Arkansas’ Reggie Chaney (6 points, 5 blocked shots) talked with the media about the defensive effort where the team blocked 14 shots, a school record in an SEC game.
???? Tuesday Halftime Pod — featuring Rivals’ Nikki Chavanelle
Phil & Tye discuss Arkansas-Georgia preview, interview Nikki Chavanelle, plus Get Off My Lawn!
Chavis has to figure out way to improve Hogs’ ‘stop rate’ for any success
It’s the new buzz statistic football folks talk about when looking inside the numbers of a football team — Defensive Stop Rate.
The stop rate is pretty simply a way in this day of fast-paced offenses and higher scoring to gauge a team’s effectiveness in getting off the field.
It’s just the percentage of a defense’s drives that end in getting off the field without giving up any points.
Then there’s the points per drive that calculates how many points teams averaged giving up per drive.
In case you’re wondering Clemson led the country last year, according to numbers in a story in The Athletic recently. Mississippi State and Fresno State tied in fewest points per drive at 1.13.
Arkansas was No. 105 in the country, but that’s not last in the SEC. Ole Miss was the worst at No. 119 and Vanderbilt at No. 110. The Razorbacks, of course, lost to both of those teams so that pretty much means the misery was on both sides of the ball, but this statistic was interesting in several ways.
John Chavis knows this. Chad Morris knows this. Every Hog fan knows this.
Here’s a couple of things:
• Alabama (6) and Kentucky (10) were the only SEC teams in the first 10.
• The SEC had four teams in the top 25. The Crimson Tide and Wildcats, obviously, but Mississippi State (13) and LSU (25) were next in the league with Florida (26) and Auburn (27) just outside that.
As the world of college football has changed to a passing game (the top four passer ratings in history have occurred in the last three seasons) and teams are now averaging nationwide 7.4 yards per pass attempt, well, stops are the crucial thing.
Forget all those numbers you grew up viewing as important or benchmarks for gauging a defense.
The only thing that matters now is getting off the field without giving up points.
And Arkansas struggled with that last season. It is being addressed in the off-season by bringing in some better players (or at least ones who will buy into the new way of doing things).
Oh, and they also have to get the ones that are here to play to their max potential.
That didn’t happen all time last season, particularly with of the higher-rated players that had been in Fayetteville for a couple of years.
But, for whatever reason, the defense has to make a big leap in finding a way to get off the field.
No matter how good the offense is.
[table “20” not found /]Neighbors on Hogs getting into ‘bracketology’ discussions this year
Arkansas coach Mike Neighbors was doing what is now known as “bracketology” long before it was popular and he’s glad to see the Hogs in the conversations now, but knows it doesn’t mean anything.
Bud Light Morning Rush Podcast: Tuesday
John and Tommy discuss Bud Walton losing its luster, interview Anthony Dasher, plus Would You Rather Tuesday!
Notes, how to watch/listen to Arkansas’ game with Georgia
Who: Georgia Bulldogs
What: Arkansas is 10-3 versus Georgia in Fayetteville
When: Tuesday – Jan. 29, 2019 – 6 pm
Where: Bud Walton Arena – Fayetteville, Ark.
How (to follow):
• TV: ESPNU (Roy Philpott and Daymeon Fishback)
• Watch ESPN Online
• Radio: ESPN Arkansas 95.3 in the River Valley, 104.3 in Harrison-Mountain Home and 96.3 in Hot Springs (Chuck Barrett and Matt Zimmerman)
• Satellite Radio: Arkansas Broadcast – Sirius (121), XM (190), Internet (961)
• Live Stats: Arkansas Live Stats
FAYETTEVILLE — After stepping out of league play last Saturday, Arkansas returns to SEC action on Tuesday when it hosts Georgia at Bud Walton Arena.
Tip-off is set for 6 p.m. and the game will be telecast on ESPNU.
Arkansas and Georgia have met on 37 previous occasions — all since Arkansas joined the SEC for the 1991-92 season. The Razorbacks own a 22-15 advantage in the series, including a 10-3 mark in Fayetteville.
Arkansas was won each of the last two meetings and six of the last eight. However, two of the last three — and three of the last six — have needed overtime to decide the winner, twice by the Bulldogs.
Last year, the teams went to double overtime before the Razorbacks pulled out an 80-77 win at Georgia.
