Bielema blames players, not coaches!

[RebHog]

Compare Froholdt this year to last year and get back me on how there is no development.

Are you serious he was so bad last year and lost if he had no coach what at all he would make improvement.

[DLUXHOG]

WE seem to have an entire squad of under achievers.  We have under achieved for every year BB has been here.  WAKE UP.

your dates are wrong as I think this has been the case every year since Nutt wound up on campus (with the exception of a 3-4 year stretch)

[bennyl08]

Austin Allen and about 80 of his hits say, "You're welcome for the SEC OJT, Mr. Froholdt."

In english? No idea what you are saying.

While we're at it let's look at the ENTIRE roster, top to bottom, before we draw any sweeping conclusions. And based on this your verdict would still be the same?

QB: Austin was developed nicely through his junior year. BA improved each year he played. This is the first year we've seen any regression from an individual qb.

RB: JWill and Collins improved each year. Hard to compare Whaley. He went from being in a complimentary role with a good passing game to trying to be the lead back with no passing game. Small took a big leap forward under Bielema. Jackson and Hayden have improved at FB as well. Out of 5 seasons played, Whaley this year is about the only player and only year you can say maybe there wasn't good development.

WR: Didn't see a ton of improvement and development on the field from 13 to 14. Huge improvement once Enos took over in 2015, and the players were even better in 2016. Again, common theme here, this is the first year we aren't seeing improvement. 2 out of 3 years under the same OC and WR coach, we saw very good development of this roster position. This year we haven't. Certainly speaks to something else being at play.

TE: Henry improved each year. Derby showed marked improvement. Sprinkle really got better at the run game and remained good in the passing game. This is the first year we're seeing a slowing of development on the field. O'Grady has still definitely improved, but has made mistakes as well.

OL: Swanson took a big step forward in development. Skipper and Kirkland developed well during their times here as did Tretola. Smothers made big improvements. Ragnow has gotten better each year. Froholdt this year has shown tremendous improvement. Gibson is better this year than last. Jackson isn't great this year, but he was awful last year and he's improved.

I could keep going for the defense. At each level of the defense, individual players improved, though scheme didn't always allow that to happen. Flowers and Wise became balanced with being able to stop the run as well as rush the passer. Hodge and Jackson have improved their conditioning. Ellis was pretty much at his ceiling pretty early on. Spaight was definitely developed. Greenlaw and Harris have improved greatly as has Eugene. Ramsey is more complete this year. Ramirez has improved, Liddell and Gaines got better over time as well. Pulley, Collins, Toliver, KR3, all have improved with time here on the hill.

[sowmonella]

Are you serious he was so bad last year and lost if he had no coach what at all he would make improvement.

What??

[bennyl08]

Are you serious he was so bad last year and lost if he had no coach what at all he would make improvement.

So, it's pretty common for a player to go from being the weakest link on an OL to one of the highest graded guards in the conference in just one season?

I agree he would have made some improvement essentially regardless of coaching staff. However, if he was able to make that much improvement on his own without being developed by the coaching staff, then he's going to be a lock to the NFL HoF and could become paid higher than most qb's. Odds are pretty slim for that. Possible, but not likely.

[3kgthog]

We have one legit SEC level player on the starting OL. If the rest aren't capable, that's a lot of whiffs by DMW and his staff. It doesn't appear they know what they are doing without Pittman,

[hogginbama]

History only goes so far.  His history over the last couple years suggest the opposite. 

That said, I think FANONTHEHILL is correct.  It's that we changed our style when Enos arrived, which probably didn't agree with Pittman's style.  No more focus on running with big, physical OL...like Wallace and probably many of the upperclassmen recruited by Pittman.  Now it's seemingly changed to smaller, more athletic and mobile type OL, which seems more suited for the spread, but we're not committed to the spread. And we're still seemingly trying to smash mouth with some regularity without the type OL players necessary to do so.  As if we're in no-man's land.  Trying to be some hybrid offense without the talent necessary to accomplish it.  BB needs cure the double personality and pick a scheme and go all in with it.     

I think FOTH was in to something with that. The older players may have the physicality to play the smash-mouth game, but not the quickness for the quick pass screen game. That could very well explain why the younger guys are playing. What type of system did they come from in high school. With many high school teams going spread, those young men have been pulling and getting out on screens for a while now. As you said, we are between that standard smash-mouth game and moving to a more open offense and there are major growing pains. It seems as if CBB realized that going smash-mouth wasnt going to get it done with our limited recruiting ability so he made the change to a more open style. Like any boss would do, if it aint gonna work, why keep doing it. Make the switch, suffer just a bit until it starts showing the upside. 

[bennyl08]

Can we please stop with this graded crap? Froholdt is still blown off the line multiple times against any quality opponents.

Clint Stoerner was just saying today how Froholdt was getting pushed back so bad in the South Carolina game that Ragnow wasn't able to pull to the left on those designed pin and pulls.

Other than Ragnow, the entire offensive line is getting embarrassed every game against P5 competition.

No, we won't stop with providing actual facts.

Marshal Yanda is still blown off the line against quality DT's from time to time and he's without argument the best OG of the past decade. Overall, Froholdt has played quite well. Objectively so.

[BILLYBOB]

Wow. Just...wow.

https://www.seccountry.com/arkansas/arkansas-coach-bret-bielema-kurt-anderson-offensive-line

Leadership 101 states when things go right it's due to the hard work and dedication of the troops/players/workers, When things go bad it's due to lack of preparation and poor strategy by the generals/coaches/managers. That is chapter 1, verse 1. You never EVER publicly criticize those you lead. I'm truly shocked at how poorly CBB is choosing his words. For the players he referenced, his comments must be very deflating.

