Saturday’s Red-White Game marked the end of Arkansas’ spring practice (well, except for a Monday workout closed to media and public), and here are the best photos from that.
Photos by Ted McClenning | HitThatLine.com
Bud Light Morning Rush Podcast: Monday
John, Tommy, & Nick discuss the Eric Musselman hire, Eddie in Clarksville weighs in, and the recruiting changes.
Yurachek gets Musselman, who may have been target all along
Arkansas athletics director Hunter Yurachek was conspicuous by has absence at Saturday’s Red-White football game.
With many fans exhausted by his search for a coach to replace Mike Anderson, Chad Morris’ second spring game was a welcome diversion.
But Yurachek wasn”t there. Turns out he was in Reno, Nevada, getting a signature from Nevada coach Eric Musselman to be the new coach.
First, there was the assumption Yurachek would be going after Houston coach Kelvin Sampson. That didn’t work out, which caused some fans to start worrying another coach had used them to get a raise, which may or may not have happened.
Then Musselman’s name surfaced Monday. A couple of sources told me it was a done deal. Maybe it was.
More names surfaced in a “flavor of the day” routine with message board rumor mills circulating just about every name, but most wanting a call made to Chris Beard, the Texas Tech (and former Arkansas-Little Rock) coach.
Coaching searches these days don’t work that way.
Besides, Beard wasn’t leaving a team he’s taking to the national championship game in three years. No clue he has any thoughts about Arkansas one way or the other.
Wichita State coach Gregg Marshall and former UCLA coach Steve Alford may have been convenient smokescreens.
All of which makes you wonder if Musselman was Yurachek’s first choice all along.
There’s no saying Yurachek had all this planned before firing Mike Anderson. But, once it happened, he could read a calendar and probably wasn’t in a big rush to get it done. Don’t take that as guessing he dragged it out at all.
It’s been less than two weeks.
Debating whether it was the best move for Yurachek to make is a waste of time now. You’re either on the bandwagon, standing by watching or about to jump under it. That’s an individual call.
Now it’s about watching what he does.
Musselman should know he’s got to win games. Quick.
Nobody knows how long the window is for comfort. There will be some that will expect big-time success immediately. No idea if that will happen or not.
People that know basketball say he’s flexible in style. At Nevada he played a positionless style, with the rebounder bringing the ball up the floor in a quick fashion and blending transfers with some junior college talent.
Keep in mind, too, that Eddie Sutton and Nolan Richardson were mid-major coaches when they were hired by Frank Broyles. Sutton came from Creighton and Richardson from Tulsa.
Neither took their teams as far in the NCAA as Musselman has taken Nevada to a Sweet 16 appearance. His winning percentage of 76.4% is slightly above Nolan’s Tulsa mark of 76.3% and Eddie’s mark at Creighton of 62.1%.
In case you’re wondering, Stan Heath only had a year of being a head coach and John Pelphrey’s an alarming 54.4% winning percentage. It was alarming how he got hired with that track record despite the mess things were after Dana Altman’s quick departure.
A lot of the internet “experts” think Musselman got to recruit and develop high school players to be successful at Arkansas. “They” keep saying that’s essential.
My question is in this world of the best players staying, at the most, two years exactly what is the difference between them and juco or transfers?
It matters how you manage what you got.
Musselman has done a pretty good job of that at Nevada. It’s a trait pro coaches have dealt with for years. Rare is the case of a player staying somewhere for five years, much less a decade (don’t throw exceptions out there because there are a few, but very few).
At one point a couple of weeks ago it was pointed out in a national media story there were over 500 players in the transfer portal for men’s basketball alone. Yes, that’s what the world of college sports has become.
Look at the aforementioned Beard, who has brought Tech to the title game in three years … with the help of transfers. Two of them have been the best players on the team this year.
As I said it’s not where you get the players or how long you have them in the world of college basketball these days.
It appears more depends on what a coach does with what he has.
Musselman’s track record there is pretty good.
