Ok 4 games into the season , I get why RB's and O-LINE guys want to play for the hogs . What do we

[tophawg19]

use as a selling point for the WR'S AND TE'S? GLad to have great ones instate .
4 games in and our leading WR only has 10 catches . HH one of the better TE's in the game only has 4 . So what are the coaches telling the guys like Hill , Gragg , Cantrell ETC to get them to come . These are guys who can go just about anywhere and play in high profile passing offenses . Is there still much more to the playbook that is yet to be seen ? On a side note , i find it curious that we are recruiting a bunch of RB'S in the 5'9 to 5 '11 180 to 200 LB  range . Not the bigger power guys you would expect . Just how many layers does this onion have ?

[Pork Twain]

Probably the truth and that once everything is in place and we are deep and developed, our attack will go after the place the other team is weak and we will impose our will.  Who really knows though, but it seems to be working.

[scruf]

use as a selling point for the WR'S AND TE'S? GLad to have great ones instate .
4 games in and our leading WR only has 10 catches . HH one of the better TE's in the game only has 4 . So what are the coaches telling the guys like Hill , Gragg , Cantrell ETC to get them to come . These are guys who can go just about anywhere and play in high profile passing offenses . Is there still much more to the playbook that is yet to be seen ? On a side note , i find it curious that we are recruiting a bunch of RB'S in the 5'9 to 5 '11 180 to 200 LB  range . Not the bigger power guys you would expect . Just how many layers does this onion have ?

Winning brings recruits.

[bigdaddyhawg]

CBB put WR's into the league, too.

If I remember correctly against NIU Keon Hatcher caught 6 for 104.  If that's not enough for a kid to look at and like, then he's probably too caught up in himself to bother with.

[redeye]

I've also noticed that about the RB's.  Not sure why it's happening, but I think the hit/miss ratio may be better with shorter RB's.

On TE's, Bielema uses them a lot and has had great success with them.  I think his record speaks for itself with TE's.

I don't really understand questioning the selling point at WR, but that question seems to pop up a lot around here.  We're obviously a run-first team, but receivers are still very important, especially in the SEC, where one-sided offenses won't work.  If our offense were pass-first, I guess we'd be questioning the selling point to RB's?  Doesn't that affect all teams in some way?

[Adam Stokes]

I think Gragg did a good job explaining it in his commitment video.  He said that Chaney is the kind of guy that wants to air out the ball.  Bielema likes smashmouth football, but he also loves the air game when he has the pieces for it.  We just don't have the pieces right now.  KJ and Gragg and company will fix that up quick and we'll see a little more air under the ball.

[tophawg19]

most elite WR's want to play where they will be show cased . that means a lot of catches . we have several elite guys at both spots committed . Not sure what our coaches are telling them but they are doing a great job selling something. These are kids with great choices , not just guys grateful for any offer . They could play in the high profile passing offenses , yet choose us. That is a hell of a good sales job , whatever they are using

[tophawg19]

I think Gragg did a good job explaining it in his commitment video.  He said that Chaney is the kind of guy that wants to air out the ball.  Bielema likes smashmouth football, but he also loves the air game when he has the pieces for it.  We just don't have the pieces right now.  KJ and Gragg and company will fix that up quick and we'll see a little more air under the ball.

I agree with this and it might explain all the smaller speed RB'S as well

[bigdaddyhawg]

most elite WR's want to play where they will be show cased

This is probably true, but we absolutely can have a balanced, lethal offense with WR's that most don't consider 'elite'.

[Medic821]

That sums it all up.

[Mike_e]

In this offense we have to have WRs that are whole players not just highlight guys.

Having a superstud might be nice but it would be better for us to have three or four guys that know where the markers are and will not only catch the ball but block when it's not their turn.  4.2 speed is great but 4.4 will get you there.

[OnTheHillHogFan]

In this offense we have to have WRs that are whole players not just highlight guys.

Having a superstud might be nice but it would be better for us to have three or four guys that know where the markers are and will not only catch the ball but block when it's not their turn.  4.2 speed is great but 4.4 will get you there.

There are maybe 2 people in college football that can run a 4.2 laser time on a turf so don't hold your breath on getting guys that fast. If a WR can run a 4.5 laser then that as fast as you need to be if you can run good routes.

[The Boar War]

On a side note , i find it curious that we are recruiting a bunch of RB'S in the 5'9 to 5 '11 180 to 200 LB  range . Not the bigger power guys you would expect . Just how many layers does this onion have ?

