John, Tommy, & Nick discuss the Mike Anderson firing, callers weigh in, plus Jeff Goodman of Watch Stadium joins the show!
Neighbors on emotional practice when Anderson’s firing broke
Arkansas coach Mike Neighbors talked about the emotion of men’s coach Mike Anderson being fired for him, team and previews TCU game Thursday night.
Yurachek sends clear message that titles are goal for Hogs’ coaches now
Mike Anderson will always have his supporters in Arkansas.
In the end, though, he didn’t have any titles and Tuesday afternoon was fired after eight seasons of winning … but no conference titles and not enough NCAA games.
With his first major coaching decision, athletics director Hunter Yurachek reinforced the opinion I had from his first week that he’s about competing for championships.
Second place is just the first loser, in my opinion. Maybe for the first time since Frank Broyles, that opinion might be shared by the guy doing the hiring and firing for the Razorbacks.
Oh, I have no doubt Anderson WANTED to win every game he coached. But it all too often appeared he didn’t have the burning desire in his gut that made him think he HAD to win.
Nolan Richardson had it. It may or may not have diminished after his second straight national title game, but that’s an answer we’ll never know to question that’s no longer relevant. His record certainly tailed off after that, but there were a lot of changes happening in college basketball that may have affected things as much.
Just as Bret Bielema didn’t appear to have that burning drive that he HAD to win, at times after losses Anderson had this nagging habit of essentially appearing to shrug it off as one of those things that happens in college basketball.
All of that is what you get reading between the lines of Yurachek’s prepared statement issued announcing Anderson’s firing.
“We have not sustained a consistent level of success against the most competitive teams in the nation to enable us to compete for SEC and NCAA Championships on an annual basis.”
For Hog fans, that should come as a very positive sign.
Chad Morris seems to get that in football. He says over and over the new standard is being the best for a football program that fell below mediocrity during Bret Bielema’s time. Bobby Petrino’s two good years kept it from being just average.
Dave Van Horn understands that standard in baseball. Mike Neighbors gets it in women’s basketball (which has as much positive buzz as anything right now). Even coaches in the other sports get it or the guess is they won’t be around Fayetteville very long.
Anderson got eight years to build his program. He went about it the right way. There wasn’t any drama, scandals or cheating in a sport that is filled with it.
The culture Morris talks about in the most visible sport appears to be what Yurachek embraces, too. That’s competing for championships. Every year.
In football that means trying to get somewhere other than Memphis or Shreveport in late December. In basketball that means the NIT is just a chance for some more practice and the standard is winning at least two games every year in the NCAA.
Anderson’s ultimate issue appears to be he won only two NCAA games in eight years.
Not one single person has ever had a negative thing to say about Anderson that I’ve heard. You won’t get a negative from me, either. None of the criticism aimed at him is personal.
Anderson had plenty of time to build a championship-caliber program. Don’t bother with excuses because there isn’t a single one you can come up with that is sufficient.
Just being above .500 isn’t good enough in the world of college sports these days. Maybe that’s good enough for a fan base that all too often appears okay with anything less than at least a shot at a title … every single year.
Razorback fans shouldn’t be content with slightly above average in any single year. That should never be acceptable.
It doesn’t appear to be okay with Yurachek, either.
And, fans, that’s not a bad thing.
Hogs score eight over last four innings to down Bears, 8-2
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — It took a few innings for the offense to get going, but Arkansas was able to score eight unanswered runs over the final four innings Tuesday night to beat Missouri State, 8-2, at Hammons Field.
Arkansas (21-4, 5-1 SEC) has beaten Missouri State (5-17, 0-0 MVC) four of the last six times dating back to the 2017 season and finish the six-game road trip with a 4-2 record.
In all four of the victories, the Hogs scored eight or more runs and held opponents to four or less. Arkansas is now 16-3 in non-conference games and averaging 8.2 runs per game.
Eight different Razorbacks found the hit column with Dominic Fletcher and Jack Kenley both turning in two-hit performances. Fletcher went 2-for-4 extending his hitting streak to six games and getting the RBI single in the seventh Tuesday night.
Kenley picked up his 19th RBI of the year on a single in the ninth to give Arkansas its final tally of the game.
The biggest hits of the night came off the bat of redshirt freshman Jacob Nesbit and pinch hitter Trey Harris in the sixth inning.
With the Hogs trailing 2-0 in what turned out to be a pitchers’ duel for the first half of the game, Nesbit extended his team-best hitting streak to 15 games with a bases-loaded single that tied the game.
It was Nesbit’s only hit of the night, but his sixth multi-RBI game this season.
Then, Harris was called off the bench and provided what ended up being the game-winning run on a single to left-center, his eighth hit of the year and fifth RBI.
Harris is now 3-for-3 in pinch-hit situations this year and all three hits have driven in at least one run.