Which is why he may have been Yurachek’s first choice all along.
Razorbacks fall to Tennessee, then bounce back to down Oral Roberts
FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas split play on Sunday’s senior day, falling to Tennessee before defeating Oral Roberts.
Prior to the Oral Roberts match, senior Shwetha Prabakar was honored as part of senior day activities.
The Hogs dropped a close doubles point against the Lady Vols, with Tennessee clinching the point in the third set.
Martina Zerulo and Thea Rice put Arkansas up a set with a 6-2 victory before No. 16 Sadie Hammond and Kaitlin Staines tied doubles with a 6-3 win over Tatum Rice and Lauren Alter.
Tennessee ended doubles with a 6-4 defeat over Miruna Tudor and Jackie Carr to go up 1-0.
The Lady Vols went up 2-0 as Laura Rijkers fell 6-0, 6-1 before No. 104 Zerulo earned Arkansas’ lone point of the match with a 6-0, 6-3 victory over No. 65 Hammond.
Tennessee got within one of the clinch as Alter fell 6-3, 6-4 and clinched the match with a third set victory over No. 84 Tatum Rice.
Arkansas took the doubles point against Oral Roberts in straight sets, with Tatum Rice and Alter earning a 6-1 win before Prabakar and Tudor clinched the point at the No. 3 position.
The Razorbacks quickly went up 2-0 as Oral Roberts forfeited at the No. 4 position before Tatum Rice put the team within one of the clinch with a 6-0, 6-1 victory.
Prabakar put the match away at the No. 6 position, earning a 6-3, 6-1 victory.
The Hogs will return to the court next weekend to close out the regular season at Auburn and Alabama.
For more information on Razorback women’s tennis, follow @RazorbackWTEN on Twitter.
Match One | No. 17 Tennessee 4, No. 40 Arkansas 1
Doubles Results – Order of Finish (2,1,3)
1. No. 16 Sadie Hammond/Kaitlin Staines (UT) def. Lauren Alter/Tatum Rice (ARK) 6-3
2. Martina Zerulo/Thea Rice (ARK) def. Maia Haumuller/Tenika McGiffin (UT) 6-2
3. Rebeka Mertena/Johanna Silva (UT) def. Miruna Tudor/Jackie Carr (ARK) 6-4
Singles Results – Order of Finish (4,1,3,2)
1. No. 104 Martina Zerulo (ARK) def. No. 65 Sadie Hammond (UT) 6-0, 6-3
2. Kaitlin Staines (UT) def. No. 84 Tatum Rice (ARK) 6-4, 1-6, 6-4
3. Johanna Silva (UT) def. Lauren Alter (ARK) 6-3, 6-4
4. Rebeka Mertena (UT) def. Laura Rijkers (ARK) 6-0, 6-1
5. Miruna Tudor (ARK) vs. Ariadna Riley (UT) 6-4, 6-5, unfinished
6. Jackie Carr (ARK) vs. Tenika McGiffin (UT) 2-6, 6-2, 2-1, unfinished
Match Two | No. 40 Arkansas 5, Oral Roberts 0
Doubles Results – Order of Finish (1,3)
1. Tatum Rice/Lauren Alter (ARK) def. Ceijenia Cornelius/Flavia Gutierrez (ORUW) 6-1
2. Martina Zerulo/Thea Rice (ARK) vs. Rai Sengupta/Andrea Vasiljevic (ORUW) 5-3, unfinished
3. Shwetha Prabakar/Miruna Tudor (ARK) def. Valentina Gisbert/Jovana Antonijevic (ORUW) 6-3
Doubles Results – Order of Finish (4,2,6,1)
1. Martina Zerulo (ARK) vs. Ceijenia Cornelius (ORUW) 6-1, 6-1
2. Tatum Rice (ARK) def. Rai Sengupta (ORUW) 6-0, 6-1
3. Lauren Alter (ARK) vs. Flavia Gutierrez (ORUW) 7-6 (7-5), 2-0, unfinished
4. Laura Rijkers (ARK) def. Jovana Antonijevic (ORUW) 3-0, retired
5. Thea Rice (ARK) vs. Andrea Vasiljevic (ORUW) 6-2, 5-2, unfinished
6. Shwetha Prabakar (ARK) def. Valentina Gisbert (ORUW) 6-3, 6-1
Musselman, family headed to Arkansas after agreeing to deal
Hunter Yurachek is wasting little time getting new coach Eric Musselman and his family to Fayetteville from Reno, Nevada, after announcing the hire earlier today.
