Arkansas football’s eclipse came in ’10, ’11

A total solar eclipse does not happen around here very often.

It was 1978 the last time one passed across the United States. It will be 2024 before the next one comes along (passing directly over Arkansas this time).

Similarly, Arkansas football has blockbuster success about every 30 years or so. In 1978 (same as the last eclipse) under the great Lou Holtz, Arkansas won 11 games and finished number three in the country whipping Oklahoma in the Orange Bowl.

Lou Holtz led Arkansas to an 11-1 record and the #3 ranking in the country in 1978.

In the 2010 and 2011 seasons, Arkansas went 21-5 and appeared in a major bowl game (a Sugar Bowl game that doesn’t count, but did occur) and won the Cotton Bowl (now a major New Year’s six bowl game).

It seems to me that like the earth, sun and moon, everything has to align perfectly for the Razorbacks to have that special season.

That season that comes along about every 30 years.

Sadly, we are now living in normal. This is how it supposed to be most of the time at a place like this with no great major metropolitan area producing boundless amounts of elite talent close to campus.

This is how it is when you play in the toughest division in all of football, including the NFL.

But one day, all those factors will align again and Arkansas will be back at the 10 or 11 win mark.

We just all hope it is sooner rather than in 2040.