Phil & Tye on their holiday, big news for the Arkansas offense, plus Bob Holt joins the pod!
Regardless of rankings, Pittman doing some pretty good recruiting
Just a few weeks into taking over Arkansas’ football program, Sam Pittman has shown his recruiting ability and I’m not talking about just high school players and transfers … or even just players.
With the announcement of Kendal Briles as the offensive coordinator Monday, he’s put someone who’s averaged nearly 40 points a game with offenses he’s coordinated with one of the best defensive-minded coaches in the game.
At a cost of roughly $2.2 million a year for assistant coaches, Pittman has shown he’s wanting good coaches around him. Some coaches are reluctant to go after assistants that good, mainly because there is the concern about them trying to get the top job.
It’s happened for decades. Bear Bryant warned Red Parker at Clemson back in the mid-1970’s about hiring an assistant named Charley Pell. It turned out to be prophetic as Pell ended up the head coach after kicking Parker out the door.
Years later, Parker told me in a phone call while he was sitting in the lobby of his car dealership in Fordyce that before Pell died in 2001 he called Red to apologize for stabbing him in the back.
“I won’t forget, though,” Parker told me.
Frank Broyles never worried about that. He simply got his assistants better jobs somewhere else when they were flat-lining with the Razorbacks. That continued into his athletics director role when the head coaches he hired didn’t want to make a change. Broyles quietly got them a better job somewhere.
Having never been a head coach, Pittman has been on some teams in rocky times and turbulent times. Let’s face it, Oklahoma in 1997-98 was as dysfunctional as the Hogs were last year with John Blake running things. North Carolina later was mired in a mess during Butch Davis’ tenure, then was Derek Dooley’s line coach during his last season at Tennessee.
He’s also seen the other side lately being Kirby Smart’s right-hand guy at Georgia.
Pittman knows he can’t coach every position on the field. It’s a good bet Hunter Yurachek planned this pretty well, too, putting together a pool for assistants around $5 million and it’s shaping up that will be about the right amount.
Here’s how it breaks down annually with six of the 10 spots filled:
• Barry Odom, defensive coordinator, $1.2 million
• Kendal Briles, offensive coordinator, $1 million
• Brad Davis, offensive line coach, $550,000
• Justin Stepp, wide receivers, $400,000
• Rion Rhoades, linebackers, $225,000
• Sam Carter, cornerbacks, $225,000
Old-timers like me remember when the entire Hogs’ coaching staff combined — including the head coach — made less than half what the lowest-paid assistant makes now.
Head coaches are only as good as their assistants. We may be starting to see that at Alabama as Nick Saban’s team has slipped a little bit with nearly a complete turnover of his staff after Smart left the Crimson Tide for the Bulldogs.
Granted, that doesn’t mean they’re in the same shape as the Hogs. But you’ll notice they did lose to LSU and Auburn. Recruiting is part of it, but if you don’t, as Steve Spurrier used to say “coach ‘em up,” it really doesn’t matter how good they are.
That’s why the assistants matter so much. As much as anything, the previous staffs haven’t exactly been stellar in that area. They may prove to be better recruiters than coaches.
The talent they brought in wasn’t 4-20 bad over the last two seasons. My guess is the previous staff might have been 6-6 with four Top 10 recruiting classes because it really was that bad.
Recruiting coaches is one thing, but Pittman has also managed to talk Rakeem Boyd into staying for his final year and nearly all of the redshirt freshmen that Chad Morris managed to save for him.
Some on the roster have left, but the guess here is most of them won’t be missed much.
The next thing we’ll find out about is how they develop and put it all together on the field.
But the hardest part might be getting a complete buy-in to what Pittman wants to do and all indications are looking good in that area. Better than it was with the previous coach.
Fans are hoping that shows up in September.
Boyd makes announcement he’s coming back to Razorbacks for 2020
Maybe the best recruiting job Sam Pittman has done in a few weeks on the job with Arkansas is Monday afternoon’s announcement that rising senior running back Rakeem Boyd will be coming back.