• In each of the last two games, Arkansas’ pressure defense has played especially well down the stretch — one to give the Razorbacks a win and two to give the Razorbacks a chance to win. Versus Missouri, Arkansas led by one, 58-57, with 5:27 left. The Tigers were held without a field goal the final 5:27 and were just 3-of-4 at the free throw line. On the Tigers’ final seven possessions included three turnovers, two missed field goals and two trips to the free throw line (3-of4). At Texas Tech, the drought was the final 7:41 when Tech’ Norense Odiase had a dunk to make it a 12-point game (60-48). From that point, the Raiders did not make another field goal but were 7-of-9 at the free throw line to secure the win. The Raiders last 13 possessions included four turnovers, four missed field goals and five trips to the free throw line (7-of-9).
• In each of the last two games, Arkansas has made a basket at the buzzer prior to halftime. Versus Missouri, Gafford threw up an off-balanced shot that went in as the buzzer sounded to cut the Razorback deficit to two, 34-32, which spurred a second-half comeback win. At Texas Tech, Arkansas trailed most of the first half before Jalen Harris hit a jumper between half court and the top of the key as time expired to give the Razorbacks a 33-30 lead at the break. Harris later hit a layup at the final buzzer to provide the 67-64 final.
• Arkansas will return to the road to play at #19 LSU on Saturday (Feb. 2). Tip-off is set for 5 pm and the game will be telecast on the SEC Network.
Anderson on last possession in loss at Lubbock, direction of team
Arkansas coach Mike Anderson met with the media Monday afternoon and talked about the lack of execution on the final possession against Texas Tech, but says team still improving.
Harris on loss to Texas Tech, matchup with Georgia on Tuesday night
Arkansas guard Jalen Harris visited with the media and talked about the problems in the loss to the Red Raiders last Saturday and the matchup with the Bulldogs at Bud Walton.
???? Monday Halftime Pod — featuring Southeast Hoops’ Blake Lovell
Phil & Tye discuss the Arkansas-Texas Tech, interview Southeast Hoops publisher Blake Lovell, and 3 up 3 down!
Kjerstad, Cronin, Fletcher pick up preseason honors from ‘Baseball America’ magazine
FAYETTEVILLE — Sophomore Heston Kjerstad, as well as junior reliever Matt Cronin and junior Dominic Fletcher added yet another preseason All-America nod to their growing list of accolades Monday afternoon as all three were recognized by Baseball America.
This is the third preseason honor won by Kjerstad and Cronin and second for Fletcher.
Cronin was the lone Razorback on the first team and one of four players from the SEC. Fletcher earned a spot as one of three outfielders on the second team, while Kjerstad earned a spot on the third team.
Arkansas ties with Stanford for the most preseason All-Americans on Baseball America’s list, which was voted on by major league organizations’ scouting departments and was based on performance, talent and professional potential.
On the mound, Cronin returns as one of the top relievers in the nation after setting a UA single-season record with 14 saves. The save total tied for the second-most in the SEC and was the 14th most in the nation.
Over his 48.1 innings, Cronin struck out 59 batters, which was the sixth-most on the staff and he held opponents to a .154 batting average, which was the lowest on the team for the second-consecutive season.
Fletcher returns to captain the outfield after another stellar year both defensively and at the plate.
The junior notched his second-straight year with a .280 average or higher and 10 or more home runs becoming the first Razorback since Rodney Nye (1998-99) to hit 10 or more homers in his first two seasons.
He finished his sophomore season with 23 multi-hit games and 11 multi-RBI games, which were both higher totals than his freshman season.
Fletcher’s best performances came in the postseason as he hit .346 in the College World Series with nine hits, two home runs and eight RBIs.
He was one of only two players in the CWS to record a four-hit game (vs. Texas Tech) last year and he was the first Razorback to do so since Jeff King in 1985.
After winning the 2018 SEC Freshman of the Year award, Kjerstad comes into his sophomore season as one of the most highly touted players in the nation.
Kjerstad was named a freshman All-American by Collegiate Baseball, the NCBWA, while also making the All-SEC Second Team and the SEC All-Freshman Team.
The Amarillo, Texas native started all 69 games for the Hogs in left field and finished second on the team with a .332 batting average, while leading with 87 hits, 14 home runs and 58 RBIs. His hit total, home runs and RBIs were all Arkansas freshman records.
Arkansas will open the 2019 season against Eastern Illinois on Feb. 15 at Baum Stadium.
Bud Light Morning Rush Podcast: Monday
John Nabors, Tommy Craft, & Nick Mason discuss the Texas Tech loss, Hunter Yurachek’s mindset, best/worst of the weekend and more!
