The Cupboard Was Never Bare

[factchecker]

I just want to know why Bielema thought Austin Jones needed to be a starter at LB that first year? That lasted 1 game? 2? Not meaning to demean Jones, I know he gave everything he had. I just don't like how they messed with Peters for a year if he had next level ability.

Austin Jones started 5 games in 2013.

Peters was recovering from a broken arm..... you remember this right?

[Dwight_K_Shrute]

Well, to be fair, Bielema did bring in his buddy's son from Juco to be backup quarterback, let Mitchell walk to NCState, and then was forced to start him at Rutgers and to backup BA all year when he could have been already playing TE, his natural position and where he's excelling now in the NFL. But don't let that change the narrative.

I've always felt BB plays favorites.  The way he gets around it is with his "rules"  Little Timmy has his shoes tied right and was at the meeting 10 minutes early so he gets a gold star and a start.

Now I'm not saying teams don't need discipline and players don't need to be held accountable, they do.  But do they play like a highly disciplined team with a high degree of accountability?  The results aren't there on the field.  So it's all really just lip service

[factchecker]

I can't remember anymore, did they consider redshirting him then or did he just some special teams work when he was ready to come back?

He didn't get playing time until the 3rd game of the season (Southern Miss).  He had 9 tackles on the year.

[cjack]

Johnelle won 2 sec games in between Petrino leaving and Bielema arriving.  Petrino can't get the fault for CBB going 0-8 in his first season and get the credit for Johnelle going 2-6.  Whether or not CBB is a good coach is irrelevant to me.  He isn't a good coach here.  Johnelle and CBB average the same amount of SEC wins here.  Both are unacceptable, with or without Petrino's cupboard.

[Letsroll1200]

Go look at the 2010 AND 2011 recruiting classes. It was bare. Sure we had some good players but you have to some halfway decent depth. Those guys should have been the upperclassmen during CBB first and second years but instead the underclassmen had to step up in a big way.

2011 was full of players.

Trey Flowers
Tevin Mitchell
Rohan Gaines
Brey Cook
Grady Ollison
Kody Walker
Robert Thomas
Alonzo Highsmith
Kiero Small
Quinta Funderburk - Highly recruited
Lonnie Gosha
Brandon Allen
Mitch Smothers

[hogsanity]

Austin Jones started 5 games in 2013.

Peters was recovering from a broken arm..... you remember this right?

This cant be, Eastex told us Ellis had to play in 2013 because Peters dun got rund off by BB, how was he here to get a broken arm if BB ad already run him off?

[Jim Harris]

He didn't get playing time until the 3rd game of the season (Southern Miss).  He had 9 tackles on the year.

If all of this information comes off the top of your head, then, t'salute Don Corleone.

[hawgon]

I get that. I don't think it's farfetched for the others here to say that BA as a third-year sophomore still wasn't ready to be an SEC starter either, but he wasn't the reason they couldn't even win one league game in Bielema's first season. In your first year at the helm, it makes perfect sense that if you see BA as your starter in years 2 and 3 and you don't see BM as that big of a difference maker that first year, you do what Bielema did. No argument there.

Sort of, but is illustrative of coaching without urgency.  If he had felt that he needed to coach for his job, he would have found a way to keep a 5th year with some experience on the team.  He had to know, or should have known that it was unlikely for BA to make it through an SEC year unscathed.  You know, with Mitchell at the helm, we would have won at Rutgers and been 4-0.  Who knows what would of have happened then.

But, like I said, Bert had a plan and he had Long's guarantee of job safety so he wasn't as hungry for wins in those first few years as he should have been.

[Temprees]

Mitchell was terrible.

Not true. Mitchell had a great spring that year. It was reported that he and BA we running neck and neck for the job. In the Final spring game, Mitchell true a couple of INTs and BB named him as the starter for next fall.  That's when Mitchell left. We know that BA dint become a good QB until the last 7 or 8 games of his senior year. When BA became the starter, he was not ready.  Mitchell's maturity and leadership would have helped that team.

BM went to NCSt and won the QB job and played well until a broken foot ended his career in the 2nd or 3rd game.

[Jim Harris]

I've always felt BB plays favorites.  The way he gets around it is with his "rules"  Little Timmy has his shoes tied right and was at the meeting 10 minutes early so he gets a gold star and a start.

Now I'm not saying teams don't need discipline and players don't need to be held accountable, they do.  But do they play like a highly disciplined team with a high degree of accountability?  The results aren't there on the field.  So it's all really just lip service

If all this "showing up 15 minutes for meeting with shoes tied on right" correlated into 9-win seasons and at least regularly contending for 2nd or 3rd in the SEC West, it would make sense. It seems like some players aren't buying it anymore. I mean, they're showing up on time, they're just not buying that it means anything.

