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Could rain work in Hogs’ favor against Ole Miss in LR?

Andy Hodges
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Weather forecasts right now for War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock on Saturday night calls for rain starting in the middle of the afternoon and increasing to a 70 percent chance throughout the game.

That works to Arkansas’ advantage … at least that’s what I’m thinking right now.

Ole Miss’ defense is patchwork at best right now. They are scrambling to move a bunch of mediocre players into spots where they might have SOME kind of success.

The Razorbacks actually aren’t playing that bad on defense. Oh, I know Alabama put up a ton of yardage and points last week but, quite frankly, that may be the best college football offense in history.

It’s the best I’ve seen in person and I’ve seen just about every big-time offense in the last 47 years. The Crimson Tide have the best collection of talent playing a scheme that fits them about as well as any I’ve seen.

After playing Alabama, Texas A&M and Auburn the past three weeks, the Hogs have seen some pretty good attacks. Ole Miss’ offense managed to score 23 points combined against Alabama and LSU.

To point out the obvious, Arkansas hung 31 on the Tide last week.

And there is no comparison at all between Bama and Ole Miss defensively.

Now, on the rain issue. The Rebels ran for 265 against Alabama and LSU combined. They aren’t going to grind it out on the ground against the Hogs, who haven’t allowed 1,000 yards rushing combined in their first six games.

Arkansas just might be able to control the game on the ground. With a stable of healthy running backs against a defense that has more issues than a one-armed paper hanger trying to stop either the run or pass, Chad Morris might just try to run, run, run.

It is the easiest way to defend the Rebels’ high-flying offense. They can’t complete a single pass standing on the sidelines.

History is also on the side of the Hogs in this one.

Ole Miss should have won games in 2014, 2015, 2016 and last year. Instead, they haven’t won a single one of those games. Remember, in 2014 and 2015, the Rebels were headed to big-time seasons that ended in the Chik-fil-A Bowl and the Sugar Bowl and they lost to Arkansas.

Last year, they jumped out to a huge lead on the Hogs and couldn’t hold it, giving Bret Bielema his only league win in that big comeback.

Right now Ole Miss is a six to seven-point favorite in Las Vegas.

Which is usually the position that favors Arkansas. Especially in Little Rock and I don’t have enough time to list all of the upsets in Razorback history there, but it started with a monumental upset in 1954 of No. 1 Ole Miss.

We’ll see if history continues in Little Rock and I think it will.

Arkansas 51, Ole Miss 31

Last week saw the first loss for me in our little prediction contest in two weeks. Kentucky’s loss in overtime to Texas A&M was my only miss.

For the Hogs, I picked Alabama 59-24, so the final of 65-31 wasn’t that far off.

The record for the season is 53-6, right at 90 percent.

This week the league is all playing each other and the quick picks are Alabama over Missouri (that might be the case the rest of the year) and Florida over Vandy (although that one might be a little close after the Gators’ win over LSU last week).

Since I correctly tabbed Mississippi State’s win over Auburn last week, I’m allowed to pick Bulldogs’ games again but they have the week off and will be rooting for Arkansas against Ole Miss.

Tennessee at -15 Auburn

It would be shocking if the Vols could pull of a win here and I started to put it in the quick picks … until I saw the spread.

This game opened with the Tigers an 18-point favorite and it’s been bet down as low as 14 in some places.

I still have a feeling that may be too many.

Gus Malzahn has shown a remarkably relaxed view of his team’s lackluster start and Auburn fans are questioned why they gave him half of the university to not go to Arkansas.

Tennessee is a mess in Jeremy Pruitt’s first year, but this game just might be a little closer than what Vegas is showing.

Auburn 17, Tennessee 10

-7 Georgia at LSU

If this was a night game in Baton Rouge it would be a slam dunk upset pick, but it’s the afternoon CBS game and that’s the only reason I’m hesitating … a little.

I haven’t bought into the Bulldogs’ ranking this season. To me there are questions with the running game and I’m not sure they have looked as dominant in the first half of the season as you’d expect from a team with that ranking.

LSU has looked solid and played some of these close games already this year against Auburn and Florida.

I’m taking the Tigers in a game that’s not going to be a wild scoring affair, but maybe more points than some think.

LSU 24, Georgia 21

-2 Texas A&M at South Carolina

The Aggies lost to Clemson and Alabama before coming very close to dropping a home game against Kentucky last week.

