Jeff Long is emphatic: Arkansas coach Bret Bielema isn’t on the hot seat

[GuvHog]

If BP had stayed out of trouble and been here for 2012 I think TW would have wound up being a better QB and made more money in the NFL and, might have been improved enough to have hung around a little longer. But who knows? It's all speculation at this point.

Well said Muskogee, I agree.

[Hollywood_HOGan45]

As a hardcore fan of Arkansas football, Im not asking for a lot. I can deal with 8-5 seasons as long as it looks like we are improving and building towards something. The fact that his kids are going to class and graduating is absolutely huge.

Just please please please please please please please please STOP giving away games in which we have an insurmountable lead!

[LZH]

Very unlikely. Tyler wasn't ready for the NFL after only one year as the Hogs starting QB.

Had Petrino been TW's coach for his senior year (or had he entered the draft after his junior year), he may well have sneaked into the first round. Regardless of how he played from then on out, his signing bonus and guaranteed $ would have been a lot more.

[Deep Shoat]

Very unlikely. Tyler wasn't ready for the NFL after only one year as the Hogs starting QB.

He was considered a late 1st/early 2nd rounder as a Jr. 

You should really quit pretending you know things.

[GuvHog]

He was considered a late 1st/early 2nd rounder as a Jr. 

You should really quit pretending you know things.

He wasn't ready and that would have been proven if he had declared for the draft. I seriously doubt that he would have been drafted in the first or second round after only 1 year as a starter at Arkansas.

[ATU HOG]

Why don't we ever hear about the good grades the baseball team make?

[gchamblee]

Why don't we ever hear about the good grades the baseball team make?

We do, but everyone likes our baseball coach so nobody is holding a magnifying glass over the baseball program looking for things to be offended by.

[ATU HOG]

We do, but everyone likes our baseball coach so nobody is holding a magnifying glass over the baseball program looking for things to be offended by.

I was thinking we emphasize the success of the program on the field, and it sells pretty well. 

[gchamblee]

I was thinking we emphasize the success of the program on the field, and it sells pretty well.

I simply answered your question since you have missed the Academic Accomplishments of our athletes in baseball. Some people only care about wins while others care about winning and the athlete. I'm happy you are finding some satisfaction in some of our sports.

[hogsanity]

Why don't we ever hear about the good grades the baseball team make?

College baseball players, in general, make good grades. They have to, since they get maybe 35% of a athletic scholarship ( if they are really really good, thats what Benintedi got ).

[MuskogeeHogFan]

College baseball players, in general, make good grades. They have to, since they get maybe 35% of a athletic scholarship ( if they are really really good, thats what Benintedi got ).

And that really is a shame. There should be more money available than that. My daughter played college softball and got just a hair over 60% of her costs covered by scholarship and that wasn't even anything close to baseball. Not that I didn't enjoy it, but it seems like baseball players ought to be able to get more than they do.

[LRRandy]

And that really is a shame. There should be more money available than that. My daughter played college softball and got just a hair over 60% of her costs covered by scholarship and that wasn't even anything close to baseball. Not that I didn't enjoy it, but it seems like baseball players ought to be able to get more than they do.

football eats up much of the male scholarship $. With title  nine demanding female scholarships be a certain % of male (not sure what the number has to be) other male sports get the short end of the stick.

[ricepig]

And that really is a shame. There should be more money available than that. My daughter played college softball and got just a hair over 60% of her costs covered by scholarship and that wasn't even anything close to baseball. Not that I didn't enjoy it, but it seems like baseball players ought to be able to get more than they do.

It depends on the school. I think Arkansas carries 30 or so on the softball team and they have to divide up 12 scholarships. Baseball gets 11.7 scholarships.


http://www.scholarshipstats.com/ncaalimits.html

[hogsanity]

And that really is a shame. There should be more money available than that. My daughter played college softball and got just a hair over 60% of her costs covered by scholarship and that wasn't even anything close to baseball. Not that I didn't enjoy it, but it seems like baseball players ought to be able to get more than they do.

