You can't have your cake and eat it too.

[Piggfoot]

We are playing New Mex St, Coastal Carolina, and Florida A&M  for purely selfish reasons. Our ticket buying fans demand more home games.
Do playing these teams help our effort? Maybe. They do possibly add three wins getting us half way to six and bowl qualification. But they have no positive effect on team building through recruiting.
I would support one rent-a- win but not three.
We need to continue our series with TCU and replace two of the rent-a-wins with home and home games with a Florida team and another Texas team.

[Pig in the Pokey]

We are playing New Mex St, Coastal Carolina, and Florida A&M  for purely selfish reasons. Our ticket buying fans demand more home games.
Do playing these teams help our effort? Maybe. They do possibly add three wins getting us half way to six and bowl qualification. But they have no positive effect on team building through recruiting.
I would support one rent-a- win but not three.
We need to continue our series with TCU and replace two of the rent-a-wins with home and home games with a Florida team and another Texas team.

Dude. C'mon. You know damn well it's only like this because Michigan cancelled. Quit trollin.

[3kgthog]

Dude. C'mon. You know damn well it's only like this because Michigan cancelled. Quit trollin.

We'd still be loading up on the subdivision teams with or without Michigan. There's ZERO reason to play an FCS team.

[jgphillips3]

Eventually we will play 9 conference games.  When that happens, you'll have two weak opponents, one tough out of conference and a 9 game meat grinder.  We would all like to see better opponents but our players have to get a break at some point in the season.  It can't be 12 straight competitive games.  That's too much to ask and risks injury even more than we already do being in the SEC West.  If we played in any other conference, we could beef up the non-con more than we do (and would need to) but we are in the SEC West and that's tough enough.

[Piggfoot]

Dude. C'mon. You know damn well it's only like this because Michigan cancelled. Quit trollin.

No I am not trolling. I'm not sure the series with Michigan would have helped our recruiting. We used to be able to recruit Texas better because we played more games there.  The players parents were able to see their sons. One game a year is not getting it. TCU may help but we need more and develop a continued presence in Texas. I would prefer to play all OOC games with Texas schools but Florida may help. It's a long way away.

[factchecker]

We'd still be loading up on the subdivision teams with or without Michigan. There's ZERO reason to play an FCS team.

I agree and would like for us to play nothing but P5 teams. No FCS.  No G5.

However, I realize this is easier said than done.  You can't simply call a team up and get a game.  Look at the mess Michigan put us in when they bailed out of the 18-19 series.

When you schedule P5 or "name brand" teams you have to schedule home and home or neutral sites.  This isn't going to happen without giving up a home game.  This means giving up money.

The common response is "well new mexico state isn't going to make any money" but it does make money.  If AD's could make more money by playing less home games they would.  Travel expenses are horrible and offset most of what you get from neutral site paydays.  This is one of the contributing reasons to us not playing in Little Rock anymore.... plus the fact that we actually pay WMS rent- which is stupid.

I would prefer to play all OOC games with Texas schools but Florida may help. It's a long way away.

We have 2 more games (17 and 18 seasons) in Little Rock.  I believe the contract states we have to play an SEC opponent so it will most likely be Vandy.  In my opinion, we need to move the AnM game back to campus.  All 4 of our home conference games need to be in Fayetteville every season.  We then could play a non-con game in Dallas.  Schedule Baylor, Houston, SMU, Texas, to rotate through.  You could still call it the SW Classic.

I also think a neutral site game against Iowa in Arrowhead would be cool but I'm not sure that would help recruiting.

[Wildhog]

We need those wins.

[RazorWhacker]

I would prefer we play Alabama every week for 12 straight weeks with no bye weeks until we win one.

[MissippHog]

We have 2 more games (17 and 18 seasons) in Little Rock.  I believe the contract states we have to play an SEC opponent so it will most likely be Vandy.  In my opinion, we need to move the AnM game back to campus.  All 4 of our home conference games need to be in Fayetteville every season.  We then could play a non-con game in Dallas.  Schedule Baylor, Houston, SMU, Texas, to rotate through.  You could still call it the SW Classic.

I'm sure the logistics would be horrible but I'd love to see a real SW Classic.  Take the 8 teams that were in the conference the longest and play 4 games over two weekends in Dallas.  Each following season rotate the opponents. 

[pigture perfect]

The last 2 seasons we have had the 2-3rd hardest schedule in the country. We need to stack some wins up like Tennessee and others to help on the recruiting trail. There will be tougher days ahead, don't worry.