[Jim Harris]

Sort of, but is illustrative of coaching without urgency.  If he had felt that he needed to coach for his job, he would have found a way to keep a 5th year with some experience on the team.  He had to know, or should have known that it was unlikely for BA to make it through an SEC year unscathed.  You know, with Mitchell at the helm, we would have won at Rutgers and been 4-0.  Who knows what would of have happened then.

But, like I said, Bert had a plan and he had Long's guarantee of job safety so he wasn't as hungry for wins in those first few years as he should have been.

Right. Totally see what you're saying as well. That's what a 6-year contract does. There was no sense of urgency from the beginning. Same with basketball, imo.

[Boss Hog in the Arkansas]

Sort of, but is illustrative of coaching without urgency.  If he had felt that he needed to coach for his job, he would have found a way to keep a 5th year with some experience on the team.  He had to know, or should have known that it was unlikely for BA to make it through an SEC year unscathed.  You know, with Mitchell at the helm, we would have won at Rutgers and been 4-0.  Who knows what would of have happened then.

But, like I said, Bert had a plan and he had Long's guarantee of job safety so he wasn't as hungry for wins in those first few years as he should have been.

That was just the 1st of many 2nd half collapses. I think we were destined to lose it. If nothing else it was a sign of things to come

[Atlhogfan1]

Not true. Mitchell had a great spring that year. It was reported that he and BA we running neck and neck for the job. In the Final spring game, Mitchell true a couple of INTs and BB named him as the starter for next fall.  That's when Mitchell left. We know that BA dint become a good QB until the last 7 or 8 games of his senior year. When BA became the starter, he was not ready.  Mitchell's maturity and leadership would have helped that team.

He didn't have a great Spring.  As a senior he should have been more trustworthy with the ball and not make mistakes. He did and he didn't win the job. 

[hawgon]

Right. Totally see what you're saying as well. That's what a 6-year contract does. There was no sense of urgency from the beginning. Same with basketball, imo.

I said AT THE TIME that he was blowing a huge opportunity that would bite him in the end and I even said that by his 5th year he would be a lame duck. 

If he could have found a way to get to seven wins in that first year, and they were there to be had, the recruiting momentum would have been tremendous.  And it would have snowballed into something really great.

[factchecker]

If all of this information comes off the top of your head, then, t'salute Don Corleone.

It's called doing your work....

http://www.arkansasrazorbacks.com/stats/football/2013/season.pdf

[Temprees]

That was just the 1st of many 2nd half collapses. I think we were destined to lose it. If nothing else it was a sign of things to come

Disagree.  Derby was terrible at QB that day. He was missing wide open receivers on critical downs. Mitchell could complete those passes.

[Jim Harris]

It's called doing your work....

http://www.arkansasrazorbacks.com/stats/football/2013/season.pdf

Haha. Well, lil' factchecker, I didn't realize being on this board constituted work time. I'll stay away if it's work. Only Lanny gets paid here.

[Atlhogfan1]

I said AT THE TIME that he was blowing a huge opportunity that would bite him in the end and I even said that by his 5th year he would be a lame duck. 

If he could have found a way to get to seven wins in that first year, and they were there to be had, the recruiting momentum would have been tremendous.  And it would have snowballed into something really great.

7 wins was there when we played 6 teams ranked in the top 18?   

Recruiting wouldn't have changed much.

[hawgon]

7 wins was there when we played 6 teams ranked in the top 18?   

Recruiting wouldn't have changed much.

Yep, it was.  And yes, it would have.

[GuvHog]

He didn't have a great Spring.  As a senior he should have been more trustworthy with the ball and not make mistakes. He did and he didn't win the job. 

He had a great spring and the job was his but CBB wanted to play favorites.

Don't you remember CBB talking about naming BA the starter because BA constantly came to his office during the off season and talked about the QB position??

[Atlhogfan1]

He had a great spring and the job was his but CBB wanted to play favorites.

Don't you remember CBB talking about naming BA the starter because BA constantly came to his office during the off season and talked about the QB position??

BA was statistically better in the scrimmages. More yards same TDs no ints.  He was named the starter because he didn't trust BM.  Inconsistent. 

[PorkRinds]

Otha also broke his arm during fall camp in 2013.

Dunking a basketball. Then wasnt doing what he was supposed to for rehab. But according to the pea shooters he was forced out for no reason.

[GuvHog]

BA was statistically better in the scrimmages. More yards same TDs no ints.  He was named the starter because he didn't trust BM.  Inconsistent. 