Although most people associate Wisconsin with big power backs (Dayne, PJ Hill, and Clay), that size fits with a lot of the backs Bielema recruited.  Monte Ball, James White, and Melvin Gordon are all in that range.

[TeedupHigh]

most elite WR's want to play where they will be show cased . that means a lot of catches . we have several elite guys at both spots committed . Not sure what our coaches are telling them but they are doing a great job selling something. These are kids with great choices , not just guys grateful for any offer . They could play in the high profile passing offenses , yet choose us. That is a hell of a good sales job , whatever they are using

Saban has made a great living off selling WR's............

[onebadrubi]

We don't need a Dez Bryant, we need multiple J wrights, DJ Williams, and occasional G child's.  Ohhhh wait... You wanted an out if state all sec player drafted catching balls in the NFL that whines every chance he gets in front of a media member

[Nipsey Mussle]

They'll politely, tactfully, subtly hint that we will focus on the passing game more when we have the jimmy's and joe's to pull it off. Now, is that entirely true?  Maybe not but we have to say it anyway b/c it's recruiting.

I haven't seen any issue recruiting TE's. I have however noticed that we haven't thrown to TE's as much this year. Is it because our WR's are better than last year?

[blu]

We have 4 star QBs on campus and coming in. We have a balanced offense and proved it last week. We have 4 very solid to outstanding D-line commits, and you know our coaching staff is recruiting the back 7 very hard. True freshmen Liddell, Tolliver and Ramsey are impressing. We'll continue to upgrade our talent and performance on both sides of the ball.

[Razorfox]

TE's is easy.  If I'm not mistaken, CBB has put a couple of them into the NFL before.  And I also thought that Henry (as a true freshman) was one, if not the leading receiver on the team last year and a 1st Team SEC freshman. 

WRs might be a little harder, but I think once we have to start passing the ball more (like we did against NIU), it'll become pretty apparent that they will be required in this offense. 

[Pork Twain]

most elite WR's want to play where they will be show cased . that means a lot of catches . we have several elite guys at both spots committed . Not sure what our coaches are telling them but they are doing a great job selling something. These are kids with great choices , not just guys grateful for any offer . They could play in the high profile passing offenses , yet choose us. That is a hell of a good sales job , whatever they are using

Alabama

[jgphillips3]

What do we do?  Next year, we show them how KJ, Jared, Gragg, Keon and the rest make each other better and catch balls thrown their way.  Done.

[rljjr]

It looks like the plan has been to build from the inside out. That also seems to be working. I don't think it is any secret we want to be able to throw to elite receivers, but the staff has a plan that is working -- and it all starts inside. As the inside game improves, the outside recruiting will improve because we'll open the playbook and torch folks deep. If you've watched the last few weeks we've been successful throwing the ball for first downs. It's a symbiotic relationship. Runners need good blockers, WR need a good QB, a QB is only as good as his protection, and good blockers are motivated by making holes for great runners to get through and put up numbers.

We are on the way.

[ShadowTheHedgehog]

Maybe last week's game where the difference between passing and rushing was 1 yard?

[oldbooniehog]

No, it can't be.

Those coaches up there just CANNOT know what they're doing.

They CANNOT be able to recruit quality players at all positions.

Not possible. We are ARKANSAS for crying out loud!

Sheesh............

[hogwild210]

No, it can't be.

Those coaches up there just CANNOT know what they're doing.

They CANNOT be able to recruit quality players at all positions.

Not possible. We are ARKANSAS for crying out loud!

Sheesh............

Solid contribution to the thread 

[Nipsey Mussle]

No, it can't be.

Those coaches up there just CANNOT know what they're doing.

They CANNOT be able to recruit quality players at all positions.

Not possible. We are ARKANSAS for crying out loud!

Sheesh............

You could save that and appropriately place it in a great deal of recruiting threads on here. However, this isn't one of them. No one suggested anything close to what you're defending.

[Hoggish1]

It should be obvious to you that the players coming, and that are about to pull the trigger, see they will play for a winner.  That's a big No. 1 for starters. 

The playbook has just begun to be opened. Players of the calibre of Hill, Gragg and others will allow the PB to open wider and wider because of their uncommon skills. 

Does that help you...? 

[Hoggish1]

most elite WR's want to play where they will be show cased . that means a lot of catches . we have several elite guys at both spots committed . Not sure what our coaches are telling them but they are doing a great job selling something. These are kids with great choices , not just guys grateful for any offer . They could play in the high profile passing offenses , yet choose us. That is a hell of a good sales job , whatever they are using

I think elite players want to play for a winner and where their skills are not overworked. 