It is a title IX outcome. In some schools with fewer women's sports, the softball players get full rides. It is also why college baseball is the easiest sport to walkon and why there are so many stories of guys who maybe did not even play a ton in HS blooming late and making the majors or at least high minors. They walk on somewhere and just keep improving because they can keep playing.

Ben Zobrist is a good example. Guy played at a small HS, ended up going to some college tryout day and getting an offer from a small college, played there and parlayed that into being on the last two WS winners. IF college baseball was a full ride sport, it is very unlikely he would have played anywhere because he wasn't good enough to have warranted a full ride. SO, while it makes is tough, and is why college baseball is so white ( sorry but it is true ) it also in a weird way provides a easier path to playing time.

[hawgon]

It is a title IX outcome. In some schools with fewer women's sports, the softball players get full rides. It is also why college baseball is the easiest sport to walkon and why there are so many stories of guys who maybe did not even play a ton in HS blooming late and making the majors or at least high minors. They walk on somewhere and just keep improving because they can keep playing.

Ben Zobrist is a good example. Guy played at a small HS, ended up going to some college tryout day and getting an offer from a small college, played there and parlayed that into being on the last two WS winners. IF college baseball was a full ride sport, it is very unlikely he would have played anywhere because he wasn't good enough to have warranted a full ride. SO, while it makes is tough, and is why college baseball is so white ( sorry but it is true ) it also in a weird way provides a easier path to playing time.

That isn't why college baseball is so white.  I went to a select tournament two weeks ago with 186 teams.  I might have seen ten black kids all weekend.

[hogsanity]

That isn't why college baseball is so white.  I went to a select tournament two weeks ago with 186 teams.  I might have seen ten black kids all weekend.

I understand that, but it starts from the top down. IF college baseball was a full ride sports, more kids/parents would see that as a way out, just like they do football and basketball. I saw a really good discussion on the matter a couple weeks ago on the mlb network. Since baseball is not seen in the same light as football and basketball as a way to get to college, most minorities do not pursue it. Plus, it is not a easy game to work on on your own. Basketball just needs a ball and a goal. Even football players can do alot of individual work. Parents still spend a lot of money sending their kids to football camps, and t play on travelling aau basketball teams in the hope of getting a scholarship. If colleges were giving out 10-20 full rides every year for baseball, their would be alot more diversity in the sport from hs on down to pee wee.

[hawginbigd1]

BB's statement is why I am 100% behind him! A place like Arkansa can't have a high level of success in this division in this conference, without building a solid foundation brick by brick. There are no quick fixes unless you happen upon what CBP walked into with 1 recruiting class in- state that is legitimately 10+ players deep. CBP took a solid program and in 3 years made it above average. CBB took a poor program and made it average in 3 years, IMO he has had to rely on too many Juco's in the short term and that has helped impede our progress. You will see this year we are above average, but more than likely we aren't talking double digit wins because of who we play! This isn't Bama, Georgia, or even OL piss where most all the players you need live within 200 miles of campus. CBP was good, but he was also fortunate!

[nwahogfan1]

It depends on the school. I think Arkansas carries 30 or so on the softball team and they have to divide up 12 scholarships. Baseball gets 11.7 scholarships.


http://www.scholarshipstats.com/ncaalimits.html

I heard the 12 scholarships for womens softball
,can only be divided over 18 girls which is 2/3s for each.  Baseball can be divided over many more boys I think.

[GuvHog]

BB's statement is why I am 100% behind him! A place like Arkansa can't have a high level of success in this division in this conference, without building a solid foundation brick by brick. There are no quick fixes unless you happen upon what CBP walked into with 1 recruiting class in- state that is legitimately 10+ players deep. CBP took a solid program and in 3 years made it above average. CBB took a poor program and made it average in 3 years, IMO he has had to rely on too many Juco's in the short term and that has helped impede our progress. You will see this year we are above average, but more than likely we aren't talking double digit wins because of who we play! This isn't Bama, Georgia, or even OL piss where most all the players you need live within 200 miles of campus. CBP was good, but he was also fortunate!