Wicklander perfect in first two innings
Freshman Patrick Wicklander looked very good in his fifth start of the year. Working only the first two innings, Wicklander retired six in a row and struck out the final five batters he faced.
It’s only the third time this season he’s struck out five or more batters in an outing and was his shortest start this season. Wicklander has struck out 24 over his last 16 innings while giving up just seven hits.
Kjerstad plays pepper with right field batting cages
Sophomore Heston Kjerstad continued to swing one of the hottest bats in the Arkansas lineup when he corked his fifth home run of the year off the Springfield Cardinals batting cages beyond the right-field wall in the top of the ninth inning.
The solo shot extended the Hogs’ lead to 7-2 at the time before Jack Kenley’s RBI single later in the inning. Kjerstad has seven hits over his last four games with two home runs and five RBIs.
Razorback quotables
“I think we had some really quality at-bats. We laid off some borderline pitches and that gave us a chance to start running a little bit. We took our walks and didn’t go out of the zone too much. (Dominic) Fletcher went the other way, Goodheart stayed in there on a curveball. The pitch before he didn’t look very good on the curveball. He learned something and he got enough of the next one to get it though the hole and we scored a couple more. We just did a good job being patient at the plate.” Coach Dave Van Horn on his offense’s response to Missouri State’s starter
“We’ve played pretty well on the road. We’ve played the same on the road as we have at home. We’ve taken advantage of some things. We haven’t really shot ourselves in the foot. We’ve played pretty steady, six games in a row on the road. We won four of them against some pretty good teams. We’re looking forward to getting back into conference.” — Van Horn on his team’s success on the road
“I was just sitting on a fastball, seeing if he was going to give me something to work with and he did. I actually took the first fastball I saw and then I didn’t miss the next one I saw.” — Jacob Nesbit on his game-tying hit in the sixth inning
It’s a great confidence booster going into this weekend playing against Ole Miss. Everything was working today. They’re (Missouri State) a great team, great lineup over there.” — Patrick Wicklander on his start
Up next
Arkansas returns home for its next conference series as it welcomes Ole Miss to Baum-Walker Stadium for a three-game series.
The series will start on Friday at 8 p.m. and will be televised on ESPNU.
Morris covers wide range of issues after Tuesday’s practice
Arkansas coach Chad Morris talked about the offense, Sosa Agim’s improvement and offensive line in first practice of busy spring week.
Hicks says offense ‘trying to find identity’ in first half of spring
Razorbacks quarterback Ben Hicks met with the media after Tuesday’s practice and he said this offense is still trying to figure out what it does best.
McClure on defensive energy, improvement in first practice after break
Coming out of a long spring break, Hogs’ defensive back D’Vone McClure talked about the fast start to Tuesday’s practice, nickel backs working together.
Anderson out as Razorbacks coach Tuesday afternoon after eight seasons
UPDATE: Mike Anderson reportedly out as Razorback Men’s Basketball Coach, according to the University of Arkansas.
FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas has made a change in leadership in its men’s basketball program.
Athletics director Hunter Yurachek announced today Mike Anderson has been dismissed as the head men’s basketball coach.
Anderson recently completed his eighth season as the head coach of the Razorback men’s basketball team and his 25th season overall as a member of the Razorback men’s basketball program.
“After a review of the program, including an analysis of the past eight years and a look forward, I have made a decision that a change in leadership will best position our men’s basketball program for future success,” Yurachek said. “In the past eight seasons, we have won a number of games and have made appearances in both the NIT and the NCAA Tournaments. However, in my evaluation, we have not sustained a consistent level of success against the most competitive teams in the nation to enable us to compete for SEC and NCAA Championships on an annual basis. That will continue to be the benchmark for our success throughout our athletic program.
“During his tenure with our program, Mike Anderson has represented the University of Arkansas in a first-class manner and with the highest level of integrity on and off the floor. We are grateful for Coach Anderson’s many contributions to our program and most of all for his investment in the lives of the many student-athletes he has coached. He has been a positive influence on their lives, encouraged them and supported them on, both their individual and collective, academic and athletic journeys. We wish Mike, his wife Marcheita and the entire Anderson family the very best.”
Anderson became Arkansas’ 12th head men’s basketball coach in March 2011 and was 169-102 in his eight seasons with the Razorbacks. He has posted a 17-year head coaching record of 369-200 with stops at UAB (2002-06) and Missouri (2006-11) before returning to Arkansas in 2011. Anderson was on staff with the Razorbacks for 17 seasons (1985-2002), helping Arkansas win the 1994 NCAA Championship.
The Razorbacks made five postseason tournament berths in Anderson’s eight years, including three in the NCAA (2015, 2017 and 2018) and two in the NIT (2014 and 2019).
Arkansas was 18-16 this past season, finished ninth in the SEC (8-10) and reached the second round of the NIT.