[Jonteviosk]

We'd still be loading up on the subdivision teams with or without Michigan. There's ZERO reason to play an FCS team.

Too bad we cant get rid of this moronic troll.

[MissippHog]

Too bad we cant get rid of this moronic troll.

Just block him.  The only time I see his posts are when someone quotes him.

[Al Boarland]

Miss St model. That's how Mullen has had success in Starkville. They love cupcakes.

[Pork Twain]

If only we could force other teams to schedule us without forcing us to go home-and-home with them or just fit us in their schedule.  It would also be nice if all the other top teams would only schedule other P5 teams, but until then, why should we beat ourselves up when the teams we are looking up at are not doing the same?  For every team you can name that does not have at least 2 gimme games, I can name 10 that have 2-3.  It would also likely help if we could play all of our home games at home and not in Waste Management Sinkhole

Last year Bama had WKU, Chat and Kent.  LSU had JVST and USM.  Auburn had ARST and ULM.  Clem played Troy and SCST.  OSU played BGSU, Tulsa, Ind, and MD

I would prefer us play Texas schools as our cupcakes though: Baylor, TCU, Houston, UT El Paso, Stephen F. Auston, Sam Houston St, Texas St, etc...and never directional teams from BFE

[Hawghiggs]

 
1, No FCS teams ever.
2, Move A&M game to campus
3, Sign up Houston, Rice, or SMU for Southwest Classic
4, Play Colorado state, New Mexico, Tulsa, or Wyoming
5, Sign up Kansas, or Kansas state.

[Boss Hog in the Arkansas]

No I am not trolling. I'm not sure the series with Michigan would have helped our recruiting. We used to be able to recruit Texas better because we played more games there.  The players parents were able to see their sons. One game a year is not getting it. TCU may help but we need more and develop a continued presence in Texas. I would prefer to play all OOC games with Texas schools but Florida may help. It's a long way away.

The biggest detriment to our texas recruiting is A&M. Texas kids used to come here so they could play in the SEC, now they can do that in their home state. Also, most texas schools have gone to spread offenses. Now you have to convince kids to come to an out of state school and play a style they aren't accustomed to.

[HogShat]

I would prefer we play Alabama every week for 12 straight weeks with no bye weeks until we win one.

Makes as much sense as some more sense than some things I see on here....

[rhames]

I just don't get it. On ncaa I used to schedule top 10 teams for my out of conference games  and mind you this was after I added Texas to the SEC west and I won all of those games.  The same should be expected from this staff and administration. Fire them all. Excuse me but I'm going to go knock my old lady around now since I'm so fired up.

[OneTuskOverTheLine™]

Dude. C'mon. You know damn well it's only like this because Michigan cancelled. Quit trollin.

Trolls gonna troll...

[Inhogswetrust]

How many dead horses have to get beat on here?

[East TN HAWG]

Alabama, Auburn, MS, MS State, LSU, AM and two from the east is a top 10 schedule nationally.  Pac Big12 and Big10 schools don't play a schedule that hard.

Why are people complaining that we need to add more?  Then complain because we lost 5 games and immediately want to fire the coach.     

[Biggus Piggus]

We are playing New Mex St, Coastal Carolina, and Florida A&M  for purely selfish reasons. Our ticket buying fans demand more home games.
Do playing these teams help our effort? Maybe. They do possibly add three wins getting us half way to six and bowl qualification. But they have no positive effect on team building through recruiting.
I would support one rent-a- win but not three.
We need to continue our series with TCU and replace two of the rent-a-wins with home and home games with a Florida team and another Texas team.

Even if we had Michigan and TCU both on the schedule as originally planned, I really dislike playing Coastal Carolina and Florida A&M in the same season.

[Piggfoot]

Alabama, Auburn, MS, MS State, LSU, AM and two from the east is a top 10 schedule nationally.  Pac Big12 and Big10 schools don't play a schedule that hard.

Why are people complaining that we need to add more?  Then complain because we lost 5 games and immediately want to fire the coach.     

We can't be like everybody else. We have problems unique to Arkansas and playing at the highest level. We have to work harder than other teams to overcome these problems. As far as injuries go please show me a stat proving that playing a superior team causes more injuries than playing cupcakes or even during a full practice scrimage. I'm not one of those calling for Bielema's head because we don't win X number of games. One cupcake and a week off should be adquate for rest during the season. For that matter we're not in shape. Bench presses and Squats do nothing for explosiveness and quickness.