No, BA was named the starter because CBB likes to play favorites. BA wasn't ready to be the starter that year.

[PorkRinds]

He had a great spring and the job was his but CBB wanted to play favorites.

Don't you remember CBB talking about naming BA the starter because BA constantly came to his office during the off season and talked about the QB position??

You're literally making that up.

[Temprees]

He didn't have a great Spring.  As a senior he should have been more trustworthy with the ball and not make mistakes. He did and he didn't win the job. 

He did have a great spring. The job was decided on the spring game.  It would have been a smarter decision to continue the competition into fall camp.  That way we at least would have had BM as the backup, who could have replaced BA.  Because we know that BA was not ready then.  Many on this board and other places we calling for a different QB into the early part of BA's senior year.  Surely you Remember all of the pick 6s during his junior year, and the hit cross bar pass early in his Senior year (Toledo)

[GuvHog]

You’re literally making that up.

No I'm not. Bret talked about it when he announced BA as the starter.

[factchecker]

He did have a great spring. The job was decided on the spring game.  It would have been a smarter decision to continue the competition into fall camp.  That way we at least would have had BM as the backup, who could have replaced BA.  Because we know that BA was not ready then.  Many on this board and other places we calling for a different QB into the early part of BA's senior year.  Surely you Remember all of the pick 6s during his junior year, and the hit cross bar pass early in his Senior year (Toledo)

Allen in 2013
128/258 for 1552 yards 13 TDs and 10 INTs for a 3-9 team.

Mitchell in 2013
86/151 for 1011 yards 7 TDs and 6 INTs for a 3-9 team.

[Atlhogfan1]

He did have a great spring. The job was decided on the spring game.  It would have been a smarter decision to continue the competition into fall camp.  That way we at least would have had BM as the backup, who could have replaced BA.  Because we know that BA was not ready then.  Many on this board and other places we calling for a different QB into the early part of BA's senior year.  Surely you Remember all of the pick 6s during his junior year, and the hit cross bar pass early in his Senior year (Toledo)

I was a BA critic later in his career.

[PorkRinds]

No I'm not. Bret talked about it when he announced BA as the starter.

That's simply not true. Prove your assertion.

https://www.si.com/football/2013/04/22/brandon-allen-arkansas

[The_Iceman]

The 2013 team had to start freshmen all over the field because those Fr were better than what was already here. You think he would not have rather Redshirted guys like Kirkland, Ellis, Skipper, Henry and some of the db's? HE couldn't because they were just better players than what he inherited.

The bigger question to the Op is why bring this up? Couldn't find a new way to show how bad this season has been so far? Do you count Bp's 1st season? Mike Anderson's? They all arrived under similar roster issues, little returning production and no depth, having to rely on FR to tote the mail.

Exactly. It's one thing to want Bielema gone (which I do), and it's another to just revise history and make up stuff to make him look worse.

Bielema's first team is terrible. I don't hold the 3-9 (0-8) record against him. But what he has done since then is worthy of him losing his job.

[GuvHog]

Allen in 2013
128/258 for 1552 yards 13 TDs and 10 INTs for a 3-9 team.

Mitchell in 2013
86/151 for 1011 yards 7 TDs and 6 INTs for a 3-9 team.

The fact that BA had almost as many interceptions as he did TDs is glaring proof that he wasn't ready to start.

Also, BM didn't play in as many games as BA did due to injury.

[PorkRinds]

The fact that BA had almost as many interceptions as he did TDs is glaring proof that he wasn't ready to start.

Also, BM didn't play in as many games as BA did due to injury.

It's like you're not even looking at the guys numbers that you're arguing FOR. Evidently he wasn't ready either.

[Wildhog]

GUV, you're making a fool of yourself.  Just stop.  CBB is gone at the end of the season.

[EastexHawg]

Well you didn't really dispute the SEC coach who said it when you listed 3 DEs including a Fr in 13 in Wise and Philon was a Fr. Not a lot of proven talent there especially at DT. 

The point of those remarks from other coaches was that Petrino only cares about offense, doesn't recruit, and left Bielema nothing with which to work.  Time has proven that to be absolutely false.  Look at the lineup that could have been put on the field from what Petrino left behind:

DE  Trey Flowers
DE  Deatrich Wise/Chris Smith
DT  Darius Philon
DT  Robert Thomas/Taiwan Johnson
LB  Otha Peters
LB  Braylon Mitchell
CB  Tevin Mitchel
CB  Jared Collins
S  Rohan Gaines
S  Alan Turner

There were other pieces as well, such as JaMichael Winston.  On top of that are the players Petrino left behind on the 2012 team, including Alonzo Highsmith. 