This time they go on the road against a Gamecocks’ team that put up token resistance against Georgia and Kentucky.

But it is a night game in Columbia in one of the best environments in all of college football regardless of South Carolina’s record.

I’ll go out on a limb here and pick the Gamecocks in an upset

South Carolina 27, Texas A&M 24

???? Friday Halftime Pod — Featuring Aaron Torres

Tye Richardson
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Phil Elson and Tye Richardson talk about the upcoming Arkansas vs. Ole Miss game and interview with Aaron Torres!

Morris, Yurachek smart for embracing Little Rock games

Nate Olson
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There were plenty of reasons Bret Bielema was unsuccessful at Arkansas. I’d add surprisingly, but not everyone agrees with me there.

Along with a sharp drop in quality of assistants and lack of recruiting, Bielema’s disdain for playing games at War Memorial Stadium stands out among factors that led to his demise.

Bielema finished 3-3 in Little Rock, but all three of those wins were against Football Championship Subdivision opponents.

The loss to mid-major Toledo in 2015 was one of the nails in his coffin. A Toledo team that was without future NFL star running back Kareem Hunt no less.

The other losses were an overtime loss to Mississippi State in 2013 and a blowout loss to Georgia in 2014 that was deflating to some who were encouraged by close losses to Texas A&M and Alabama.

The bellyaching coupled with the lackluster efforts that Bielema and former athletics director Jeff Long blamed on sparse WMS crowds, irritated the UA Board of Trustees and made it easy to send Bielema packing.

Long agreed with the former coach and planned to pull games out of Little Rock. After the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism began managing the stadium, Gov. Asa Hutchinson supported games in Little Rock and so did the BOT.

That left Long in a pickle and eventually with a pink slip.

So now enter new Hogs coach Chad Morris and athletics director Hunter Yurachek. Both have enthusiastically supported the idea of keeping with the long-standing tradition.

Are they toeing the company line?

Yes, but they see the bigger picture. They understand that games will be played at WMS every other year and the spring game the other years.

They don’t want any negative thoughts creeping into the locker room. They want to win as many games as possible for more than one reason.

“I cannot wait to go down to our home stadium at War Memorial there in Little Rock on a Saturday night,” Morris told the media this week. “I think it’s the first time since 1999 (well, there was a Thursday night game against South Carolina in 2003, but close enough) that there will be a night SEC game.

“We’re extremely excited about this. I know we’re expecting the atmosphere to be incredible. The tailgating will be outstanding. The weather will be fabulous.

“But we need you in the stands for kickoff. We need you loud, we need you excited and we need this place to be rocking on Saturday night at 6:30.”

Arkansas has lost five straight games despite showing improvement. Morris knows if his team is going to make a late-season run, they need to win Saturday night against an Ole Miss team that may be a little better than average.

The game is realistically winnable. It wouldn’t be smart for Morris to take the podium bad-mouthing the 70-year-old stadium knowing there is plenty of negative thoughts that could be creeping into his players’ minds.

Morris has shown a knack for keeping things positive which must be tough at times.

As we approach game day the UA ticket office confirms tickets are in short supply. Special things happen at the stadium at night.

The tailgating on the golf course is among the best atmospheres in college football. If Morris gets his first SEC win in Little Rock against Ole Miss, it will only add to the mystique and really warm the coach up to playing here.

Just because Long is gone, it doesn’t change the fact that playing at War Memorial Stadium doesn’t make economic sense or help recruiting with no official visitors that weekend.

But Yurachek wants to unite the state and include all boosters and fans. That was something mentioned before he was hired.

There are still fans that won’t travel to Little Rock for a game, but rotating every year and substituting a game with the spring game is a good compromise.

It shows forward thinking and a solution that Long probably never thought of.

Both men know that winning cures all. If the Hogs win often, it doesn’t matter where the games are played. Both stadiums will be full.

The foundation for winning begins by embracing playing games at War Memorial Stadium. That was something Bielema and Long never did.

Bud Light Morning Rush Podcast: Friday

Tye Richardson
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Bud Light Morning Rush Podcast: Friday

Home games, halfway, hope and Ole Miss this week

Pete Morgan
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Ah, Little Rock. Our home away from home. Six games into the 2018 campaign, Arkansas sits at a little less than anticipated 1–5.