[#1Fan]

Even if we had Michigan and TCU both on the schedule as originally planned, I really dislike playing Coastal Carolina and Florida A&M in the same season.

Wasn't Michigan on the schedule for 2018 and 2019?

[Hogtimes]

Even if we had Michigan and TCU both on the schedule as originally planned, I really dislike playing Coastal Carolina and Florida A&M in the same season.

Dude. C'mon. You know damn well it's only like this because Michigan cancelled. Quit trollin.

Michigan was never on the 2017 schedule.

[DeltaBoy]

Michagan bailed on us and the Longhorns keep pushing the game we are owed farther away each year.

[Hogwild]

Alabama, Auburn, MS, MS State, LSU, AM and two from the east is a top 10 schedule nationally.  Pac Big12 and Big10 schools don't play a schedule that hard.

Why are people complaining that we need to add more?  Then complain because we lost 5 games and immediately want to fire the coach.   

The Pac12 plays 9 game conference schedules and then at least one more P5 school. For example USC last year, 9 Pac-12 games, annual game vs Notre Dame, and Bama.

In fact the Pac-12 teams had 7 of the toughest schedules in the nation last season. Cal was 11th

Sagarin Strength of Schedule – Overall Top 25

1. Ole Miss
2. LSU
3. Oregon
4. UCLA
5. USC
6. Arizona
7. Alabama
8. Arkansas
9. Stanford
10. Oregon State

[hogsanity]

Why do people want the Hogs to do what hardly any other p5 does? The formula is pretty much the same, especially in the SEC. One decent to really good p5 team, a couple rent a win g5 teams, and a fcs team. Why? Because then you play a top 10 schedule in conference.

The people who want a tougher ooc schedule do so out of their own selfishness, their desire to be entertained. They can not watch games unless they are " big " games.

And the whole " play teams from a state to help recruiting " is bogus. The Hogs have played at least one game in the state of Texas for at least 6 of the last 7 years, and played a team from Texas every season for longer than that.

[hogfan14]

1, No FCS teams ever.
2, Move A&M game to campus
3, Sign up Houston, Rice, or SMU for Southwest Classic
4, Play Colorado state, New Mexico, Tulsa, or Wyoming
5, Sign up Kansas, or Kansas state.

Playing Kansas or Rice would be about the same as playing a good FCS team lol

[ArkansasI]

We do this every year... and I'm convinced adding 2 schools to the SEC and playing 11 conference games and one non-conference game is best for fans.  I laugh at people concerned about the health of our players... is anyone concerned about the kids playing at Coastal Carolina?  It's shameful.

Scheduling more conference games would level the competitive schedules within the conference.  Let them schedule whoever they want for their 12th opponent.  It won't make much difference when you're playing roughly the same schedule otherwise.

This method allows players to compete against all conference opponents at least once every 4 years, and would allow fans a far better return on their huge investments (no more scrimmages that the Razorbacks cannot win).

What has Arkansas ever gained from a weak non-conference schedule?  We certainly haven't advanced to more relevant bowls or enjoyed stronger recruiting.

Having revealed what's behind the curtain in games against Louisiana Tech, Toledo, The Citadel, etc. has done nothing to advance the justification of millions of dollars invested in facilities and staff at the University of Arkansas.  These games fuel dissatisfaction among fans - and reasonably so.

Want to improve the atmosphere at Razorback games?  Play fewer home games.  People will make a stronger effort to be there and would likely pay more for tickets - they won't have to pay all the extra expenses that come with attending a game.

Schedule a home and home with Indiana.  Then NC State.  Then Arizona.  Win.  Lose.  Whatever... It's called intercollegiate athletics - let's clean this up.

[PorkRinds]

Yep. Since we are killing it with the schedule now, we should totally add two more difficult games to the schedule. I mean everyone else in our league has just as many of these rent a wins as we do, but who cares? Stack the deck against us even more just to satisfy malcontents. Sounds legit.

[ArkansasI]

Yep. Since we are killing it with the schedule now, we should totally add two more difficult games to the schedule. I mean everyone else in our league has just as many of these rent a wins as we do, but who cares? Stack the deck against us even more just to satisfy malcontents. Sounds legit.

Gosh, I'd hate to miss the chance to play in the Belk Bowl.

[Jackrabbit Hog]

Gosh, I'd hate to miss the chance to play in the Belk Bowl.

You and Jeremy Sprinkle.

[azhog10]

Why do people want the Hogs to do what hardly any other p5 does? The formula is pretty much the same, especially in the SEC. One decent to really good p5 team, a couple rent a win g5 teams, and a fcs team. Why? Because then you play a top 10 schedule in conference.

