Bud Light Morning Rush Podcast: Friday
John & Tommy are joined by Clay Henry to discuss the Ole Miss Rebels, plus T-Dub stops by!
Morris has a plan that really isn’t based on what Hog fans think
Considering each team’s scoring output in the opening week of the season, fans of both Arkansas and Ole Miss are apparently expecting something resembling two mules fighting over a turnip.
That’s what you get when the Razorbacks hold off Portland State by 20-13 and the Rebels’ faceplant in Memphis, 15-10.
Which is why 100 on the over-under this week may be too low. That tends to happen in this series.
So many Hog fans are expecting the worst you get the idea they are almost hoping for it. You would think they lost last week.
But this is fan base has historically been more concerned with style points than wins and losses. That’s a trend that goes back to the 1960’s.
Frank Broyles caught so much grief in 1967 he told everybody the Hogs would be passing the ball more, going to a pro-style offense.
Despite the first play of 1968 being a bomb attempt to a fast-stepping Max Peacock that Bill Montgomery missed on, they actually ran the ball more in ’68 than they did in ’67.
“It was important for recruiting we told everybody we were a pro-style offense,” Broyles said a few years later. To most in those days, that meant you were going to be flinging it around the field.
But fans were happy. Even in a loss to Texas in 1968, fans griped more in a 16-2 win over Georgia in the Sugar Bowl. They missed too many offensive chances and Bill Burnett getting tackled in the end zone for a safety gave them something.
Even in the era of the Great Playcaller himself, the Hogs scored over 40 and lost by double digits (including a 22-point loss to Auburn and Cam Newton). Sometimes you get the idea fans would have been upset with a narrow win.
Also during that time frame, there were some nail-biting wins over folks like Troy, East Carolina (in overtime) and Western Kentucky.
Quit complaining about a win, regardless how ugly it was over any caliber team.
Sometimes the game plan is a little different from what some of the Lunatic Fringe geniuses think (or hope) it is.
The guess here is the Razorbacks’ offense is going to look a little different than it did against Portland State. There were at least three basic routes they practice in drills I’ve seen that were not run a single time in the opener.
Chad Morris really doesn’t care what you think about the margin of victory or how you judge the style because 99.345 percent of the people reading this have no clue what he was wanting to accomplish.
The Hogs’ offense will be fine. Even during last year’s disaster, they put up more yardage and points on Alabama until the Crimson Tide nosedived into the ground against Clemson. Morris knows offense, regardless what you want to think in a short-sighted, narrow, viewpoint.
Do not base a plan on what you see in the opening game of a season where a lot of coaches would have run quarterback sneaks all day if they come out of it with a win.
Ultimately, that’s what matters.
Morris has a game plan for an entire program, not just a game or a season. His plan is one that is based on a certain foundation and he’s likely going to have the time to see if he can put something together.
Oh, and that plan includes winning. Morris isn’t putting that plan up for a vote by the fans, either, and he’s not too concerned with how they’d vote anyway. He’s well aware of what does matter.
Morris was a math major and knows it’s all in the numbers with a W.
Neighbors only celebrating national ranking for 10 minutes
FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas came in at 19 in espnW’s Way-Too-Early Preseason Top 25, announced today.
The Hogs are one of five SEC teams to earn a spot in the rankings.
“Coach speak would lead one to say ‘Oh that’s just one preseason poll…end of the year matters…blah blah blah’”, coach Mike Neighbors said. “Those coaches have most likely been ranked for years and are trying to deflect expectation.
“We have a locker room full of players who have worked their tails off to be mentioned, so we are going to embrace it and celebrate it. We have a group that realizes it won’t carry any weight into Selection Monday unless we practice and play up to the high standards this group has set.
“So we will celebrate for 10 minutes today and then get back on the court!”
The Razorbacks’ jump into the top 25 is a result of their postseason performance in 2019, as Neighbors’ squad caught fire during the SEC Tournament, becoming the highest seed ever (10) to make it the tournament final, courtesy of upset wins over then-No. 12 South Carolina and then-No. 15 Texas A&M.