[al_pigcino]

So are we do draw the conclusion that you find totally no problem with either the coaching or in game adjustments?

How many plays do you think would have went for yardage if a tackle wasn't driven 4 yards into the backfield? 

[hawgon]

There was a play the other day that to even my untrained eye was hilarious if it hadn't been us.  The running back was running a sweep and as he began to cut Froholdt passed in front of him on the screen going faster backwards than the running back was going forwards.  He must have been driven back a good eight yards into the backfield.  And it was fast.  He wasn't even slowing his guy down in a straight bull rush.

[Vantage 8 dude]

How many plays do you think would have went for yardage if a tackle wasn't driven 4 yards into the backfield?

I ask again: you find the coaching and in game adjustments to be perfect It's ONLY the player's performances that are lacking? Please answer the simple question. BTW just for your edification I've never, ever said that player performances have been perfect. Heck, I think a guy who's blind in one eye and can't see out the other can see that.

[al_pigcino]

I ask again: you find the coaching and in game adjustments to be perfect It's ONLY the player's performances that are lacking? Please answer the simple question.

I'd say 90% of the plays are at the fault of the players.  You must be dense.  I've mentioned that several times now. 

[Vantage 8 dude]

I'd say 90% of the plays are at the fault of the players.  You must be dense.  I've mentioned that several times now.

So, nice to see you actually definitely answered the question. And no, you've never really quantified your thoughts. So in that case I'm most certainly not a mind reader, although apparently you are. Nice gift to have.

BTW if the players he has on the field are so terrible in missing assignments, problems with attitude, etc. isn't that to some degree specifically on the coaches. While I realize that neither CBB or others on the staff can execute the plays, they most certainly have to take some major responsibilities for the poor play/techniques of the kids they have on the field. Oh yeah one more thing: who bears the responsibility of the collapses in the second half? I mean sooner or later the coaches, who are being very well paid, have to take some major part of the blame. Otherwise virtually any of us could go out and achieve the same results. I mean why pay a HC something like $4 million if his results/lack thereof, aren't going to critically judged?

[al_pigcino]

So, nice to see you actually definitely answered the question. And no, you've never really quantified your thoughts. So in that case I'm most certainly not a mind reader, although apparently you are. Nice gift to have.

BTW if the players he has on the field are so terrible in missing assignments, problems with attitude, etc. isn't that to some degree specifically on the coaches. While I realize that neither CBB or others on the staff can execute the plays, they most certainly have to take some major responsibilities for the poor play/techniques of the kids they have on the field. Oh yeah one more thing: who bears the responsibility of the collapses in the second half? I mean sooner or later the coaches, who are being very well paid, have to take some major part of the blame. Otherwise virtually any of us could go out and achieve the same results. I mean why pay a HC something like $4 million if his results/lack thereof, aren't going to critically judged?

The only thing I equate this to is my job, IT.  There are employers who ask for 5 9's and want no interruption of service.  Some do this on a budget of $10,000 a year.  There are companies with million dollar budgets who don't do this.  Who's fault is it that they can't have 5 9's?

[Redhogs]

The only thing I equate this to is my job, IT.  There are employers who ask for 5 9's and want no interruption of service.  Some do this on a budget of $10,000 a year.  There are companies with million dollar budgets who don't do this.  Who's fault is it that they can't have 5 9's?

Wow..you need help. Leadership and responsibiliy are 2 words obviously missing from your vocabulary.  Why do we even need coaches...players evaluate, coach, game plan, and motivate themselves..right?

[HognotinMemphis]

"but I think there's some guys we recruited three or four years ago that just haven't developed into what we want them to be."

The O-line problem is on Bielema 100%. He made the choices in whom to sign and he made the decisions on how many to sign. He's paying the price for poor decision making now. And that is how it works. Can't blame anyone or anything but himself. And he should have found another QB who does not have a strong tendency to hold the ball too long, fully knowing his O line is weak.

So much for becoming O line U and controlling the LOS.

[DeltaBoy]

The Oline needs to MAN UP!

[al_pigcino]

Wow..you need help. Leadership and responsibiliy are 2 words obviously missing from your vocabulary.  Why do we even need coaches...players evaluate, coach, game plan, and motivate themselves..right?

Ok how about this:
You're a boxer and your trainer tells you to only throw right punches.  The other guy is beating the crap out of you.  Would you keep throwing right punches or would you throw in a left? 

The players need to step up.  The coaches need responsibility too but for motivation?  Pffft.  If a player can't get up for playing in front of 70k people then that's on him, not the coaches.

[HognotinMemphis]

Ok how about this:
You're a boxer and your trainer tells you to only throw right punches.  The other guy is beating the crap out of you.  Would you keep throwing right punches or would you throw in a left? 

The players need to step up.  The coaches need responsibility too but for motivation?  Pffft.  If a player can't get up for playing in front of 70k people then that's on him, not the coaches.

It's always on the coaches in my opinion. They recruited and sign the players. They judged the talent and desire. If they are wrong and the player ends up on the bench like so many of the 4 star O linemen Bielema signed, then it is all on Bielema's shoulders ultimately. He is the one making $4 million per year for 5 years. He's taking Arkansas for almost $20 million in 5 years and what do we have to show for it? 10-24 in SEC currently. Not much to show.