CBP didn't inherit a solid program. If he had, the Hogs wouldn't have finished 5-7 and missed a bowl game in his first year.

[MuskogeeHogFan]

CBP didn't inherit a solid program. If he had, the Hogs wouldn't have finished 5-7 and missed a bowl game in his first year.

BP didn't inherit a program stocked with his type of players. Same as when Bielema took over at Arkansas.

[OneTuskOverTheLine™]

When it is necessary to say stuff like that....

Uhhh... When people axe da quorstion....

[Wildhog]

BB's statement is why I am 100% behind him! A place like Arkansa can't have a high level of success in this division in this conference, without building a solid foundation brick by brick. There are no quick fixes unless you happen upon what CBP walked into with 1 recruiting class in- state that is legitimately 10+ players deep. CBP took a solid program and in 3 years made it above average. CBB took a poor program and made it average in 3 years, IMO he has had to rely on too many Juco's in the short term and that has helped impede our progress. You will see this year we are above average, but more than likely we aren't talking double digit wins because of who we play! This isn't Bama, Georgia, or even OL piss where most all the players you need live within 200 miles of campus. CBP was good, but he was also fortunate!

10+ deep?

Impact players from that 2008 class:

Chris Gragg
Jay Wright
Greg Childs
Dennis Johnson - Being generous here, as he was talented, but always in the doghouse
Joe Adams
Tyler Wilson

That's six. 


By comparison, CBB's first class had the following impact in-staters:

Austin Allen
Brooks Ellis
Drew Morgan
Hunter Henry
Martrell Spaight


So you're talking about a one player difference.

[hawginbigd1]

10+ deep?

Impact players from that 2008 class:

Chris Gragg
Jay Wright
Greg Childs - Injuries kept him from playing a huge role in the last two seasons
Dennis Johnson - Being generous here, as he was talented, but always in the doghouse
Joe Adams
Tyler Wilson

That's six. 


By comparison, CBB's first class had the following impact in-staters:

Austin Allen
Brooks Ellis
Drew Morgan
Hunter Henry
Martrell Spaight


So you're talking about a one player difference.

Iirc 12-13 players in state 3* or better plus tank Wright who might as well be another and Ryan Mallet! You won't find any other in-state class so loaded, now did they all pan out nope. They never do, Curtis, Youngblood, and Williams didn't contribute. Stadther, Askew, and Mallet were all impact players. You added Speight to my earlier point we really got about 15 games from him.

[Wildhog]

Iirc 12-13 players in state 3* or better plus tank Wright who might as well be another and Ryan Mallet! You won't find any other in-state class so loaded, now did they all pan out nope. They never do, Curtis, Youngblood, and Williams didn't contribute. Stadther, Askew, and Mallet were all impact players.

I wouldn't call Stadther/Askew impact players by any stretch.

Mallett, sure.  But CBB and CBP were both pretty well set up at QB, and you can only play one at a time.

Tank Wright is not in-state.  And star ranking doesn't mean crap once they get to campus.

I get it.  It helps your agenda to church up that 2008 class, but in reality it's just not accurate.

[hawginbigd1]

CBP didn't inherit a solid program. If he had, the Hogs wouldn't have finished 5-7 and missed a bowl game in his first year.

Comparatively it was solid, I don't know how anyone can make that argument. Was it as solid as the current program certainly not, but it wasn't the crap show BB took over.

[Pork Twain]

When it is necessary to say stuff like that....

No matter what the situation, some will always ask questions about the coach's status.  Not that it matters to anyone in power, but this is the make or break year for me with CBB

[HognitiveDissonance]

I seriously doub6t it. Tyler was a much better QB under BP's tutelage than he was his last year under smiley. He actually developed under Petrino then regressed under smiley.

Classic Bum Phillips quote, when asked about a QB under his tutelage
"I never tuteled that boy."

[HognitiveDissonance]

Some people can't see the forest for the trees.
They see a great run in four years under Petrino, and then attribute it to luck.
They see a guy like Chris Gragg leave the program as an NFL prospect and say 'look at that talent'. They don't remember that Gragg was a 2-star recruit. Yes, he was a 2-star recruit, but he looked good playing Petrino's offense. Same with Tyler Wilson.

