Don’t count on passing top QB requirement for Hogs

With Chad Morris not wanting to put any particular quarterback ahead of another in fall camp, it does lead to a constant conversation topic for radio talk shows and any gathering of two fans or more.

The view from here is many fans simply haven’t paid close enough attention to what Morris has been saying since the spring.

Being the best passer isn’t a primary measuring stick. This isn’t the same scenario for Arkansas as it was in 2008 when Bobby Petrino took over.

Morris wants to run the ball. Petrino made no secret of the fact he preferred passing, even saying on a couple of occasions he wasn’t patient enough to run the ball downfield, gaining four and five yards at time.

You get the feeling if the Razorbacks were getting 4-5 yards a clip by simply handing it off on the first read in Morris’ offense there wouldn’t be a pass thrown.

And the time between snaps would be so fast you better not look down to grab your popcorn.

Morris has said since he was announced as coach his offense is a two-back, run-oriented offense that will take deep shots down the field. I didn’t think that was very hard to understand, but a lot of folks still aren’t grasping it.

His offenses are remarkably balanced.

At SMU last year, they ran the ball 486 times and passed it 487 times. You don’t get much more balanced than that, but there’s a more important message.

If you thought this was going to be slinging it all over the field in the air like Petrino, forget it. That’s not what Morris does.

While Petrino’s first team struggled the first year, a lot of that was adjusting to a coach who, let’s be nice here, was not a players’ coach. For the players returning, it was in stark contrast to the Houston Nutt style. For high school players, well, there were some who decided before the halfway point of the season they were leaving and had to be talked out of it by Bobby.

There were other issues, too. Most of the skill position players coming in had played a Morris-style offense in high school. For example, it took Tyler Wilson some time to adapt to getting the snap from under center and dropping back. In high school he started back where Petrino wanted him to get to.

An astonishing number of the Hogs’ current skill position players — both returning veterans and newcomers — played a Morris-style offense in high school. Some an offense created after their coach went to one of Morris’ clinics.

The learning curve isn’t that steep. As commentator Greg McElroy pointed out on the SEC Network last week, the learning curve isn’t nearly as steep making this change as it was from Petrino to Bret Bielema’s style.

Now don’t misunderstand me. This team would need a lot of breaks and maybe a miracle or two to get to nine or 10 wins. No way I will go out on that limb and make a prediction in that range.

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But there is a path to get there … if they get the breaks and that miracle or two. In Lou Holtz’ first year, he got some breaks:

• After winning the league in their first year in 1976, the Cougars were dealing with a pesky NCAA investigation that finally blew up just before playing the Hogs and they simply showed up as the Hogs romped to a 34-0 win in Little Rock.

• At Texas A&M a month later, the Hogs had to get a very late pass completion from Ron Calcagni to Robert Farrell, on a route they modified for a score to pull out a 27-22 win. Patrick Martin had to intercept a pass in the end zone to salvage the win.

• In Lubbock on Thanksgiving, the Hogs sleepwalked through the first half, threatening to derail an Orange Bowl bid, and finally did just enough for a 17-14 win over the Red Raiders. Tech had lost the previous week to Houston, 45-7, after the Cougars shook off the midseason NCAA slump.

The point is, to win nine or 10 games, there’s always a break or two, plus usually something bordering on near-miracle that makes the difference. Very few folks just steamroll their way to even nine wins.

To have a shot at any of that, Arkansas is going to need a quarterback that makes quick, correct decisions.

And THAT is the No. 1 thing Morris and offensive coordinator Joe Craddock are trying to find on this team.

Which is why worrying about who’s got the biggest arm of the bunch is likely not even in the equation. From what I’ve seen in limited views, every one of the quarterbacks can make the throws required in this offense.

How accurate they are is more important than how fast they get the ball there. Getting rid of it fast is a factor, but still not the biggest factor.

Who starts at quarterback is likely going to be more about what’s going on above the shoulders than anything below that.

And it won’t be surprising if Morris waits until game day to make the decision.