No surprise linebackers are moving around over and over

[Biggus Piggus]

Reggie Herring is trying out a lot of things at LB, but he's pretty much decided 1) his young guys have a lot to learn and 2) his veteran players are not very good.

Current first team at linebacker:

Will: Pierre Brown (had spent much time inside)
Mike: Sam Olajubutu
Sam: Michael Robinson

Desmond Williams and D'Nerian Wrighter will have to play, as will the true freshmen.  I don't know where Wes Dacus is going to end up.

Marcus Harrison, Fred Bledsoe and Ernest Mitchell are good enough to make it hard for others to get on the field at DT.  Desmond Sims is the star of the spring at left DE.  It's like he found his first love.  Jamaal Anderson is the other DE.  We need more than that, but it's a good start.  I think Michael Tate will be there when he's healthy.

We won't see the true plan in the secondary till Michael Grant is back from track this summer.  I still wonder where Michael Coe will end up.  Darius Vinnett is a sure starter at CB, and Grant, Chris Houston (good size/speed combination) and Matterral Richardson (similar) are others who fit what Reggie Herring is looking for.  Vickiel Vaughn is back from the dead, and Randy Kelly is a good free safety.  None of last year's redshirts is a revelation, so far.

Herring has the defense playing on a new level of aggression.  No one now can question whether a change needed to be made.  Night and day difference, with the same players.  If only a Matt Jones team would have had this kind of defense.  Jones's great strength was in the red zone, and Herring + the defensive talent from 2001-03 would have given Jones a lot more chances.

I'll say this, Arkansas will never, ever again see a red zone % like it had the past three seasons.  That's the biggest change Houston Nutt will have to live with.  Field goal accuracy will mean even more this season.

[hawgjowls]

if we are solid at cb/safety and pretty good on the line will we be able to play good defense with crappy linebackers?

[Swino]

I have a feeling that our current 1st team LB'ers will be 2nd team by the first game. 

[Patch]

Anyone know if Kevin Thornton (Saftey from Central) is good enough to come in and play immediately, or will he be a red-shirt?

[tophawg19]

biggus piggus thanks for the up to date reports .they are well done with good up to date info. just curious how do you get your player/ position info so fast .

[idochog]

I have a feeling that our current 1st team LB'ers will be 2nd team by the first game.

I certainly dont think Herring will hesitate to put guys on the field that can play, freshman or not. 

[gatecrasher]

Reggie Herring is trying out a lot of things at LB, but he's pretty much decided 1) his young guys have a lot to learn and 2) his veteran players are not very good.

Current first team at linebacker:

Will: Pierre Brown (had spent much time inside)
Mike: Sam Olajubutu
Sam: Michael Robinson

Desmond Williams and D'Nerian Wrighter will have to play, as will the true freshmen. I don't know where Wes Dacus is going to end up.

Marcus Harrison, Fred Bledsoe and Ernest Mitchell are good enough to make it hard for others to get on the field at DT. Desmond Sims is the star of the spring at left DE. It's like he found his first love. Jamaal Anderson is the other DE. We need more than that, but it's a good start. I think Michael Tate will be there when he's healthy.

We won't see the true plan in the secondary till Michael Grant is back from track this summer. I still wonder where Michael Coe will end up. Darius Vinnett is a sure starter at CB, and Grant, Chris Houston (good size/speed combination) and Matterral Richardson (similar) are others who fit what Reggie Herring is looking for. Vickiel Vaughn is back from the dead, and Randy Kelly is a good free safety. None of last year's redshirts is a revelation, so far.

Herring has the defense playing on a new level of aggression. No one now can question whether a change needed to be made. Night and day difference, with the same players. If only a Matt Jones team would have had this kind of defense. Jones's great strength was in the red zone, and Herring + the defensive talent from 2001-03 would have given Jones a lot more chances.

I'll say this, Arkansas will never, ever again see a red zone % like it had the past three seasons. That's the biggest change Houston Nutt will have to live with. Field goal accuracy will mean even more this season.

We averaged almost 30 points a game last year while replacing 19 starters.  A marginal improvement on defense would mean good things if we can get close to that PPG average.  What do u guys think?

[idochog]

Reggie Herring is trying out a lot of things at LB, but he's pretty much decided 1) his young guys have a lot to learn and 2) his veteran players are not very good.

Current first team at linebacker:

Will: Pierre Brown (had spent much time inside)
Mike: Sam Olajubutu
Sam: Michael Robinson

Desmond Williams and D'Nerian Wrighter will have to play, as will the true freshmen. I don't know where Wes Dacus is going to end up.

Marcus Harrison, Fred Bledsoe and Ernest Mitchell are good enough to make it hard for others to get on the field at DT. Desmond Sims is the star of the spring at left DE. It's like he found his first love. Jamaal Anderson is the other DE. We need more than that, but it's a good start. I think Michael Tate will be there when he's healthy.

We won't see the true plan in the secondary till Michael Grant is back from track this summer. I still wonder where Michael Coe will end up. Darius Vinnett is a sure starter at CB, and Grant, Chris Houston (good size/speed combination) and Matterral Richardson (similar) are others who fit what Reggie Herring is looking for. Vickiel Vaughn is back from the dead, and Randy Kelly is a good free safety. None of last year's redshirts is a revelation, so far.

Herring has the defense playing on a new level of aggression. No one now can question whether a change needed to be made. Night and day difference, with the same players. If only a Matt Jones team would have had this kind of defense. Jones's great strength was in the red zone, and Herring + the defensive talent from 2001-03 would have given Jones a lot more chances.

I'll say this, Arkansas will never, ever again see a red zone % like it had the past three seasons. That's the biggest change Houston Nutt will have to live with. Field goal accuracy will mean even more this season.