Why can't people just admit that some coaches like Meyer, Saban, Stoops, Petrino, etc are just better than others?
We've been through this before. Bielema has had just as many *star* recruits to work with as Petrino had. Heck, Henry and Collns were 5-star guys. If you average out the roster and add up all their 'star' rankings, the talent was the same and maybe even better. I put together a list once of all the key contributors from 2010-11 teams and gave their ranking from high school, and it looked a typical Arkansas team. Lots and lots of 3-star guys...Bequette, Childs, Tramain Thomas, A Bailey, C Hamilton, J Franklin, on and on and on. Very standard Arkansas football squad.

As said before...Petrino was an elite offensive mind and that propelled Arkansas to levels it hadn't seen in 34 years. A Top 5 ranking. And the defense was good enough to slow opponents down to allow that offense to do its thing. That resulted in a lot of wins. (and a great kicker in Hocker, too).

I don't have a dog in this fight. To me, it's just stating the obvious. I totally expected this dropoff. Bielema is a good coach, he's just not at the elite level. I'm not calling for his head, but I'm not expecting anything fantastic. I'm just hoping we can jump up and have a 10+ win season occasionally. In other words, this is Houston Nutt Part 2. Pretty darn good, just not great.

[Pork Twain]

Had Petrino been TW's coach for his senior year (or had he entered the draft after his junior year), he may well have sneaked into the first round. Regardless of how he played from then on out, his signing bonus and guaranteed $ would have been a lot more.

Maybe...maybe not...  One thing that we know for a fact is that BP never had a qb he coached in college, go on to do anything in the NFL.  So it is hard to state conclusively that another year under BP would have all of a sudden made NFL teams love TW the way we did.

[Pork Twain]

Maybe because, most every time you post, you are complaining about not winning more or agreeing with someone else who is complaining about the same thing.

As a person with a degree and a family full of degrees, I would certainly hope that you see the value in that and that is what puzzles me about your posts. You sound as if you are complaining about Arkansas making a big deal out of improving our record of APR scores and more players graduating.

Sure everyone is trying to do the same thing, but we have improved on that and that is why it is a big deal. If you have ever had a kid on an athletic scholarship you understand why it is such a big deal that their AD and HC also make a a big deal out of it. It wasn't always that way and at some places, it still isn't a big deal. Some coaching staffs are like, "Make sure you go to class, get your grades and stay eligible while you are here, but if you leave early for the NFL or transfer, then "whew", at least we covered our arses while you were here".

I prefer the coaches who really give more of a "rip" about their players than just what they can do for them on the field. The guys who remember their players long after they are gone and are still not only willing, but anxious to help them be a success in life. That is what coaching is really about, the development of young people, helping them learn the right habits that will help them be successful in life, teaching them the value of building quality relationships and making a commitment to excellence, not just for yourself, but a commitment to others to help them achieve their goals and dreams. And, a respect for themselves and others. By doing so you are not only building quality individuals but the recognition that no one can get it done all by themselves, it takes a team. But I digress.

I'm very proud of what Bielema is accomplishing with this team and the young men that he is building for the future through our program and yes, getting a degree is a very big thing for these young men and the program.

Just because some of us embrace this and think it is a huge deal, doesn't mean that we don't want to win more, of course we do. As I said in another thread, there are some people on here who seem to freak out and constantly complain about not winning more and want something done "NOW", but I am pretty sure that if the best that Bielema can produce is 7-8 wins each season, his time here will eventually run out. No one, not Long, not boosters, not fans, are going to be happy with that forever. Only Long knows how long he is willing to tolerate 7-8 wins each year, despite all of the other good things happening inside the program.

I'll tell you this, what I want to see is a team that accomplishes good things in the classroom, continues to graduate players and produces really good, quality human beings. That's important. What is also important is that we go into games completely prepared, make good in-game adjustments, have a good game plan and play disciplined football that doesn't result in unnecessary mistakes that just hand the game to the opponent. Play "clean" football. If we do those things and play for 4 full quarters and leave everything on the field and still lose, so be it. Nothing to hang your head about at that point.