I am beyond excited to be headed to Fayetteville. Would love any tips on how to appropriately call the hogs #WPS #OneRazorback pic.twitter.com/YJHVhYnwwM
— Eric Musselman (@EricPMusselman) April 7, 2019
Reeder, Overstreet in Top 10 as Razorbacks place fourth in tournament
AUGUSTA, Ga. — Tyson Reeder finished third and Mason Overstreet eighth and the Arkansas men’s golf program shot a final-round, even-par 288 to place fourth with a total of 845 at the 15-team Augusta Haskins Award Invitational, played at Forest Hills Golf Club.
Reeder’s third-place finish was his career-best and his second career top 10. He also posted career bests with a 54-hole score of 207 (64-70-73) and finishing 9-under par.
In the final round, the junior was 4-over through 16 holes but rallied to finish eagle-birdie to card his 73 Sunday and third-place finish.
Reeder’s 14 birdies over 54 holes were the third-best total in the field and his most over 54 holes in his career. Reeder additionally carded his team-best, fourth eagle of the season.
Overstreet was steady throughout the final round, recording 14 pars, a bogey and three birdies to post a 2-under-par 70. With his final-round performance, Overstreet moved up four spots to finish in a tie for eighth with a total of 210 (74-66-70).
The junior now has 12 rounds of par or better this season with three top 10 finishes. The junior finished with 36 pars over 54 holes, the sixth-best total in the field and his second-best total of the season.
Overstreet also had 12 birdies, tying for his second-best total of the season.
Wake Forest, ranked third nationally, won the team title with a score of 828, #19 South Carolina (831), #7 Texas (834), #37 Arkansas (845) and Notre Dame (853).
The Razorback score in relation to par (-19) at Augusta is the program’s best of the season and the score of 845 is the best of the spring as the team closes the regular season and will begin preparing for the 2019 SEC Championship, played April 24-28.
Julian Perico finished in a tie for 33rd, shooting an even-par 216 (70-73-73). He started slowly in the final round with three bogeys and a birdie through five holes.
However, he closed the day with 12 pars and a birdie for his 73. William Buhl tied for 39th with a 54-hole total of 218 (72-71-75).
Luis Garza jumped nine spots on the leaderboard after a final-round 72, finishing in a tie for 42nd with a total of 219 (71-76-72). Garza off-set two bogeys with two birdies to post his even-par round.
Augusta Haskins Award Invitational
April 6-7 • 54 holes (36 holes Saturday, 18 holes Sunday)
Forest Hills Golf Club • Augusta Ga.
