John & Tye talk about Chad Morris’ remarks from Monday, interview TJ Moe and Would You Rather Tuesday!
After weekend to forget, Morris starts cleaning up Hogs’ mess
Chad Morris can be forgiven for wanting to put this past weekend behind him.
He said at his press conference Monday he’s been here before, but the events over the weekend might challenge that and we’re not even talking about the 52-6 embarrassment down in Starkville.
He even had a player, redshirt freshman Jordon Curtis, walk out of the football center Sunday night and get hit by a car.
Curtis was treated and released at a local hospital and will be okay. Probably faster than the current state of the Hogs’ football program.
Yeah, it was a bad weekend. Morris isn’t saying where it stacks up in bad weekends for him, though.
With Arkansas sitting at 2-9 for the season and facing the most losses in a single season in school history, some are putting the blame squarely on Morris, which he probably will publicly accept.
But he didn’t create the mess he’s got.
To be fair, Bret Bielema didn’t think he was leaving a mess this big. In a coaching changeover, these things can go several ways for a variety of reasons.
When you look at Arkansas’ situation now, a lack of high-level recruiting across the board combined with almost zero development at some critical positions plus a lack of discipline from within combined to make this, well, a program in sole possession of the basement in the SEC.
Try and spin it however you want, that’s the realities of the situation.
Now Morris has to fix it.
It started Monday with the suspensions of safety Kamren Curl and cornerback Ryan Pulley for the much-discussed episode at Mississippi State (and I didn’t see it).
“They will not be here today or yesterday or any part of this week for actions that are completely unacceptable with what we’re about,” Morris said.
Defensive coordinator John Chavis talked about how it looked.
“The perception was not very good and it had to be addressed and our head coach has handled that. I’m with him 100 percent,” he said.
Some will agree … others won’t. It doesn’t really matter because they won’t be playing unless there’s a change of heart and you can’t really see that coming.
The guess here it’s a small suspension that is being done to send a message as much as anything else.
It’s Curl’s first suspension, but the third for Pulley. He sat for the first defensive series against Tulsa after a blatant unsportsmanlike conduct penalty before the final play of the Ole Miss game and he didn’t start against Vanderbilt due to a violation of team rules.
Morris is sending messages and this is one in a game that’s like a bowl game where coaches have traditionally used suspensions because it’s relatively meaningless. The Tigers are a 22-point favorite at ESPN’s PickCenter, which gives the Hogs 6.4 percent shot of winning.
If nothing else, we’ll see what some of these players that haven’t seen the field often can do, particularly in the secondary.
One thing that’s become clear, however, is this team has little upperclass leadership. There’s just not that one guy that will enforce things in the locker room and apparently nobody has a clue even how to do it.
One of the keys to John McDonell’s success in winning 40 national championships (and three times the triple crown) in track and field was the athletes policing things themselves.
The older guys didn’t tolerate new ones not doing things they way they’d been done.
There’s no telling how long the Hogs have been without that in football. It’s something you see in championship teams.
When Morris came in last December, he immediately created an inner council of players. The guess here is he did that to see how they handled self-enforcement. By the time he found out there wasn’t much real leadership there, he probably knew exactly what he was dealing with.
It’s the knee-jerk reaction for some fans to put this all on the coaches.
Sorry, but it doesn’t work that way, folks.
With a roster next year that will contain nearly half of players he’s brought into the program, we’ll see how things are going. It’s a wait-and-see situation.
Whether you like it or not.
???? Monday Halftime Pod — featuring Blake Lovell
Phil & Tye discuss turning the page to basketball season, 3 up 3 down, and interview Blake Lovell!
Gafford named league’s top player of week after Indiana game
FAYETTEVILLE — After posting career highs and leading Arkansas to a win over Indiana, Daniel Gafford has been named the SEC Men’s Basketball Player of the Week, the league announced today.
Gafford scored a career-high 27 points and tied his career high with 12 rebounds while adding three blocked shots and two steals.
It marked the second time in three games this season the national player of the year candidate has recorded a double-double as he had 20 points and 12 rebounds in the season-opener versus Texas.
Gafford was most effective in the second half, scoring 19 points, grabbing seven rebounds and getting two steals. In fact, he was 9-for-10 shooting in the period while the rest of the team was just 5-of-23 from the field and scored 16 points.
Three times in within the final 11 minutes, Indiana took a one-point lead and, each time, Gafford answered to put the Razorbacks back on top.
He additionally broke a 63-63 tie with 5:46 left with one of his four dunks on the evening. In the final seconds, Gafford tipped the ball out after a missed shot that led to a Mason Jones rebound and eventual game-winning free throw with 2.5 seconds left.
Arkansas will close out the Hardwood Classic with two home games this week. The Razorbacks will host Montana State on Wednesday (Nov. 21) and welcome UT Arlington on Friday (Nov. 23).
Both games will begin at 7 pm and be on the SEC Network Plus as well as ESPN 95.3 in the River Valley, ESPN 96.3 in Hot Springs and ESPN 104.3 in Harrison-Mountain Home.
Morris suspends pair of players for Missouri; future uncertain
Arkansas coach Chad Morris stepped to the podium Monday and one of the first issues he addressed was suspending cornerback Ryan Pulley and safety Kamren Curl for this week’s game.
Chavis not able to sleep after blowout loss at Mississippi State
Razorbacks defensive coordinator John Chavis said he wasn’t able to sleep at all Saturday night and how far defensive lineman Armon Watts has progressed, doing it the right way.