And, after coming off what many have consider a successful attempt against Alabama, some Razorbacks fans possess aspirations of a new foundation.

Arkansas hosts the Ole Miss Rebels in War Memorial Stadium this weekend. Yes, the “Great Stadium Debate” has had better coverage than the Razorbacks secondary throughout the years, yet I will make a quick opinion here.

I love the great people across our entire state, and we share this program, however, this is essentially a road game, and in the SEC, every aspect and piece of home field advantage counts.

And to Santos Ramirez, Kevin Richardson and company, I know you read this. And in regard to my previous jab: Prove me wrong, men. Prove me wrong.

A 12-game season has reached its halfway point and I am curious, how close were you on your late-August predictions up to this point?

I’ll be the first to step up and admit I was way wrong. How wrong you ask? Let’s just state Hugh Freeze’s decision to use his university-provided cell phone for “personal business” was more right than me.

But hope rings true still with those who bleed Razorback Red through the great times, the good times, and, honestly, the last seven years. Some are even vocal on social media about possibilities due to the performance against Alabama.

On the central Arkansas field turf Saturday, where can we find a shimmering light to pin all of these winning desires?

The offense keeps progressing under the leadership of veteran players and first-year starter at quarterback, Ty Storey.

At the risk of sounding pretentious, I stated several weeks ago Rakeem Boyd will be needed in heavy doses to greatly compliment Devwah Whaley and create a highly respectable backfield. This kid is the future, and the Rebels will be fully aware of No. 5 by the end of this game.

In retrospect, congrats to the offense for exposing Alabama’s defense. Honestly, readers, if that does not say something about the direction in which Chad Morris has this program headed, I do not know what will.

Moving on, unless Ole Miss Head Coach Matt Luke has a receiving corps like Alabama’s, then the secondary on the Razorbacks defense will be able to focus on taking better angles to the tackle.

Along those same lines, the defensive line will feel like they are on vacation after facing what appeared to be the WWE developmental roster last week.

Even John Chavis may be more relaxed and at ease going head-to-head against the offensive coordinator for the Rebels (Phil Longo) as compared to the Nick Saban masterpiece that has scored more this season than even Wilt Chamberlain thought possible.

Interpret this comparison however you like.

I believe it was the brain trust of “The Morning Rush” who was discussing in detail that there is not a designated special teams coach at the University of Arkansas.

In fact, if you are not aware, the staff currently uses an approach which has been noted as “by committee.”

I would never tell Morris how to do his job, however, this strategy hopefully is short-term and a full-time assistant is defined for 2019. If not, look out.

On a side note, if you are not listening to the gentlemen on the aforementioned “The Morning Rush” weekday mornings from 6-9 a.m., then you are truly missing out on the best sports broadcast in all of Arkansas.

Fayetteville or Little Rock? That is up for you to decide.

We are halfway home for 2018, and the chances of a bowl game seem less possible than Caitlyn Jenner being canonized.

But hope? Yes, we can always have optimism, especially this weekend. Our boys should be on somewhat of a high, and this could prove dangerous for those wearing Oxford blues.

Quick fun fact shared to me by one Tom Turner: Storey has never lost in Little Rock.

The gist of the story is if Chad Morris wants to turn any kind of page for this program’s long-term relevance this season, the game against Ole Miss is that opportunity.

Granted, there will be strong possibilities for victories remaining in opponents like Tulsa and Vanderbilt, however, this is the Hogs best chance against name with which some will one day reflect upon the record books and deem a formidable opponent.

You might call this my weekly “UPSET ALERT:” Arkansas 34, Ole Miss 17.

Dear Mr. Hodges,

You may have a substantial lead at the midpoint of our 2018 contest, but at 48–11, I am not too far back to make like Van Halen and turn this thing around.

  • (14) Florida at Vanderbilt – Gators by 24
  • Tennessee at (21) Auburn – Tigers by 11
  • (2) Georgia at (13) LSU – Even in Death Valley, the UG is too tough. Bulldogs by 12
  • (22) Texas A&M at South Carolina – Aggies by 28
  • Missouri at (1) Alabama – Tide… Who really cares by how much?

This HitThatLine.Com race is too tough for an official “Upset Alert” this week, so I may just throw out two next time.

Oh, and what was that earlier? A Van Halen reference in 2018? Well, it was either them or Bonnie Tyler, and I’ve got a Man Card to think about.