Par 72 • 7,005 Yards
RAZORBACK RESULTS
| Place | Player | RD1 | RD2 | RD3 | Total | To Par |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | Tyson Reeder (3) | 64 | 70 | 73 | 2017 | -9 |
| T8 | Mason Overstreet (4) | 74 | 66 | 70 | 210 | -6 |
| T33 | Julian Perico (1) | 70 | 73 | 73 | 216 | E |
| T39 | William Buhl (2) | 72 | 71 | 75 | 218 | +2 |
| T42 | Luis Garza (5) | 71 | 76 | 72 | 219 | +3 |
TEAM RESULTS
| Place | Team | RD1 | RD2 | RD3 | Total | To Par |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | #3 Wake Forest | 269 | 278 | 281 | 828 | -36 |
| 2. | #19 South Carolina | 282 | 276 | 273 | 831 | -33 |
| 3. | #7 Texas | 270 | 279 | 285 | 834 | -30 |
| 4. | #37 Arkansas | 277 | 280 | 288 | 845 | -19 |
| 5. | Notre Dame | 291 | 283 | 279 | 853 | -11 |
| 6. | Augusta | 283 | 284 | 288 | 855 | -9 |
| 7. | #23 Illinois | Ilin283 | 289 | 286 | 858 | -6 |
| 8. | Mercer | 284 | 285 | 282 | 851 | -3 |
| 9. | UCF | 287 | 294 | 281 | 862 | -2 |
| 10. | Houston | 283 | 291 | 290 | 864 | E |
| 11. | Virginia Tech | 280 | 294 | 295 | 869 | +5 |
| 12. | USC Aiken (#24 DII) | 295 | 278 | 298 | 871 | +7 |
| 13. | Northern Illinois | 292 | 288 | 295 | 875 | +11 |
| 14. | Georgia State | 299 | 294 | 304 | 897 | +33 |
| 15. | Air Force | 296 | 304 | 301 | 901 | +37 |
Razorbacks fall to 19th-ranked Bulldogs in Athens on Sunday
ATHENS, Ga. — Arkansas fell to No. 19 Georgia, 6-1, in Athens on Sunday afternoon.
The team will return to action this Thursday at Alabama, before returning home to host Auburn on Saturday.
The Razorbacks got out to a 1-0 lead by taking the doubles point on courts two and three. Alex Reco and his partner Jose Dominguez Alonso took their court 6-4.
After falling on court one, the point was decided on the second court as Maxim Verboven and Enrique Paya delivered a 6-4 victory to secure an early lead.
The Bulldogs would even the match on court three, and take their first lead on the second court as No. 26 Emil Reinberg (UGA) def. Adam Sanjurjo 6-3, 6-1.
The match would be clinched on consecutive two-set victories by Georgia on courts six and five, respectively. Oscar Mesquida would take his match to the third set tiebreaker, before falling to 15th-ranked Jan Zielinski (UGA), 3-6, 6-3, 6-4.
For more information on Arkansas men’s tennis, including in-match updates, follow @RazorbackMTEN on Twitter.
Singles Results – Order of Finish (3,2,6,5,4,1)
1. No. 15 Jan Zielinski (UGA) def. #60 Oscar Mesquida (AR) 3-6, 6-3, 6-4
2. No. 26 Emil Reinberg (UGA) def. Adam Sanjurjo (AR) 6-3, 6-1
3. Trent Bryde (UGA) def. Josh Howard-Tripp (AR) 6-2, 6-2
4. Robert Loeb (UGA) def. Alex Reco (AR) 7-5, 6-4
5. Walker Duncan (UGA) def. Enrique Paya (AR) 6-1, 6-4
6. Blake Croyder (UGA) def. Pedro Alonso (AR) 6-3, 6-2
Doubles Results – Order of Finish (3,1,2)
1. No. 21 Robert Loeb/Jan Zielinski (UGA) def. Adam Sanjurjo/Oscar Mesquida (AR) 6-4
2. Maxim Verboven/Enrique Paya (AR) def. Walker Duncan/Emil Reinberg (UGA) 6-4
3. Alex Reco/Jose Alonso (AR) def. Trent Bryde/Blake Croyder (UGA) 6-4
Warrick gets seventh homer, but Razorbacks fall to Florida, 3-1
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Katie Warrick soared her seventh home run of the season over the left-center wall in the second inning to give the Razorbacks a 1-0 lead in game three of the series, on Sunday.
It wasn’t enough, as Florida scored three unearned runs to take the lead and secure the 3-1 win.
Arkansas (26-14, 6-9) was unable to recover from the two-run deficit, caused by two Razorback throwing errors. The first error came in the third inning, when leadoff batter Jordan Roberts reached on an error.