We averaged almost 30 points a game last year while replacing 19 starters. A marginal improvement on defense would mean good things if we can get close to that PPG average. What do u guys think?

We will definately need the defense to give us more chances this year I believe.

Our offense HAS to do better against the better teams.  LSU and Georgia shackled us.   And remember we had a goose egg against Auburn at halftime when they WERE NOT IN PREVENT.  Same with Florida.  Not much scoring on them until they went prevent in the 2nd half.

[Filthy_McSwine]

field goal accuracy? we're fricked.

[Biggus Piggus]

biggus piggus thanks for the up to date reports .they are well done with good up to date info. just curious how do you get your player/ position info so fast .

All I report is media/program watcher scuttlebutt.

[Pragmatic PiG]

Reggie Herring is trying out a lot of things at LB, but he's pretty much decided 1) his young guys have a lot to learn and 2) his veteran players are not very good.

Current first team at linebacker:

Will: Pierre Brown (had spent much time inside)
Mike: Sam Olajubutu
Sam: Michael Robinson

Desmond Williams and D'Nerian Wrighter will have to play, as will the true freshmen. I don't know where Wes Dacus is going to end up.

Marcus Harrison, Fred Bledsoe and Ernest Mitchell are good enough to make it hard for others to get on the field at DT. Desmond Sims is the star of the spring at left DE. It's like he found his first love. Jamaal Anderson is the other DE. We need more than that, but it's a good start. I think Michael Tate will be there when he's healthy.

We won't see the true plan in the secondary till Michael Grant is back from track this summer. I still wonder where Michael Coe will end up. Darius Vinnett is a sure starter at CB, and Grant, Chris Houston (good size/speed combination) and Matterral Richardson (similar) are others who fit what Reggie Herring is looking for. Vickiel Vaughn is back from the dead, and Randy Kelly is a good free safety. None of last year's redshirts is a revelation, so far.

Herring has the defense playing on a new level of aggression. No one now can question whether a change needed to be made. Night and day difference, with the same players. If only a Matt Jones team would have had this kind of defense. Jones's great strength was in the red zone, and Herring + the defensive talent from 2001-03 would have given Jones a lot more chances.

I'll say this, Arkansas will never, ever again see a red zone % like it had the past three seasons. That's the biggest change Houston Nutt will have to live with. Field goal accuracy will mean even more this season.

We averaged almost 30 points a game last year while replacing 19 starters.  A marginal improvement on defense would mean good things if we can get close to that PPG average.  What do u guys think?

do you really think the hogs will avg 30 w/out MJ?

i don't, D needs to be greatly improved IMO for the hogs to be competitive vs their upper echelon competition

[HogInMemphis]

Reggie Herring is trying out a lot of things at LB, but he's pretty much decided 1) his young guys have a lot to learn and 2) his veteran players are not very good.

Current first team at linebacker:

Will: Pierre Brown (had spent much time inside)
Mike: Sam Olajubutu
Sam: Michael Robinson

Desmond Williams and D'Nerian Wrighter will have to play, as will the true freshmen.  I don't know where Wes Dacus is going to end up.

Marcus Harrison, Fred Bledsoe and Ernest Mitchell are good enough to make it hard for others to get on the field at DT.  Desmond Sims is the star of the spring at left DE.  It's like he found his first love.  Jamaal Anderson is the other DE.  We need more than that, but it's a good start.  I think Michael Tate will be there when he's healthy.

We won't see the true plan in the secondary till Michael Grant is back from track this summer.  I still wonder where Michael Coe will end up.  Darius Vinnett is a sure starter at CB, and Grant, Chris Houston (good size/speed combination) and Matterral Richardson (similar) are others who fit what Reggie Herring is looking for.  Vickiel Vaughn is back from the dead, and Randy Kelly is a good free safety.  None of last year's redshirts is a revelation, so far.

Herring has the defense playing on a new level of aggression.  No one now can question whether a change needed to be made.  Night and day difference, with the same players.  If only a Matt Jones team would have had this kind of defense.  Jones's great strength was in the red zone, and Herring + the defensive talent from 2001-03 would have given Jones a lot more chances.

I'll say this, Arkansas will never, ever again see a red zone % like it had the past three seasons.  That's the biggest change Houston Nutt will have to live with.  Field goal accuracy will mean even more this season.

What will Herring do the first time Vaughn tries an arm tackle in a game situation where he could easily shoulder tackle the ballcarrier?  I hope Herring is the D's savior, but I have a difficult time seeing this bunch of armtacklers suddenly turning into aggressive beasts who run though opposing ballcarriers.

[HogInMemphis]

  Field goal accuracy will mean even more this season.

Well then, the offense is going to be very low scoring and thus not very good at keeping the Hogs in games. How many FG's did Nutt even have the confidence to attempt last season? You can't make them if you don't attempt them. The kicking game will be a big part of this team's achilles' heel this season. Punting will be bad and so will FG's.

[hawgfan_18]

we'll be like Ohio State this last year.  Low offensive production and a strong defense. most of my omptimism lies with the defense because they've shown signs of greatness where as the offense has struggled pretty well the whole spring.

I'm ready to see Ernest Mitchell Play. The guys a hoss

[Biggus Piggus]

  Field goal accuracy will mean even more this season.

Well then, the offense is going to be very low scoring and thus not very good at keeping the Hogs in games. How many FG's did Nutt even have the confidence to attempt last season? You can't make them if you don't attempt them. The kicking game will be a big part of this team's achilles' heel this season. Punting will be bad and so will FG's.

Yeah, I see no hope at all for the kicking game.