Go HOGS!!!

Follow me on ‘Twitter’: @PeterMorganWPS

Lots of questions surround Bryant’s visit to Arkansas

Andy Hodges
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When Kelly Bryant announced he was transferring from Clemson, Arkansas immediately popped into folks’ minds as a possible landing spot for the graduate transfer.

Chad Morris recruited Bryant for the Tigers, but left before Bryant signed or got to campus.

Now he’s on the market again and it’s only natural Morris would reach out to him and did, obviously. Bryant has scheduled an official visit — his first — to Arkansas on October 20 for the game against Tulsa.

He has an unofficial visit set for North Carolina this weekend.

“I’m going to take my first official visit to Arkansas,” Bryant said Wednesday to Woody Wommack of Rivals.com. “I’m excited to get down to Fayetteville and see what all Arkansas has to offer.”

What Arkansas has to offer is a quarterback room that’s going to have to see somebody leave the program after December.

Ty Storey is the starter right now, but freshmen Connor Noland and John Stephen Jones are sitting in the wings. Cole Kelley is being used in certain short-yardage situations where they want him to run 2 yards and fall forward. Daulton Hyatt doesn’t appear to figure in any plans whatsoever.

The Hogs have North Panola, Mississippi, quarterback K.J. Jefferson committed and they have offers out for the 2020 class.

Somebody’s gotta leave you would think with a lot of speculation that Kelley and Hyatt are the most likely transfers.

Bryant will find a big-time class of freshmen slated to come to Arkansas next year with the commitment of tight end Hudson Henry of Pulaski Academy in Little Rock on Thursday joining maybe the most talented group of receivers the Hogs have ever signed.

With Treylon Burks, Shamar Nash and Trey Knox committed to join the receivers already on campus, Bryant will find a solid receiving corps in place. There’s a wealth of talent at running back. The offensive line, well, that will come around … hopefully.

The biggest questions facing the coaching staff seems to be:

• There’s an overload of quarterbacks that can’t play on the roster now. Which quarterbacks already committed or on campus will leave?

• By all reports, Bryant was a mentor and great teammate of Trevor Lawrence, the freshman who replaced him as the starter at Clemson. Would he be willing to duplicate that role at Arkansas with Connor Noland and K.J. Jefferson?

• In building a program, is Morris willing to trade development of one of the younger quarterbacks on a graduate transfer who would only be there for one year?

Maybe the last question is the most important one for Morris. If he thinks Bryant could have the impact of Cam Newton at Auburn in 2010 or even Trevor Knight at Texas A&M in 2016, then maybe he would want him.

Or maybe Morris is going the same route as Nick Saban, which is get the most talent possible on the team and then move the pieces around to find something that works.

A lot of questions to be answered.

And not all of them will be up to Bryant.

Razorbacks, Cowboys agree to pair of football games

ESPN Arkansas News Services
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Razorbacks, Cowboys agree to pair of football games

FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas and Oklahoma State have agreed to a two-game, home-and-home football series for 2024 and 2027.

The Razorbacks will travel to Boone Pickens Stadium in Stillwater, Oklahoma, during the 2024 season, while Arkansas will host the Cowboys in 2027 at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville.

It will be the first time since 1980 the two teams have squared off against each other, when the Razorbacks defeated OSU, 33-20, in Little Rock. Overall, Arkansas holds a 30-15-1 advantage in the series, claiming each of the last five meetings with the Cowboys.

The two squads have met 25 times in Little Rock, with the Razorbacks holding a 21-4 record in those matchups. The old Southwest Conference foes first met on Oct. 12, 1912, in Fayetteville, with the program’s first win over the Cowboys coming a year later in a 3-0 victory on Oct. 18, 1913.

In addition to Oklahoma State, Arkansas previously announced contests against Notre Dame (2020 & 2025) and Texas (2021), bolstering its future non-conference schedules.

???? Thursday Halftime Pod — Featuring Bob Holt

Tye Richardson
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Henry commits to Hogs, putting them in Top 20

Andy Hodges
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Hudson Henry’s commitment Thursday has moved Arkansas into the Top 20 in most recruiting rankings, but that can’t be the best for Chad Morris at Arkansas.

Some fans may not particularly like that statement, but the coaches will understand it and the guess here is Morris and his staff agrees with it.