All Bielema, or whoever followed him, had to do was add a couple of players here and there and he had himself a solid if not spectacular defense.  The defensive line talent was simply outstanding.  Anonymous "Coach", whoever he was, didn't know what he was talking about in that case.  In fact, I can't believe any Razorback fan who has actually paid attention would go back, dredge up those obviously false statements, and post them again.

Ask yourselves this question...since those guys left, has Bielema put any defenses on the field that can match them from a talent and/or performance perspective?

[GuvHog]

It’s like you’re not even looking at the guys numbers that you’re arguing FOR. Evidently he wasn’t ready either.

BM was ready.  I saw his numbers and as I stated, he didn't play as many games as BA did due to injury.

I wonder what his rushing stats were at NCSU.

[PharmacistHog]

BM was ready.  I saw his numbers and as I stated, he didn't play as many games as BA did due to injury.

I wonder what his rushing stats were at NCSU.

I'm embarrassed for you so don't let your idiotic posts slow you down.

[RazorPiggie]

2010 Recruiting Class (according to Rivals)

Cam Feldt   OL   Pilot Point, TX   6'5"   290   4* (I think he ended up hurting his arm and never played for us)

Calvin Barnett   DT   Tulsa, OK   6'3"   330   4* never made it to campus

Jeremiah Jackson   DT   Hoover, AL   6'2"   265   3* was here maybe one or two years and did nothing?

Courtney Gaston   LB   Fort Gibson, OK   6'3"   205   3* ended up JUCO

Brad Hefley   ATH   Joplin, MO   6'5"   255  3* Redshirted then transferred to JUCO then to Pitt State

Jatashun Beachum   ATH   Dallas, TX   6'2"   275 3* Left in the summer of 2011 never did anything

Marquel Wade   WR   Jacksonville, FL   5'11"   180 3* Didn't make it in 2010 but did the next year. Played a little before but was dismissed from the team in 2012.

Jacoby Walker   QB   Spring, TX   6'2"   210 3* Transferred to UCA

LaCraig Brown   DT   Monroe, LA   6'4"   261 3* I don't think he made it through fall camp

Darrell Smith   DB   Port Saint Joe, FL   6'2"   185   3* Transferred after 2 years to Murray State

Denton Simek   OL   Prague, OK   6'6"   260 3* Redshirted then transferred to Central Oklahoma

Maudrecus Humphrey   WR   Hoover, AL   6'2"   185 3* Transferred in summer of 2012 to UAB after getting arrested

Eduardo Camara   K   Cedar Hill, TX   5'8"   155   3* Transferred to UCA

I'm sure someone can add some other players that I'm missing but thats almost half your 2010 class that didn't make it to their JR years. Plus throw in the passing of Garrett Uekman thats 14 players that did nothing as JRs and SRs.

[PorkRinds]

I'm embarrassed for you so don't let your idiotic posts slow you down.

I just got guvved.

[870hogfan]

He had a great spring and the job was his but CBB wanted to play favorites.

Don't you remember CBB talking about naming BA the starter because BA constantly came to his office during the off season and talked about the QB position??

That was JWill...

[RazorPiggie]

2011 was full of players.

Trey Flowers
Tevin Mitchell
Rohan Gaines
Brey Cook
Grady Ollison Was so great as a Hog was able to transfer to Henderson State
Kody Walker
Robert Thomas
Alonzo Highsmith
Kiero Small
Quinta Funderburk - Highly recruited Transferred after one year to Syracuse then to Powerhouse Norfolk State
Lonnie Gosha Saw action in four games as a freshman at Arkansas ... Finished with seven tackles and a sack ... Made a season-high three tackles against Auburn and New Mexico  ... Also had a tackle against Texas A&M ... Sack came in Arkansas' 38-14 victory over Auburn. Then transferred to Troy
Brandon Allen
Mitch Smothers

[EastexHawg]

This cant be, Eastex told us Ellis had to play in 2013 because Peters dun got rund off by BB, how was he here to get a broken arm if BB ad already run him off?

Bielema did run Peters off.  Brooks Ellis played in all 12 games, so he wasn't forced into action by Peters' broken arm.  Regarding Ellis, considering the team went 3-9 and 0-8 in conference anyway, can you explain the value that was achieved by burning his redshirt?  How much worse would we have been if he hadn't played?

[azhog10]

Ok.

BM wasn't going to start. Going into the spring it was a forgone conclusion that if BA got the starting job BM would be gone. Everyone knew it. So maybe pushed out the door wasn't technically correct, it was what everyone here expected to happen if he didn't get to start. BB made no attempt to stretch things out to keep him.

