Now that the season is over, I reflect on how each game went. So many bad coaching decisions during games. It makes me wonder how many bad coaching decisions were made during practice. I have to believe the players did not have much confidence in the coaching staff.
Overall, while Petrino left the team weak and thin in many areas, especially in defensive secondary, I blame the season on the coaching staff, not on any of the players. This coaching staff should be ashamed of themselves. I would hope the entire staff is released.
Game by game:
2012-09-01 Arkansas Jacksonville State 49 - 24: A win but should have been by even larger margin and defensive coaching was atrocious.
2012-09-08 Arkansas ULM 31 - 34: Loss at home in OT. Truly horrific play calling in this one caused the loss.
2012-09-15 Arkansas Alabama 0 - 52: Loss at home. Was going to be a loss no matter what but the final score is on the coaches. The right play calling strategy on both sides of the ball would have resulted in a less embarrassing final score.
2012-09-22 Arkansas Rutgers 26 - 38: Loss at home. Very winnable game and as many have said, this is a game that would have been a "W" with either Nutt or Petrino as HC. Now realize how bad this coaching staff is that Nutt could have led the team to a win in this game.
2012-09-29 Texas AM Arkansas 58 - 10: Loss on the road. See Bama game comments. Not going to beat A&M every year on neutral field or at their place, but with a 10-0 lead, something goes wrong and the team literally disintegrates. Why? I have to blame the fragility of the player's confidence on the coaching staff.
2012-10-06 Auburn Arkansas 7 - 24: Win at Auburn. As it turned out, any win was a good win for this team. However, it was vs one of the worst teams in Div 1 football.
2012-10-13 Arkansas Kentucky 49 - 7: Win at home. See Auburn game comments.
2012-10-27 Arkansas Ole Miss 27 - 30: Yet another loss at home and in LR. Very winnable game and would have been a win with any coaching leadership and smarts at all.
2012-11-03 Arkansas Tulsa 19 - 15: Win at home. The best win of the year over a good Tulsa team. Could have easily lost this yet held on. Closer than it should have been as it turned out but snatching defeat from the jaws of victory was pretty common this year for this coaching staff.
2012-11-10 South Carolina Arkansas 38 - 20: Loss on the road. Never going to be a W. Do not recall much about this game. At least it was not embarrassing final score.
2012-11-17 Mississippi State Arkansas 45 - 14: Loss on the road. Up 14-7, one bad event led once again to total and complete collapse on both sides of the ball for the Hogs. That is coaching, or lack thereof. When there is a turnover, this team sort of quits. That is coaching. Very embarrassing loss to what I consider a mediocre Miss St team.
2012-11-23 Arkansas LSU 20 - 13: Yet another home loss. Very winnable game. Nutt would have won this game by 10+ points. Petrino may have won it by 24+. Best the D line played all year.
3-5 at home this year including 0-2 in LR. Terrible.