Imagine how nice it is to make plays that open up naturally due to mismatches rather than having to risk you body, being the sole threat and hope, because we can't run the ball.

That scares top players because they know it's all on their shoulders and that is too much pressure and risk.

[yraciv]

Bielema was at Wisconsin from 2006-2012. Let's take a look at the rather large list of WR and TE that he has put in the league.
Current:
Jared Abbrederis -WR -- joined as walkon QB, left as 1st team all big 10
David Gilreath -WR - 3 star WR, undrafted but on Steelers practice squad
Garrett Graham - TE - 3 star TE, 1st team all big 10, productive NFL TE now
Lance Kendricks - TE - was a 4 star WR, 2nd round draft pick, 1st team all big 10, NFL starter
Nick Toon - WR - was a 3 star WR, 2nd team all big 10, 4th round draft pick

Other's Drafted:
Travis Beckum - TE - 3rd round pick, won a super bowl
Paul Hubbard - WR - 6th round pick
O'Brien Schofield - TE 4th round pick, won a super bowl

Throw in whatever hand last year had in Javontee Herndon making a NFL practice squad. Can't say any of us expected that!  He has never had WR/TE with the reputation coming out of HS that Gragg, Hill, Henry, & the other have.  Kendricks was a big time recruit and the only other bigtime one he landed was Kraig Appleton out of E. St. Louis. Guy got suspended after a year and was gone.

Not bad for a school that is known for their power run game. Tolzien and Wilson just add to the fact, that he'll usually have a QB that can feed you. 

[onebadrubi]

Bielema was at Wisconsin from 2006-2012. Let's take a look at the rather large list of WR and TE that he has put in the league.
Current:
Jared Abbrederis -WR -- joined as walkon QB, left as 1st team all big 10
David Gilreath -WR - 3 star WR, undrafted but on Steelers practice squad
Garrett Graham - TE - 3 star TE, 1st team all big 10, productive NFL TE now
Lance Kendricks - TE - was a 4 star WR, 2nd round draft pick, 1st team all big 10, NFL starter
Nick Toon - WR - was a 3 star WR, 2nd team all big 10, 4th round draft pick

Other's Drafted:
Travis Beckum - TE - 3rd round pick, won a super bowl
Paul Hubbard - WR - 6th round pick
O'Brien Schofield - TE 4th round pick, won a super bowl

Throw in whatever hand last year had in Javontee Herndon making a NFL practice squad. Can't say any of us expected that!  He has never had WR/TE with the reputation coming out of HS that Gragg, Hill, Henry, & the other have.  Kendricks was a big time recruit and the only other bigtime one he landed was Kraig Appleton out of E. St. Louis. Guy got suspended after a year and was gone.

Not bad for a school that is known for their power run game. Tolzien and Wilson just add to the fact, that he'll usually have a QB that can feed you.

Nice research!  Nobody without an agenda will dispute that Bielema knows football and has more success stories of moving guys than blunders.  (Que in the Korliss thread)

[GolfnHog]

Nice research!  Nobody without an agenda will dispute that Bielema knows football and has more success stories of moving guys than blunders.  (Que in the Korliss thread)

Amen Brother! However, Hogfather would argue that.

[bigdaddyhawg]

I know post-Petrino that some here liked to look down on the high-scoring affairs we barely won because of apparent issues on defense.

I wonder if we're now gearing up for similar battles, because unless we address our DB issues we're going to need to score 30+ a game to win. 

The difference being we're not four years into playing with BB's recruits on defense.

[bigdaddyhawg]

The point is not about who's on the field currently, it's about what positions haven't been addressed through BB's recruiting. 

No, the point was we're playing with half kids he recruited but whom are really young and half players CBP recruited.

This may come as a shock, but it takes time to turn a program around, especially at a place like Arkansas where we don't have 50 4*'s within 200 miles of campus.

[redeye]

I know post-Petrino that some here liked to look down on the high-scoring affairs we barely won because of apparent issues on defense.

I wonder if we're now gearing up for similar battles, because unless we address our DB issues we're going to need to score 30+ a game to win.

We've had DB issues since Nutt was at Arkansas, but I like the progress we're currently making and even think we're spending too much time worrying about our secondary today, because we seem to be heading in the right direction.

[Tusks]

250 passing, 250 running.

when the hogs get their team together, balance will bring all players.

[Jerrajo]

My selling point would be when we went four wide in the hurry up. I would think that Bielema would let Chaney go four wide when we were up 14 if we had the talent at receiver and QB to put the game away...

It was obvious during the two minute drill that we dont have either.