[Grizzlyfan]

They would be fairly accurate making those same statements about this year's team, in all honesty.

Yes, Bielema was left with a bare cupboard and hasn't improved on it.

[Carl Lazlo]

29% of the time when Arkansas plays an SEC opponent under CBB they win.

[PorkRinds]

BM wasn't going to start. Going into the spring it was a forgone conclusion that if BA got the starting job BM would be gone. Everyone knew it. So maybe pushed out the door wasn't technically correct, it was what everyone here expected to happen if he didn't get to start. BB made no attempt to stretch things out to keep him.

Well, except offer him playing time at WR.

[Bacons Rebellion]

Here's the significant trend we should have seen from 2013, no matter what was in the cupboard.

Samford plays us even, 14-14 in the second half.

At Rutgers: Ahead by 24-7, collapse in the 4th quarter and give up 21 unanswered points to lose 28-24.

Texas A&M: Outscored in the second half 21-13, after being down only 24-20.

Mississippi. Behind only 20-17 and with the ball in the 3rd quarter, collapse and trail 34-17 before scoring a trash TD to make the score sound more respectable.

Mississippi State. Ahead 10-0 and 17-10, don't score in the final 19 minutes and lose 24-17 in OT, after Mississippi State blew a game ending field goal as regulation time expired.

At LSU: Ahead 27-21 with LSU's first team qb out, collapse and lose 31-27, even with 2:45 left LSU was at their own 1 yard line, and Les Miles managing the clock.

Most of us figured we just didn't have the depth and that could be fixed. But we were wrong. I thought the OT wins against Auburn and Ole Miss in 2015 had it fixed, but we relapsed. Bielema's teams are embarrassing in the second half. When a Razorback player holds up 4 fingers, it now pretty much means "We surrender."

[hogsanity]

Exactly. It's one thing to want Bielema gone (which I do), and it's another to just revise history and make up stuff to make him look worse.

Bielema's first team is terrible. I don't hold the 3-9 (0-8) record against him. But what he has done since then is worthy of him losing his job.

What I really like about this thread is that the OP says the cupboard was not bare, then comes back and says it was but it doesnt matter cause its year 5 now.

[hawgfan4life]

I could care less how bare or full the cupboard was when he was hired.  I care about the results he is getting in year 5.  Our cupboard is far from bare now and we were just described nationally as a "dumpster fire."  That is all we need to know and all that needs to be said.

[EastexHawg]

Why do some of you keep claiming Bielema was left with a bare cupboard?  Did you not take a look at the defensive lineup I just posted halfway up this page? 

On the other side of the ball, off the top of my head he was left:

QB  Brandon Allen
RB  Jonathan Williams
FB  Kiero Small/Kody Walker
WR Keon Hatcher
WR Mekale McKay
TE  Jeremy Sprinkle
OL  Brey Cook
OL  Mitch Smothers
OL  Luke Charpentier 
C  Travis Swanson

K  Zach Hocker
P  Toby Baker

Keep in mind 2013 was the second season after Petrino left.  Among those on the team the first season after he was fired, 2012, were Tyler Wilson, Knile Davis, Dennis Johnson, Cobi Hamilton, Alvin Bailey, and Chris Gragg.  Those guys didn't play for Bielema, but how can anyone claim Petrino left behind a "bare cupboard"?

How many NFL, All-American, All-SEC, SEC Player of the Week, and multi-year starters does a coach need to leave behind to qualify for not leaving a bare cupboard?

[The_Iceman]

Why do some of you keep claiming Bielema was left with a bare cupboard?  Did you not take a look at the defensive lineup I just posted halfway up this page? 

On the other side of the ball, off the top of my head he was left:

QB  Brandon Allen
RB  Jonathan Williams
FB  Kiero Small/Kody Walker
WR Keon Hatcher
WR Mekale McKay
TE  Jeremy Sprinkle
OL  Brey Cook
OL  Mitch Smothers
OL  Luke Charpentier 
C  Travis Swanson

K  Zach Hocker
P  Toby Baker

Keep in mind 2013 was the second season after Petrino left.  Among those on the team the first season after he was fired, 2012, were Tyler Wilson, Knile Davis, Dennis Johnson, Cobi Hamilton, Alvin Bailey, and Chris Gragg.  Those guys didn't play for Bielema, but how can anyone claim Petrino left behind a "bare cupboard"?

How many NFL, All-American, All-SEC, SEC Player of the Week, and multi-year starters does a coach need to leave behind to qualify for not leaving a bare cupboard?

It was freakin' bare dude.