Boyd made the announcement Monday afternoon via Twitter:
#WPS ???? pic.twitter.com/D8xJs1TMAP
— Rakeem boyd ™ (@boyd_rakeem) December 23, 2019
Boyd was their top contributor on offense this season. He carried the ball 184 times and rushed for a team-leading 1,174 yards. His 94.2 yards per game ranked fifth in the Southeastern Conference.
The speedster’s eight rushing touchdowns were good for the 10th most in the conference.
He fell just short of cracking Arkansas’ top 10 all-time single-season rushing list. Additionally, he averaged 6.16 yards per carry.
Pittman names Kendal Briles to be Razorbacks’ new offensive coordinator
FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas coach Sam Pittman has named Kendal Briles as the Razorbacks’ new offensive coordinator in an announcement made online Monday afternoon.
Briles brings a wealth of knowledge and success to Arkansas as a play caller during his career.
The 2015 Broyles Award finalist has led offenses at each of his four coaching stops — Florida State, Houston, Florida Atlantic and Baylor.
Since taking over play-calling duties prior to the Cotton Bowl at the end of the 2014 season, when his Baylor offense set an NCAA bowl record with 601 passing yards against Michigan State, Briles’ offenses have averaged 39.5 points per game.
“We are very excited to have Kendal, his wife Sarah and their three children join us at Arkansas, they will be a welcomed addition to the football family we are building,” Pittman said. “Kendal brings an innovative offensive approach to our coaching staff.
“His offenses have been successful by both running and throwing the football in some of the nation’s most competitive conferences. He is well known for his ability to both recruit and develop young men into outstanding football players.”
At Florida State, Briles took over a struggling offense that ranked 103rd in total offense (361.2 ypg) and 113th in scoring (21.9 ppg) in 2018.
In his lone season with the Seminoles, he engineered an offense that improved greatly in both categories gaining 403.2 yards per game and scoring 29.1 points per game. The Noles’ running game saw the biggest improvement going from one of the worst in the FBS (91.1 ypg) in 2018 to 133.8 yards per game this season.
The FSU offense also saw huge turnarounds in the red zone (78.1% in 2018, 86.5% in 2019) and third down conversions (29.1% in 2018, 37.5% in 2019).
Briles’ offense was led by a pair of All-ACC performers this season in RB Cam Akers and WR Tamorrion Terry. Akers ran for 1,144 yards and 14 touchdowns during the regular season to rank 20th in the nation with 104 yards per game.
His rushing yards are the sixth-highest in a single-season at FSU with his 14 rushing scores ranking seventh all time. Terry has 51 catches for 1,023 yards and eight touchdowns with the Seminoles yet to play in the Sun Bowl next week.
Briles called one of the most explosive offenses in the nation in 2018 at Houston, ranking in the top 10 in both total offense (7th – 512.5 ypg) and points per game (5th, 43.9 ppg).
The Cougars were one of just three teams to rank in the top 25 nationally in passing and rushing, averaging 295.5 yards (16th in FBS) through the air and 216.8 yards (24th) on the ground. Houston’s offense was explosive, scoring at least 30 points in each of the first 12 games of the season, including a NCAA-leading 10 games of at least 40 points.
The offense put points on the board in 47 of 52 quarters and opened the year with a program-best eight straight games of 40-plus points.
The Cougars had 42 scoring drives of less than two minutes and ranked fifth in the country with 92 plays of 20-plus yards with the offense’s 44 plays of at least 30 yards ranking seventh in the nation.
Briles coordinated the offense at FAU in 2017 helping the Owls to the sixth-best rushing attack in the FBS with 285.3 yards per game. The same offense ranked eighth nationally with 40.6 points per game and ninth in total offense with 498.4 yards per game.
The Owls’ offense helped lead the program to its first Conference USA championship and an 11-3 record, including a win in the Boca Raton Bowl. RB Devin Singletary became FAU’s first Associated Press All-American and was named C-USA MVP after leading the nation with 32 rushing touchdowns.