As always, another great post.

[Pork Twain]

I can tell you flat out it was a dumpster fire. Petrino ran the football program like a military academy. You did what he said 100%. You did not question anything. The players bought into it because it worked. They were winning games. End of story. That is until they found out that while Petrino was demanding a total commitment from them he was personally doing whatever the hell he wanted to do. When he got fired he reached out to a couple of the players but blew the rest of them off. In time it also became apparent that while he was doing his playboy on a motorcycle act his recruiting was going south.

In walked John L. Smith, the ultimate huckster. He sold Jeff Long and the players on the notion that he was Petrino's mentor. If you hire me you will have Petrino because he learned everything from me. Of course it was a crock. John L. was facing bankruptcy and needed money fast. He collected a cool $800,000 for sitting on his butt for 8 months while cracking bad jokes. The program went to hell and by the time Bielema walked in the door most of the players didn't believe in anyone or anything.

It took a while but Bielema was able to convince the players he wasn't a con man and he really did care about them. But this happened at a time when Ole Miss was cheating like a mother, Alabama was becoming a dynasty and A&M was enjoying the recruiting benefits of moving to the SEC. And of course St. Gus was moving heaven and Earth trying to beat Arkansas each year. Even Mississippi State was a force under Dan Mullen who may be the best quarterbacks coach in college football. The West has never been as tough as it's been the last four seasons.

I am not sure who has the best truth-bomb posts, you, Muskogee or Wilson

[MuskogeeHogFan]

I am not sure who has the best truth-bomb posts, you, Muskogee or Wilson

Mike and Wilson have got it by a mile. Love reading their takes. And Mike, when you retire I want a signed copy of that book you need to write.

[Pork Twain]

I wouldn't call Stadther/Askew impact players by any stretch.

Mallett, sure.  But CBB and CBP were both pretty well set up at QB, and you can only play one at a time.

Tank Wright is not in-state.  And star ranking doesn't mean crap once they get to campus.

I get it.  It helps your agenda to church up that 2008 class, but in reality it's just not accurate.

Funny to hear you calling out someone for having an agenda and then see you posting this crap.  There is a saying here somewhere about a pot and a kettle...  I know...I know...you love you some BP, but lets not rewrite the recent past.  Especially not when it is so easy to compile the data that is right there for all to see.

I LOVED the 2008 class and the results we all got to see on the field.

Both classes were ok, but there is really no comparison which in-state class produced the most talent.  For consistency sake, we will judge the talent based on recruiting rankings, since that is how each class was ranked at the time it was signed.   Even Guv can do hindsight analysis...  I am much less concerned with how this talent did or did not perform once it reached campus and much more concerned with the amount of in-state talent that was actually produced in those years.  I have included both Spaight (2013 JC) and Mallett (2008 Xfer).

2008 class
20 signed with P5 schools
Average 247 rating for the top 15 was .8734
Average 247 rating for the top 10 was .8971
Average 247 rating for the top 05 was .9324

2013 class
10 signed with P5 schools
Average 247 rating for the top 15 was .8450
Average 247 rating for the top 10 was .8685
Average 247 rating for the top 05 was .9108

[Wildhog]

Funny to hear you calling out someone for having an agenda and then see you posting this crap.  There is a saying here somewhere about a pot and a kettle...  I know...I know...you love you some BP, but lets not rewrite the recent past.  Especially not when it is so easy to compile the data that is right there for all to see.

I LOVED the 2008 class and the results we all got to see on the field.

Both classes were ok, but there is really no comparison which in-state class produced the most talent.  For consistency sake, we will judge the talent based on recruiting rankings, since that is how each class was ranked at the time it was signed.   Even Guv can do hindsight analysis...  I am much less concerned with how this talent did or did not perform once it reached campus and much more concerned with the amount of in-state talent that was actually produced in those years.  I have included both Spaight (2013 JC) and Mallett (2008 Xfer).