Yurachek announced that a national search for the next head men’s basketball coach will begin immediately. Associate head coach Melvin Watkins will serve as a lead on men’s basketball team related matters until a head coach is named.
“With our great history and tradition, a loyal fan base and a fully supported program within the SEC, I am confident that we will identify a leader that will elevate our men’s basketball program to a nationally competitive level on an annual basis,” Yurachek said. “In an effort to most effectively identify and secure our next head coach, I do not plan on providing further comment related to our search until its completion. I appreciate the understanding and support of all Razorback fans as we move forward in this process.”
3:15 P.M.
There’s no official word, yet, but multiple media outlets are saying the end may be coming today for Arkansas coach Mike Anderson.
The news started coming shortly after lunchtime today and is picking up steam.
Per source, Mike Anderson meeting with team now.
— Kevin McPherson (@ARHoopScoop) March 26, 2019
Others have dropped hints things are coming today, including Dudley Dawson at WholeHogSports.com:
Winter is coming. Today.
— Dudley E. Dawson (@Dedsports) March 26, 2019
???? Tuesday Halftime Pod — featuring Rivals’ Nikki Chavanelle
Phil & Tye hit on yearly Arkansas basketball expectations, interview Nikki Chavanelle, and Get Off My Lawn!
Being Mr. Nice Guy has created security for Anderson, problem for UA
Nice guys may finish last but being nice sure hasn’t hurt Mike Anderson’s job security.
When former Lady Razorbacks player India Lewis lost her battle with cancer last summer, Anderson traveled to Siloam Springs to show his support to the family. That is the kind of guy he is and why he is well-liked.
He’s a family man and respected around the UA campus. He’s approachable and classy. Anderson is everything you want in a coach outside of actual results.
That’s where the problem lies. Even though he’s never endured a losing season at Arkansas, he hasn’t brought Arkansas to the level of success that is expected — a level he enjoyed at the University of Missouri.
To be fair, Hogs basketball hasn’t been at a high level since Anderson’s old boss, Nolan Richardson, roamed the sidelines and the final few years of his tenure weren’t classic Hawg Ball, either.
In a word, Anderson’s tenure has been unremarkable. There have been few marquee wins. There have been three NCAA Tournament appearances and only two second-round appearances. No Sweet 16 trips.
It’s been a pattern of mediocre or slightly-above mediocre basketball. Forget the Fastest 40 moniker. That disappeared before it even began.
So, eight years in the state of the program is about average. Recruiting is average, winning is average. The style of play is average. Average. Mediocre.
Anderson isn’t paid millions to head an average basketball program. He was supposed to come in here and kick a bear’s butt and lead Arkansas to the Sweet 16 and beyond and reclaim the Hogs’ station as an elite SEC power.
Instead, we have watched as Kentucky is light years ahead and former also-rans Auburn and Tennessee are in the coveted Sweet 16 and Ole Miss and Mississippi State made great strides making the tournament.
Seeing those programs enjoying success isn’t easy to swallow for Hogs fans.
But as frustrating as the underachieving has been, no one is mad. Nobody is flying planes or putting advertisements in the newspaper calling for Anderson’s job. The amount of vitriol directed at former Hogs football coaches Houston Nutt and then Bret Bielema was astonishing.
Especially Bielema since he was only here for five years. Hog fans got nasty with him and former UA athletics director Jeff Long. A lot of anger and hatred spewed on message boards and talk radio. It was personal with all three of those guys. I will never understand that, but that’s a column for another day.
However, that is not the case with Anderson, and I am not sure that would be the case at other programs. Anderson is getting a pass. Partly because fans are so apathetic about basketball and frustrated with football futility they don’t care. It’s not worth their energy to complain.
But it’s also because Anderson was the longtime Richardson assistant and left a perfectly good job at Missouri, which he led to the Elite 8, to try to put out the dumpster fire that festered with Stan Heath and John Pelphrey.
That loyalty and positive demeanor mean a lot to Hogs fans. There is just now the start of some unrest. Meanwhile, Alabama not known for basketball, has gone through its second coach in less than 10 years. Nebraska, who has never won an NCAA Tournament game, is supposedly about to fire their coach after five years.
College athletics is big business and administrators don’t wait around for results. Even if a program isn’t tradition-rich or the situation ideal. They back up the Brinks truck to your front door and expect you to construct reclamation projects and win in ways not seen or win big again.
At most programs, after a sub-par year, a coach would have to at least make staff changes. We have heard nothing of the sort at UA. It looks to be business as usual.
That’s how the business works, but not in Fayetteville. Not with Anderson.
Everybody likes Mike, and it looks like nobody wants to make a tough decision that wouldn’t be as tough in other programs.
Bud Light Morning Rush Podcast: Tuesday
John, Tommy and Nick Mason discuss “The Meeting”, addressing the rumors, and hope!