He rushed for 1,920 yards before being picked in the third round of the NFL Draft by the Chicago Bears.
Briles spent the first nine years of his coaching career at Baylor helping the Bears to unprecedented success, including back-to-back Big 12 titles.
He served in numerous roles for the Bears as the inside wide receivers coach, passing game coordinator and recruiting coordinator before taking over as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for his final two seasons in Waco.
His recruiting efforts were recognized in 2013 and 2014 as the Big 12’s Recruiter of the Year.
He was a Broyles Award finalist in 2015 after leading Baylor’s offense to historic numbers, leading the NCAA with 48.1 points per game and 616.2 yards of total offense — the third-highest average in a single season in NCAA history.
Offensive lineman Spencer Drago was a consensus All-American and WR Corey Coleman won the Biletnikoff Award leading nine Bears on the All-Big 12 teams.
Briles and Baylor ended that season with a win over No. 10 North Carolina in the Russell Athletic Bowl racking up a NCAA bowl-record 645 rushing yards and a bowl record 756 yards of total offense.
His 2016 offense led the Big 12 in rushing with 241.2 yards per game. Baylor’s 2013 offense produced the second-highest total offense season average in NCAA history with 618.8 yards per game.
He was an outstanding high school quarterback in Texas, earning Texas 4A Offensive Player of the Year in each of his final two seasons after generating 9,322 yards of total offense and accounting for 98 touchdowns.
He began his collegiate playing career at Texas, where he redshirted in 2001 before playing seven games at safety and intercepting two passes in 2002.
He then transferred to Houston and moved to wide receiver, catching 70 passes for 680 yards and a score. He was inducted into the Texas High School Football Hall of Fame in 2014.
Briles and his wife Sarah have three children: sons, Jaytn and Kru, and daughter, Kinley.
Briles joins defensive coordinator Barry Odom, cornerbacks coach Sam Carter, offensive line coach Brad Davis, linebackers coach Rion Rhoades and wide receivers coach Justin Stepp on Pittman’s initial staff.
Bailey’s block proves to be THE play in a game Hogs pulled out win
NORTH LITTLE ROCK — Playing at Simmons Bank Arena drew maybe the most raucous crowd of the year for Arkansas and it helped, but it was a block by Adrio Bailey that made it happen.
And it came against Javon Freeman-Liberty, the Valparaiso player who caused a bell gong going off at practice Thursday with maddening regularity.
He had what initially appeared to be a drive for a dunk with the Hogs leading 68-65 late … until Bailey came flying in to swat it away and provide the spark in a 72-68 win Saturday night.
“It really saved the game for us,” Eric Musselman said later.
Bailey saw it coming when Freeman-Liberty got past Jimmy Whitt, Jr., and sailed down the baseline.
“He had to meet me (at the rim),” Bailey said later. “I was either getting dunked on or that’s my block.”
It was Bailey’s fifth block in the game (tying a career game high) and was just part of a night where he scored 10 points, snatched five rebounds and found time to get three steals. That scoring total also included a pair of 3-pointers.
“Adrio was awesome,” Musselman said. “We only made 10 3’s tonight, and Adrio made two on three attempts, and then the blocks.”
Mason Jones, who scored 20 points in the game behind Isaiah Joe’s 21, has seen Bailey do it before.
“To be honest, I don’t even think that’s Adrio’s best block,” said Jones later. “I’ve known Adrio since ninth grade — since I was fat kid in high school — and Adrio was still my friend. I’ve seen some incredible things Adrio did through high school and college.
“That block right there, it has to be in his top five because that block led to so much momentum. The crowd jumped off of it and it was a big stop. We were winning and, like he said, it was him and Freeman-Liberty, and he got a good block. I’m glad he got it.”
Bailey just shrugged it off.
But that was something the Razorbacks had to have or who knows if they win the game. It would have sent a record 15,540 fans home disappointed that were loud and engaged to the very end.