The people who want a tougher ooc schedule do so out of their own selfishness, their desire to be entertained. They can not watch games unless they are " big " games.

And the whole " play teams from a state to help recruiting " is bogus. The Hogs have played at least one game in the state of Texas for at least 6 of the last 7 years, and played a team from Texas every season for longer than that.

Says the guy who [CENSORED] about the basketball team not scheduling big name opponents for their OOC schedule. I get why CBB doesn't, but it isn't going to scream "buy season tickets" to anyone.

[Hogwild]

Playing Kansas or Rice would be about the same as playing a good FCS team lol

But Long doesn't schedule good FCS teams, he schedules Nicholls State, UT Martin, Florida A&M...

[Inhogswetrust]

We do this every year... and I'm convinced adding 2 schools to the SEC and playing 11 conference games and one non-conference game is best for fans.  I laugh at people concerned about the health of our players... is anyone concerned about the kids playing at Coastal Carolina?  It's shameful.

Scheduling more conference games would level the competitive schedules within the conference.  Let them schedule whoever they want for their 12th opponent.  It won't make much difference when you're playing roughly the same schedule otherwise.

This method allows players to compete against all conference opponents at least once every 4 years, and would allow fans a far better return on their huge investments (no more scrimmages that the Razorbacks cannot win).

What has Arkansas ever gained from a weak non-conference schedule?  We certainly haven't advanced to more relevant bowls or enjoyed stronger recruiting.

Having revealed what's behind the curtain in games against Louisiana Tech, Toledo, The Citadel, etc. has done nothing to advance the justification of millions of dollars invested in facilities and staff at the University of Arkansas.  These games fuel dissatisfaction among fans - and reasonably so.

Want to improve the atmosphere at Razorback games?  Play fewer home games.  People will make a stronger effort to be there and would likely pay more for tickets - they won't have to pay all the extra expenses that come with attending a game.

Schedule a home and home with Indiana.  Then NC State.  Then Arizona.  Win.  Lose.  Whatever... It's called intercollegiate athletics - let's clean this up.

^ proof the average fan should not be running college sports.

[ArkansasI]

^ proof the average fan should not be running college sports.

Proof that the Razorback Athletic Department can control the average fan's bank account.

[hogsanity]

Says the guy who [CENSORED] about the basketball team not scheduling big name opponents for their OOC schedule. I get why CBB doesn't, but it isn't going to scream "buy season tickets" to anyone.

where did I gripe about the basketball schedule ( since as usual we can't talk one without bringing in the other ). I understand why neither sport does it, and most of those reasons have little do with looking for wins or avoiding losses. I will say this, bball has 12-14 ooc games every year so they have more chances to play bigger name opponents, but it is not just as easy as wanting to do so. Home and home becomes a issue, games in the various conf challenges does to. 

Football has improved the schedule, at least they play one p5 team annually now. In the last decade or so they have had home & home withe USC, Texas ( yes they still us our home game ), TTech, TCU, had Michigan and then they backed out, A&M before they joined the SEC.

Personally, if i ran the ncaa, I would ban p5 teams from playing fcs schools, but that is not going to happen.

[tophawg19]

The biggest detriment to our texas recruiting is A&M. Texas kids used to come here so they could play in the SEC, now they can do that in their home state. Also, most texas schools have gone to spread offenses. Now you have to convince kids to come to an out of state school and play a style they aren't accustomed to.

no it's not . most of the kids they get would never consider us seriously anyway . same with Texas . oklahoma , ok st . Michigan etc is who we have to fight . Baylor and Houston's rise toward the top has hurt

[code red]

We'd still be loading up on the subdivision teams with or without Michigan. There's ZERO reason to play an FCS team.

We play in the SEC west...there is plenty of reason to play these opponents. 

[Youngsta71701]

We are playing New Mex St, Coastal Carolina, and Florida A&M  for purely selfish reasons. Our ticket buying fans demand more home games.
Do playing these teams help our effort? Maybe. They do possibly add three wins getting us half way to six and bowl qualification. But they have no positive effect on team building through recruiting.
I would support one rent-a- win but not three.
We need to continue our series with TCU and replace two of the rent-a-wins with home and home games with a Florida team and another Texas team.