Roberts’ pinch runner, Amanda Beane and eight-hole batter Jordan Matthews would score later in the inning on a single to center field by Amanda Lorenz.
The final run of the game came in the fifth inning, when the second Arkansas error allowed center fielder Jade Carraway to reach first.
Carraway scored on the next hit, a double to left field by Lorenz.
Junior Autumn Storms had another successful day in the circle, giving up only five hits and striking out five. She finishes the weekend with two complete games and a 0.00 ERA.
Storms gave up only one multi-base hit in her 12 innings of work and the Gators managed only a .174 average at the plate while Storms was in the circle.
Notables
• Hannah McEwen’s fifth-inning double has put her season total at 36 games in which she reached base safely.
• Warrick’s home run was the 34th for the Razorbacks this season.
• Storms has recorded only 23 walks in 28 appearances this season. Striking out at least one batter in every appearance, she currently has a career-best 1.70 ERA this season.
Up next
Arkansas returns to Fayetteville with full home schedule ahead. The Razorbacks will host Wichita State on Wednesday for a doubleheader, then play host to Furman for a three-games series beginning Saturday.
Arkansas will then close out the six-game home stand with a mid-week contest with UAPB on Tuesday (April 16).
It’s done! Razorbacks finalize deal with Musselman as new basketball coach
After a two-week process that had Arkansas basketball fans squirming and a constant stream of rumors, athletics director Hunter Yurachek announced the hiring of Eric Musselman on Sunday afternoon.
I am excited to officially announce the hiring of Eric Musselman as our new Head Coach for @RazorbackMBB. And to welcome his wife Danyelle, their daughter Mariah and sons, Matthew and Michael to the Arkansas Razorback Family. #OneRazorback pic.twitter.com/ydHjNwG2UY
— Hunter Yurachek (@HunterYurachek) April 7, 2019
— Hunter Yurachek (@HunterYurachek) April 7, 2019
Musselman will be paid $2.5 million a year over five years with incentives.
• Letter of agreement with Musselman
Anderson was fired last month after three NCAA Tournament appearances in eight years because Yurachek felt the program wasn’t headed in the direction of competing for SEC and national championships every year.
“Eric Musselman is a coach that has had experience at every level of basketball from the NCAA to the NBA,” Yurachek said in a press release. “He was practically born into the game and his passion for basketball is unmistakable.
“He has been successful throughout his career, including the remarkable job he did in returning the University of Nevada into a perennial NCAA Tournament team.
“Coach Musselman is high-energy and possesses an extremely high basketball IQ. He has a great attention to detail and has structured his programs to develop players individually while building a successful team.
“I am pleased to welcome Coach Musselman, his wife Danyelle and his family to the Razorback family.”
He is the former head coach of the Sacramento Kings and Golden State Warriors of the NBA.
Between head coaching stints at Golden State and Sacramento, Musselman served as an assistant for the Memphis Grizzlies under Mike Fratello.
He moved to the college coaching ranks in 2012 as an assistant at Arizona State, then to LSU for the 2014-15 season before going to Reno for the Nevada job.
“My family and I couldn’t be more excited to be coming to the University of Arkansas,” Musselman said in a press release. “The opportunity to be a part of the rich tradition of Razorback Basketball and to experience the passion of the Razorback fans is something that I am very much looking forward to.
“I am appreciative of the professional manner in which Hunter Yurachek conducted the search and am grateful for the support of Chancellor Steinmetz and all of those affiliated with the University of Arkansas.
“I am ready to get to work with our student-athletes to prepare our program to compete at the highest level of college basketball.”
Musselman was a head coach in the CBA before becoming an assistant coach with the Minnesota Timberwolves, the Orlando Magic under Chuck Daly and Doc Rivers, and the Alanta Hawks under Lon Kruger.
In four seasons with the Wolf Pack, he went 24-14 his first season and won the CBI Tournament.
That was followed by three straight appearances in the NCAA and climbing as high as No. 5 in the regular-season polls before losing to Florida in the first round and finishing No. 20 in the final media and coaches’ polls.