2008 class
20 signed with P5 schools
Average 247 rating for the top 15 was .8734
Average 247 rating for the top 10 was .8971
Average 247 rating for the top 05 was .9324

2013 class
10 signed with P5 schools
Average 247 rating for the top 15 was .8450
Average 247 rating for the top 10 was .8685
Average 247 rating for the top 05 was .9108

Why would you include players that didn't even go to Arkansas?  And what they did after they got to campus is ALL that matters.

[Wildhog]

Also, that little spreadsheet illustrates the condition of the football program in 2008.  In 2013, we wouldn't have taken a lot of the kids that we HAD to take in 2008.

[Wildhog]

Look at the out-of-state talent that we landed in 2013 vs 2008, too.  In 2008, our best out-of-state signees were Jericho Nelson, Tramain Thomas, and Tank Wright.

In 2013, we had Alex Collins, Denver Kirkland, Dan Skipper, and DJ Dean.

This whole narrative that the 2008 class was some incredible thing that CBP fell into is just false.

[hog911]

That is sure to tick off the vocal minority.

Deep throat aka "Linda Lovelace" ! Have you actually done a poll state wide to prove its the vocal minority? Besides that we don't care about winning in Arkansas,  it's the hog way!

[Farmer Hogget]

OMG!  Someone else on this site gets it!  "Today's APR climate!"  And if you peel the onion back, MOST schools are seeing historic graduation rates, not just JL and BB.  The rise in graduation rates is not due to JL or BB, it was the EXPECTED result when the APR requirement was instituted!

Um, except for the fact that Arkansas was losing scholarships in basket ball because of poor APR numbers and the football program was on the brink of it.  God, you JL and BB haters ignore all kinds of facts and history to make your point sound valid.  LOL.

[Farmer Hogget]

Why do some on here keep calling the UA a dumpster fire when BB came in?  The UA was NOT a dumpster fire.  Show me one thread of evidence suggesting it was.  BP's personal actions reflected on nobody but BP not the Razorback FB program.  Some on here bought the "time ensuring" narrative pushed by a snake oil salesman (BB).  That make those pushing the narrative the dumpster fire!

Okay, let's see. . .the head coach had a mistress that he used his influence to get hired in the Athletic Department, the team went form winning to being a disaster just a few months later.  The effect of the motorcycle wreck and the disaster year hurt recruiting and it's taking time to rebuild the team. 

[Pork Twain]

Why would you include players that didn't even go to Arkansas?  And what they did after they got to campus is ALL that matters.

A moving target, I like it...  I would include those players because the posts I was replying to were discussing the in-state talent in those years.

[Pork Twain]

Also, that little spreadsheet illustrates the condition of the football program in 2008.  In 2013, we wouldn't have taken a lot of the kids that we HAD to take in 2008.

If that helps your point of view, you could say that.  You could also say that, that year was one of the best any of us has seen out of Arkansas.  I guess it is whichever way helps your argument...please refer to the pot and kettle comment above.

[Pork Twain]

Look at the out-of-state talent that we landed in 2013 vs 2008, too.  In 2008, our best out-of-state signees were Jericho Nelson, Tramain Thomas, and Tank Wright.

In 2013, we had Alex Collins, Denver Kirkland, Dan Skipper, and DJ Dean.

This whole narrative that the 2008 class was some incredible thing that CBP fell into is just false.

No. it's true.  So now we are no longer talking about in-state talent, but shifting to the entire class in hopes that will salvage your argument and keep Bobby up on high?  If anything it would just degrade your argument though.  I mean why would the great Bobby P settle for lowly in-state talent if it was not up to his high standards?  Are you saying CBB is a better recruiter because he was able to step on campus after Harleygate and the Smilestorm, not rely on a weak in-state class and pull in top out of state players, because that sure sounds like what you are saying?  Your narrative is so shifty when you start to lose, it is sometimes difficult to follow.  Much like the pilots I used to work with, when they were lit up by a bad guy radar, your evasive maneuvers are solid.  Unfortunately for you, it is much more difficult to break lock with me. 