“If we’re playing in an empty gym, we might not win that game,” Musselman said. “I can tell everybody in North Little Rock and anybody that came to the game, if we’re playing outdoors somewhere five-on-five, we don’t win without that loud crowd tonight.”
Instead it makes for a happy holiday for everybody.
“It wouldn’t have been a very good Christmas, I can tell you that, at least not in my household if we would have lost … if I would have been allowed in,” Musselman said.
The Hogs have struggled and even lost the last several years playing in North Little Rock. It’s been a mystery why teams that have played well struggled coming to the central part of the state.
Maybe it’s the anticipation of the holidays. It’s a good bet if anybody had the answer it would be fixed.
Musselman didn’t appear he was going to worry about it for awhile. He was (correctly) willing to take the game.
“We’re 10-1 and we didn’t play as well as we have played for the most of the year,” he said. “But we still won a game.”
And in the end that’s really all that matters.
Musselman on Hogs’ 72-68 win with largest crowd for NLR game
Arkansas coach Eric Musselman couldn’t remember why he got a technical and talked about the win over Valparaiso in front of 15,630, the largest crowd for the North Little Rock game.
Bailey, Jones talking about Hogs’ win over Valpo on Saturday night
Razorback players Adrio Bailey(10 points, 6 rebounds, 4 blocked shots) and Mason Jones (20 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists) on the 72-68 win over the Crusaders in North Little Rock
Dungee, Tolefree pace Razorbacks past Trojans in NLR in-state matchup
NORTH LITTLE ROCK — Arkansas beat Little Rock (2-8), 86-53, in Simmons Bank Arena on Saturday afternoon.
With the win, Arkansas is off to its best start since 2013-14, when the Hogs opened the season with 13 straight victories.
Chelsea Dungee and Alexis Tolefree paced the Hogs, going for 21 points each. With her 21 in the game, Dungee became the fastest Razorback to ever reach 1,000 points at Arkansas, needing just 49 games with the Razorbacks to do it.
Tolefree, meanwhile, matched her season-high against the Trojans, and went for 20+ for the third time in her last four games.
Turning point
Little Rock refused to go away in this one, cutting the Razorback lead to just 10 points with 8:13 to play in the third quarter.
Then, Arkansas went on one of its patented runs, using an 18-6 spurt to build some breathing room.
Tolefree led the way during the run, putting in six of the 18 points. The highlight of the surge came at the 5:55 mark of the third period, when Tolefree eurostepped to the goal for two.
On the next trip down, she found a wide-open Amber Ramirez in the corner, who would splash home a three to make it a 17-point game with 5:25 to go in the frame.
Hog highlights
• Dungee became the fastest Razorback ever to reach 1,000 points, needing just 49 games to do so.
• Dungee also led the Hogs on the glass, pulling down eight rebounds against the Trojans. That matched her season-high.
• Tolefree has now posted three of her six-career 20+ point games over the last four contests.
• Ramirez reached double-digits yet again for the Hogs, going for 12 points (4-8 3PT). She has reached double-figures nine times in 12 games this season.
• A’Tyanna Gaulden continues to be a force off the bench for the Hogs, going for 15 points against Little Rock. She has now scored in double-figures in three straight contests.
• Little Rock native Erynn Barnum was dominant near the rim on Saturday afternoon, recording a career-high four rejections. She became the first freshman Razorback to record four or more blocks in a game since Macy Weaver had four against UTEP (11/23/17).
Next time out
The Razorbacks head home to finish their non-conference schedule, as they will host Tennessee-Martin next Sunday.
That game is set to tip-off at 2 p.m. and will be streamable on SECN+.
Neighbors glad to get big win over Trojans, playing in North Little Rock
Razorbacks coach Mike Neighbors talked after the 86-53 win over Little Rock on Saturday afternoon about getting to play in Simmons Bank Arena and his friend Joe Foley.
Foley, Francis on playing against Razorbacks on Saturday afternoon
Little Rock coach Joe Foley and freshman Angelique Francis (15 points, 6 rebounds) on finally getting to play against Arkansas, depth issue in 86-53 loss.
