IMHO.

[Wooisme]

I think the rope is on the short end now and there is not much left, patience or time with those who make the decisions.  ~CorningHog

IMHO, that is a as true a statement as we will read about HOG fans attitude toward HDN and anyone else (booster or administrator) who tries to prop HDN up should this season resemble his "norm" i.e. limping to lower tier bowl eligibility, losing to any team that has a passing familiarity with the game of football, etc.   :razorback:

[John Futrall]

Wait just a sec...   So now Sunshine Rick get's beat up on because he is telling it like it is?   Weren't people complaining that he wasn't very critical of the Hog's and was always pumping them up?

Doesn't it depend upon the context as to whether or not Rick was telling it like it is?  If the context was, WAKE UP HOG FANS, HDN HAS BEEN HERE 9 YEARS AND WE ARE NO LONGER CONSIDERED A NATIONAL POWER, then Rick was telling it like it is.

I have a feeling that the above CAPS is not in context with Rick, but rather something like......you know people, it's a bit silly for us to go on expecting to compete at a high level in the SEC.  the rest of the country no longer views arkansas as a national power in football, it's about time hog fans look at things realistically and be satisfied with winning 6 games and going to a bowl.

In terms of lowering expectations, protecting, HDN, etc, I believe instead that he pretty much stated the obvious.  We are not a major program anymore, and we haven't been a major program for the last 20 years or so (not just the HDN years).  I don't think, imho, that he's trying to protect HDN, nor is he "getting us ready for another 7-5 season". He is merely stating the obvious of the state of things today..July 6, 2006. In addition to suggest that he thinks that we as fans need to be satisfied with winning 6 games, etc, I think is pretty far-fetched.

I have also heard him say that he believes that we can be a major program once again. In my opinion, to be a major program, you have to consistently be winning 9-10+ games per season. We are not a major program simply because we play in a major conference (see Vanderbilt, Ole Miss, Kentucky, Miss St). We WILL be a major program, however, if we consistently win 9-10 games every year and participate in a BCS bowl game once every 2-3 years (or better...see Auburn, LSU, Michigan, USC, Ohio State).

[dana caldwell]

there is no debate concerning arkansas as a national power. it isn't. hasn't been since hatfield, and those days the hogs were a fringe-type team: good enough to beat those it should, good enough to snare some pretty heady upsets, but not good enough to beat ALL the big boys.

arkansas hasn't been a big-time (threat to win it all every three or four years) football power since the 1960s. a couple of runs in the '70s (the expectations for holtz's second team and again in 1979), but not much.

can it return to being a national champ threat on a consistent (three times per decade, let's say) basis? i don't think so, but perhaps. it can be strong enough to make a real run every 5-8 years. can it be strong enough to be top-25 pre- and postseason? that should be expected. problem is, that's expected at about 35-50 schools.

arkansas is in the same boat with lots of programs (texas A&M seems a fair and logical comparison). problem has been, tho, the hogs have been rowing in the same direction too long. my hope is this season changes that.

[HognotinMemphis]

                                 Did rick just say we are not a major program anymore? I wonder why rick? he is getting us ready for another 7 and 5 season. after which a lot of people will say everything is fine, and a trip to a small bowl game. it's relly sad when our former AD thinks we are not a major program anymore.

There are quite a few schools/programs in the SEC that are far from being "major programs", whatever that means. I can generalize about a definition for being a "major program". It is one that consistently wins at the highest level and usually ends up in a NYD bowl game, and 3 out of every 4 years finishes the season in the top 25.

Schools in the SEC that do not qualify as a "major program" in football over the last 15 to 20 years: Arkansas, Ole Miss, Miss. St., Vandy, South Carolina, Kentucky.  That's half the SEC.

[HognotinMemphis]

                       I will ask agan, WHY? Why have we been this bad over the last 20 years? and why has coach nutt not been able to bring us back in the last 8 going on 9 years? there is a reason we are not a major program anymore.

Yeah, there is a reason. Actually, there are several reasons. But, I'd say that reason #1 is Frank Broyles and/or the people who control the purse strings for the money used to pay the head coach and his assistants.

[John Futrall]

                       I will ask agan, WHY? Why have we been this bad over the last 20 years? and why has coach nutt not been able to bring us back in the last 8 going on 9 years? there is a reason we are not a major program anymore.

Yeah, there is a reason. Actually, there are several reasons. But, I'd say that reason #1 is Frank Broyles and/or the people who control the purse strings for the money used to pay the head coach and his assistants.

I'd say that reason #1a, based on your previous post, is that we're not consistently winning games at the highest level, and haven't really since the days of Hatfield.