You are saying one of three things.  You decide which one and we will try to stick to it.  Let me know your stance and I will stick with discussing it from that approach.  It is more difficult to have a meaningful discussion when your direction changes with a slight breeze.  Please pick one of the following or give your own version.  Then no matter what information is presented, attempt to stick with your stance. 

2008 was loaded and that is why BP took so many players from in-state in that class (lower ranked in-state players that did not choose Arkansas still got other P5 offers)
2008 was weak, but Bobby was not a good enough recruiter to pull players in from other states, so he settled for what was close and easy
2013 was as good as the weak 2008 class, but instead of being loyal and sticking with the in-state boys, BB went out of state (even though most of the in-state guys he did not offer, did not get other P5 offers)
2013 was a better recruiter from the minute he stepped on campus, able to go outside of our borders to pull in some very good players, even though it was the season after the Smilestorm.

[LZH]

That great class was ranked no better than 23rd iirc.

[Pork Twain]

That great class was ranked no better than 23rd iirc.

I am not sure which class you are referring to, but there has not been an overall great Arkansas class in my lifetime.  I thought we were just speaking in terms of in-state talent and comparing two classes, not national rankings.

Will any Arkansas class ever be highly ranked?

[Pork Twain]

When I compare the guys on the 2008 roster to the 2013 roster, it appears clear to me, who walked into a much better situation.  I know that is only from my perspective though and accept that there is no real right answer.  I did not go through the effort of researching all of the players that were redshirted or removing players that did not make it out of Fall practice, still on the team.  Honestly that is just more work than I am willing to do, to show data to someone that already has shown that actual data is unimportant to them.

[hawginbigd1]

That great class was ranked no better than 23rd iirc.

A re-ranking of that class after 4 years put them at 8 or 9 in the country, can't remember where it is, but I have posted the link on here before, it is clearly the best class of in-state talent in the modern era! You can argue it isn't so, but the facts back it being so much more than not.

[LZH]

A re-ranking of that class after 4 years put them at 8 or 9 in the country, can't remember where it is, but I have posted the link on here before, it is clearly the best class of in-state talent in the modern era! You can argue it isn't so, but the facts back it being so much more than not.

Petrino won with those kids, and now you are 're-ranking' them. Get your mouth away from BB's ass before you catch something.

[rhames]

Okay, let's see. . .the head coach had a mistress that he used his influence to get hired in the Athletic Department, the team went form winning to being a disaster just a few months later.  The effect of the motorcycle wreck and the disaster year hurt recruiting and it's taking time to rebuild the team. 

Lol. I don't think Bret walked into sunshine and butterflies but arkansas recruiting has been the same forever.


It's false to say or think we are still recovering from Petrino. 


Petrino had to go but the faults of Bret the last few years have nothing to do with Bobby.



I don't know what's more annoying.  The people who go on about how Jeff Long shouldn't have fired Robert or the ones who try to discredit Petrino fo what he was able to do here.

[LZH]

Lol. I don't think Bret walked into sunshine and butterflies but arkansas recruiting has been the same forever.


It's false to say or think we are still recovering from Petrino. 


Petrino had to go but the faults of Bret the last few years have nothing to do with Bobby.



I don't know what's more annoying.  The people who go on about how Jeff Long shouldn't have fired Robert or the ones who try to discredit Petrino fo what he was able to do here.

Yip. Lots of Hogvillians could use a shot of testosterone.... too many asses in the air around here.

[Pork Twain]

A re-ranking of that class after 4 years put them at 8 or 9 in the country, can't remember where it is, but I have posted the link on here before, it is clearly the best class of in-state talent in the modern era! You can argue it isn't so, but the facts back it being so much more than not.

I am not buying into that whole re-ranking crap, no matter who the coach is.  Any coach at Arkansas is going to consistently finish up ranking in the 20's.  When they achieve great things, like CBP did, it is not fair to him to go back and re-rank them with hindsight.  That is not how recruiting rankings work.  It is a projection tool, not an after the fact assessment tool.