Henry’s pledge moved the Razorbacks to No. 19 in the 247Sports.com composite rankings, No. 23 at ESPN.com and all the way up to No. 12 in the Rivals national rankings.

It wouldn’t be surprising to see the Hogs land more talent for the 2019 class, which is considered one of the best for the school in years.

That ranking is not where Morris and this staff want to be. They are shooting higher, but they didn’t exactly walk into a situation that had years of highly-ranked recruiting classes.

No, they are building and this class is evidence this staff is willing to work at the recruiting game.

With 22 commitments now, they may be able to add two or three more, but there are some indications via offers that they are already working hard on the 2020 class.

Bud Light Morning Rush Podcast: Thursday

Tye Richardson
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Bud Light Morning Rush Podcast: Thursday

John & Tommy are joined by Nick Mason to discuss the best Ole Miss won, interview Richard Davenport a

Hogs’ offense could be big key against Ole Miss

Andy Hodges
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Arkansas started this season offensively trying to follow Chad Morris’ credo of getting in the left lane, popping the clutch and putting the hammer down.

Only problem was the thing stalled.

The Razorbacks’ offense finally got started against Texas A&M after settling on a driver with Ty Storey named the quarterback and, of all things, getting rolling against No. 1 Alabama.

Granted, it was the equivalent of running a Corvette at the Indy 500, but it was still running much better than the previous three weeks. That more resembled running a Corvette that had dropped a couple of cylinders.

Against Ole Miss this week, it better be in the left lane with the hammer down and pretty much view the brake as an optional add-on.

That’s because the Rebels have big-play ability with a group of three wideouts in A.J. Brown, D.K. Metcalf and DeMarkus Lodge who are all big and tend to make a lot of big plays.

“They’re as good as anybody in the SEC,” Morris said Wednesday. “They have two, possibly even three, first-round receivers. They’re that talented.”

He knows that’s going to be a tall order for a Hogs’ secondary that has given up an average of 271 yards passing per game this season. While the Hogs have out-rushed their opponents (barely), they have been seriously short in the passing game.

“It’s going to force us to have to cover not just sideline to sideline, but we also have to cover end zone to end zone with these guys,” Morris said.

It will be a defensive effort for the ages if Arkansas is able to shut down Ole Miss’ offense. There’s not much chance of that happening.

Which is why the Razorbacks’ offensive performance is going to be the key to this game.

Remember the game against Houston in 1989? Yeah, that’s the game when Quinn Grovey became a legend, winning a shootout against the Cougars, who had Andre Ware at quarterback in his Heisman Trophy-winning season.

Arkansas won that game — which was a true shootout — by continuing to pile up yards and points. The Razorbacks won because, well, Houston blinked. You can’t do that in a shootout.

That Houston game, by the way, was played at War Memorial Stadium. There’s been more than a couple of shootouts there over the years.

Ole Miss’ defense may be the best chance for the Hogs’ offense to break out. Especially the running game. With a slew of running backs healthy for this game (and we’re assuming Devwah Whaley will be back), the best way to defense the Rebels’ high-flying offense is keep them on the bench.

If Whaley is back, the Hogs could be rotating three or four running backs. Rakeem Boyd has risen to the top of that group, Whaley has the experience while Chase Hayden and T.J. Hammonds add new dimension to the running game with their speed.

Against Alabama and LSU, the Rebels gave up 522 yards on the ground combined. Just for fun, the Crimson Tide and the Tigers combined for 598 yards through the air, too.

Ole Miss is giving up an average of 307 yards a game through the air and slightly over 195 yards on the ground.

Now, remember, among their six games this year, the Rebels have only played Alabama and LSU in the SEC while piling up offensive numbers against the likes of Louisiana-Monroe, Kent State and Southern Illinois.

What’s interesting is the amount of offense their defense has given up to those same teams.

The crystal clear statistic that jumps out is that Ole Miss’ defense gives up chunks of yardage in the air and on the ground. Now they have three key member of their secondary out for the season, so there’s inexperience back there, too.

The bottom line to this week’s game?

It’s pretty simple, actually. The Rebels have an offense that is very, very good at times. They also have a defense that is very, very bad at times.

It sets up a game where the first team’s offense that blinks may be in trouble.

So we’ll likely find out if the Hogs’ offense is ready to stay in the left lane with the hammer down.

Or stall again.

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