Craddock on problems offense had moving ball against Bulldogs
Hogs offensive coordinator Joe Craddock talked Monday about the problems they had offensively last week against Mississippi State and Missouri’s good defense.
Bud Light Morning Rush Podcast: Monday
John & Tommy hit on the embarrassing loss, Indiana win, Les to Kansas, and more!
WATCH: Highlights from Arkansas’ 73-72 win over Indiana
via WarMachine2013
Highlights on Gafford’s monster day against Indiana
via Frankie Vision CBB
Gafford’s 27 points paces Hogs over Hoosiers in Sunday matchup
FAYETTEVILLE — Daniel Gafford had a career-high 25 points and tied his career-high with 12 rebounds to lead Arkansas to a 73-72 victory over Indiana on Sunday afternoon at Bud Walton Arena.
With the game tied at 72 with 2.5 seconds left in the game, Mason Jones, who scored 11 with seven assists and no turnovers, made a free throw to give the Razorbacks a one-point lead.
After an Indiana timeout, Jones missed the second free throw on purpose and Indiana’s last-second, full-court heave missed to give the Razorbacks the win.
Arkansas led by three, 72-69, after a Gafford free throw with 1:41 left in the game. Indiana committed a turnover on the ensuing possession and Jones was fouled.
The sophomore missed the front end of a 1-and-1. Hoosier guard Rob Phinisee got the rebound and drained a 3-pointer on the other end to tie the game at 72 with 48 seconds left.
Arkansas missed a jumper with 21 seconds left and Indiana grabbed the rebound. The Hoosiers got two cracks to win the game before Jones came down with a defensive rebound, was fouled and secured the win with his free throw.
In the first half, the teams were deadlocked most of the period with five points being the largest lead held by either team. With the game tied at 35 with 28 seconds left, sophomore Gabe Osabuohien made his first collegiate 3-pointer to give the Razorbacks and a 38-35 lead at the break.
Arkansas is now 126-7 in the Mike Anderson era when leading at the half.
In the second half, Gafford blocked a shot on Indiana’s first possession and capped a 7-0 run to start the second half with a dunk to give the Razorbacks a 10-point lead (45-35) and force an early Hoosier timeout.
Indiana went on a run of its own and took a one-point lead (54-53) with 10:50 left. However, Gafford answered with a jumper.
The Hoosiers took another one-point lead (58-57) with 8:50 remaining only to see Gafford once again answer to give his squad the lead. Indiana grabbed another one-point lead (66-65) with 4:55 to go in the game but Gafford was up to the challenge by making a lay-up.
Gafford then got a steal, which resulted in a Jones lay-up for a 69-66 Razorback advantage.
The Hoosiers tied the game (69-69) with a 3-pointer with 2:16 remaining. Arkansas worked the clock and Jalen Harris found Adrio Bailey for a lay-up with three seconds on the shot clock for a two-point advantage.
Gafford expanded the lead to three with his free throw with 1:41 left to set up the exciting finish.
Arkansas will stay home to host Montana State on Wednesday (Nov. 21) in the Razorbacks’ third game of the Hardwood Showcase. Tip-off is set for 7 pm at Bud Walton Arena.
FIRST HALF NOTES: Arkansas 38 – Indiana 35
• Down five (14-9), Arkansas’ bench – and its defense – sparked an 8-0 run to go up 17-9. Daniel Gafford had two blocks during the run and capped it with a dunk.
• The Razorbacks did not surrender the lead, but Indiana matched them, tying the game at 27-27, 29-29 and 35-35. Isaiah Joe and Mason Jones hit back-to-back 3’s for the Razorbacks to keep them on top.
• After Indiana called timeout and tied the game at 39-39 with a jumper in the lane, Razorback sophomore Gabe Osabuohien drained his first career 3-pointer with 28 ticks left to give Arkansas a 38-35 lead at the break.
SECOND HALF NOTES:
• Arkansas once again used its defense to spur a run as it opened the second half with a 7-0 start to go up 10 (45-35) and force an Indiana timeout. Daniel Gafford had a blocked shot on the Hoosiers’ first possession and later ran the floor on the break for a dunk and the 10-point lead.
• Three times in the second half, Indiana took a one-point lead and Gafford immediately answered each time.
• Daniel Gafford made 9-of-10 shots and scored 19 points with seven rebounds in the second half alone.
GAME NOTES:
• Game was telecast nationally on ESPN.
• Arkansas starters were Isaiah Joe (G) – Jalen Harris (G) – Mason Jones (G) – Adrio Bailey (F) – Daniel Gafford (F).
• Arkansas controlled the tip, but Indiana’s Rob Phinisee scored the basket on an Arkansas goaltending. Daniel Gafford immediately answered with a short jumper.
• Arkansas led 38-35 at halftime. In the Mike Anderson era, Arkansas is 126-7 in games it leads at the half, including 41 consecutive victories.
• Arkansas is 2-1 all-time versus Indiana. This was the first time Arkansas has ever played Indiana in Fayetteville.
• Jalen Harris hit his first 3-pointer as a Razorback at the 15:51 mark of the first half to cut the deficit to one, 7-6.
• Gabe Osabuohien made his first career 3-pointer, connecting with 28 seconds left in the first half for a 38-35 lead at the break.
• Mason Jones is the first Razorback to play at least 35 minutes and record at least seven turnovers while committing no turnovers. The last Razorback to accomplish the feat was Julyses Nobles, who played 35 minutes with seven assists and no turnovers on Jan. 8, 2012.
• Arkansas’ final two games as part of the Hardwood Showcase including hosting Montana State (Nov. 21) and UT Arlington (Nov. 23).