The Hogs also had a nice run in the WNIT, getting wins over Houston and UAB before falling to TCU in a close game in Round Three.
espnW explained their pick and positioning of the Razorbacks as follows:
“Momentum is the big word around the Razorbacks after they finished the season so impressively with a run to the SEC tournament title game and a third-round WNIT appearance. Junior Chelsea Dungee (20.5 PPG last season) will be one of the top scorers in the SEC, and third-year coach Mike Neighbors has five of his next six top scorers from last season back. Guard Amber Ramirez, a former McDonald’s All American, is eligible after her transfer from TCU and could be the perfect running mate for Dungee.”
The Razorbacks’ schedule is expected to be announced in the next few weeks.
???? Halftime Pod presented by Jeff’s Clubhouse — Brett Northsworthy
Phil & Tye recap Chad Morris’ comments from Wednesday, interview Brett Northsworthy, and more!
Bud Light Morning Rush Podcast: Thursday
John & Tommy discuss the Ole Miss/Arkansas games in years past, Morris with the media, plus Richard Davenport!
Burks, Knox have more confidence in Hogs’ offense than fans
Since an opening day win that probably was far closer than most considered comfortable, it’s been a week of doom and gloom over the state of the Arkansas offense.
Freshman wide receivers Treylon Burks and Trey Knox weren’t having it Tuesday in their first time talking to the media this season.
They are far more confident in this offense than the fans or the majority of media folk.
“We’re going to dominate,” Burks responded to a question, which drew a reaction from the interviewer.
Burks didn’t miss a beat.
“Just being honest with you,” he said.
It was the kind of candid reaction you don’t normally get from freshmen on their first trip into the media scrum. In case you don’t know that’s when a coach or player stands there and it’s usually about 10 people trying to get as close as possible.
And Burks is the quiet one.
Knox is much more animated, often doing a little dance during wide receiver drills in practice and he was all smiles talking with us Monday.
“We’re going to put a lot of points up in this game,” Knox said.
Knox had the longest catch of the day, a 38-yarder, but he also had a drop earlier that somebody brought up Monday. Earlier in the second quarter, Ben Hicks threw a pass over the middle to Knox … and he dropped it.
“We needed that one,” Knox said. “I didn’t think it was going to get through, but I should have been prepared for it. But it’s not going to happen again.”
This week, Razorback fans have questioned why Hicks is even starting at quarterback as Nick Starkel is in the position of what is often the most popular position … backup quarterback.
Yet, he throws a pass to Knox he didn’t think would get through, but somehow it did.
Injuries put the two highly-touted freshmen into the starting lineup in the season opener. But it’s just a preview, Knox thinks.
“It shows what we have coming in the future,” he said, with the customary smile.
There was a moment, though, when a lot of fans held their collective breath.
Burks took a helmet to the knee he had surgically repaired last October and he grabbed the knee on the Hogs’ sideline.
“It just scared me,” Burks said. “That’s the first time I got hit on my knee since I’ve had knee surgery.”
The game against Portland State was the first time he’d been in a live contest since suffering that knee injury.
“It was a little nerve-wracking,” Burks said of being back on the field for the first time.
Now all we have to do is get Razorback radio commentator Quinn Grovey to remember there’s only one Trey on the field when both of the freshmen are playing.
It’s Treylon Burks and Trey Knox.
Quinn, you’re confusing the folks in Warren.
Morris on injuries, wearing all-white against Ole Miss on Saturday
Razorbacks coach Chad Morris gave an update on injured players before Wednesday’s practice and confirmed they will be wearing all-white in the SEC opener Saturday.
???? Halftime Pod presented by Jeff’s Clubhouse — Clay Henry
Phil & Tye discuss what fans want to see to be postseason confident, Change My Mind, and more!
Burks on finally getting to play after working all summer
Arkansas wide receiver Treylon Burks talked after practice Tuesday about playing in first game with Razorbacks on Saturday and how good it felt following practice all summer.