Our conference schedule is tough enough. Nonconference games are exactly that. Non conference games. Won't hurt our strength of schedule much anyway it goes. It is only mandatory for us to play one Power 5 nonconference game not two. Also we can only play one FCS school that counts on our overall record. Alabama plays an FCS school every year. I guess they are wrong too? Every Power 5 school plays at least one FCS school every year. That's just how it is. The other two schools are D1 or FBS schools to go along with TCU.

[Wildhog]

Our conference schedule is tough enough. Nonconference games are exactly that. Non conference games. Won't hurt our strength of schedule much anyway it goes.

Yep.  The CFP committee doesn't give a half-frick who an SEC team plays out of conference.

[Big Boi]

Yep. Since we are killing it with the schedule now, we should totally add two more difficult games to the schedule. I mean everyone else in our league has just as many of these rent a wins as we do, but who cares? Stack the deck against us even more just to satisfy malcontents. Sounds legit.

I'm guessing they rather see us lose to a legit team, than beat CC or FL A&M

[TexasRazorback]

Funny how some are saying we are not playing enough games in Texas. We use to play zero before A&M joined and recruit Texas players. You keep the A&M Game in Dallas, that is huge with recruiting and the team gets the great experience of playing in a large NFL stadium. Some years the kids get recruited elsewhere, it happens. Pull your heads out of the sand

[Wildhog]

Funny how some are saying we are not playing enough games in Texas. We use to play zero before A&M joined and recruit Texas players. You keep the A&M Game in Dallas, that is huge with recruiting and the team gets the great experience of playing in a large NFL stadium. Some years the kids get recruited elsewhere, it happens. Pull your heads out of the sand

Yeah, we've done so well recruiting Texas lately.

/s

[TexasRazorback]

2017: 1 Texas recruit committed, we are on others who have yet to commit
2016: 4 TX recruits
2015: 4 TX recruits
2014: 1 TX recruit
2013: 3 TX recruits 5 TX walkons
2012: 6 TX recruits
2011: 6 TX recruits

For CBB's tenure here so far, having only 1 TX recruit committed at this time is not a shock. We knew coming in he loved to recruit the Sunshine state, which I believe he has not recruited enough. I do agree that we need to recruit Texas harder than any other state as we share a border with them but in all of bretts time at arkansas the 2012 and 2011 classes combined equal almost as many TX recruits that CBB has signed in his 5 years.

[PorkRinds]

Our conference schedule is tough enough. Nonconference games are exactly that. Non conference games. Won't hurt our strength of schedule much anyway it goes. It is only mandatory for us to play one Power 5 nonconference game not two. Also we can only play one FCS school that counts on our overall record. Alabama plays an FCS school every year. I guess they are wrong too? Every Power 5 school plays at least one FCS school every year. That's just how it is. The other two schools are D1 or FBS schools to go along with TCU.

Exactly. Why would we make our schedule harder than everyone else in our league? That's the worst idea I've heard in a good long time.

[Wildhog]

2017: 1 Texas recruit committed, we are on others who have yet to commit
2016: 4 TX recruits
2015: 4 TX recruits
2014: 1 TX recruit
2013: 3 TX recruits 5 TX walkons
2012: 6 TX recruits
2011: 6 TX recruits

For CBB's tenure here so far, having only 1 TX recruit committed at this time is not a shock. We knew coming in he loved to recruit the Sunshine state, which I believe he has not recruited enough. I do agree that we need to recruit Texas harder than any other state as we share a border with them but in all of bretts time at arkansas the 2012 and 2011 classes combined equal almost as many TX recruits that CBB has signed in his 5 years.

You recruit where your strengths are.  We don't have a stud TX recruiter.  And if you're going to recruit TX successfully, you better have a legitimate stud recruiter.

Michael Smith is a stud LA recruiter... hence all the LA commits.

[TexasRazorback]

You recruit where your strengths are.  We don't have a stud TX recruiter.  And if you're going to recruit TX successfully, you better have a legitimate stud recruiter.

Michael Smith is a stud LA recruiter... hence all the LA commits.

I agree, with you Wild. you recruit to your strengths. I do think a TX recruiter would be beneficial to our staff, but currently we dont have one.

[Pig in the Pokey]

I just don't get it. On ncaa I used to schedule top 10 teams for my out of conference games  and mind you this was after I added Texas to the SEC west and I won all of those games.  The same should be expected from this staff and administration. Fire them all. Excuse me but I'm going to go knock my old lady around now since I'm so fired up.

+1. I NEVER signed a 3* unless he had 99 speed, either. These coaches are dumb. a dozen 5*s and a dozen 4*s with elite speed is all we need to do!