His four-year record at Nevada was 110-34 (76.4%) with a one-point loss in the Sweet 16 in 2018.
Hogs not ready for season, but Morris hoping they’re ready for summer
At the conclusion of a spring practice that can best be called a back-to-basics time, the offense found itself losing to the defense nearly every day due and didn’t look ready for the season Saturday.
“The goal of spring was not to be ready for fall,” was what Chad Morris said after the defense beat the offense, 39-33, in the annual Red-White game.
Some fans will struggle with that.
Look at the calendar, though. It’s almost five months until the Razorbacks open the season against Portland State. It’s about four months before they re-group for fall camp.
No team can keep an edge developed in March and the first week of April through to August.
“The goal of spring is to get this football team ready to go for summer,” Morris said.
That is the fourth quarter in Morris’ system. He outlined that before his first spring practice with the Hogs and he’s re-stated that position a couple of times, but folks tend to not pay attention.
Going 2-10 in his first season wasn’t what the fans wanted OR what Morris wanted. It’s what he got, though, and he’s dealing with the way things are with his often-repeated goal to get to the level of “best.”
Summer practices are led by the players, but Morris needed to instill what he wanted in those practices because he and his staff can’t attend those.
“Summer is to get them transitioned into that fourth quarter and into fall camp,” Morris said.
Bringing in Ben Hicks as a graduate transfer quarterback was part of the teaching equation. Hicks’ job has been to teach as much as take snaps from center Ty Clary. He’s admitted as much, but the players have bought into both Hicks and what’s he’s telling them.
Saturday’s game played out about like most of the practices this spring.
“Sometimes it’s just one of those days you can’t get anything going in the beginning,” Hicks told the media later.
Part of that is by this point everybody has seen everything on both sides of the ball.
“We’ve been seeing each other all spring,” he said. “We know what they’re going to run and they know what we’re going to run.”
Improvement on the defensive side is hopefully helping the offense, too.
“They have a lot of experience on that side and have a good coach,” he said. “It’s been huge for us to go against them every day. I think we’re better because of it.”
On a day, though, when the offense didn’t run up and down the field, freshman wide receiver Trey Knox showed why everybody has talked about him from the time of his recruitment.
His 45-yard touchdown catch with 1:21 to play in the first half got folks attention. He caught a well-thrown ball from Hicks over Jarques McClellion, then left Kamren Curl grabbing air.
“We’ve seen that,” Morris said. “That’s been consistent all spring and that’s probably what’s been impressive about Trey.”
It even got the defense’s attention.
“He’s going to be great for the present and the future,” defensive tackle Sosa Agim said later about Knox. “I think he’s a three-year type of guy. He’s a great talent and all I can tell Razorback fans is enjoy him while he’s here.”
The best part for Hog fans is he’s just the one who made the biggest play Saturday. Koilan Jackson may be a name people have forgotten about, but he’s starting to show the development of the coaching he’s been getting, which has come directly from Morris.
Shamar Nash has shown some positives and everybody knows what Cheyenne O’Grady can do, even though he didn’t play Saturday.
And more are coming.
All anybody had to do was look on the sidelines at a couple of points during the Red-White game.
Warren’s Treylon Burks and Pulaski Academy’s Hudson Henry were standing together, chatting about something.
Burks will be on campus at the end of May. Henry somewhere around then, too, along with the rest of some talented skill players in the 2019 class (which Morris said Saturday he still has two scholarships open).
When those guys arrive, the pace of summer practices will pick up. Hicks, who is the likely leader on the offensive side of those workouts, will have some young, talented players to be teaching.
All of that is why Morris has wanted to get the basics in during the spring.
He’s hoping it pays off in the fall.
Morris: Offense didn’t show much, ‘and that was by design’ on Saturday
Arkansas coach Chad Morris talked with the media after the spring game where outside of a couple of big plays the offense didn’t show much … on purpose.
