Razorbacks linebacker Dre Greenlaw talked after Saturday’s scrimmage about the improvement the defense has made and playing faster, more aggressively.
Morris talks about Hogs in first fall scrimmage
Razorbacks coach Chad Morris talked with the media Saturday after the first scrimmage of fall camp about the offense installation still not complete and good things quarterbacks were able to do.
Chavis on defense after first scrimmage of fall
Arkansas defensive coordinator John Chavis talked with the media about the defense’s progress after the first scrimmage of the fall in Razorback Stadium on Saturday.
Craddock on good things in Saturday scrimmage
Hogs offensive coordinator Joe Craddock talked with the media after Saturday’s scrimmage and the questioning finally got around to the quarterbacks.
Hayden on running backs’ first day in pads on Wednesday
Razorbacks running back Chase Hayden talked about the first day with contact Wednesday and how the running backs rotation is working with the offense.
Watts on defensive line’s work in pads for first time
Arkansas offensive lineman Armon Watts met with the media after practice Wednesday and talked about how the defense is developing with a new, attacking style under John Chavis.
Razorback fans can be as hyped as we want to be
Despair. Remember the word?
As a Razorbacks fan you are most certainly familiar with the feeling. In a poor attempt not to sound like a cliché, what goes up must come down, right?
Sadly, most of these lows for our beloved football program fall on the too-soon heels of high expectations. For example, reflect upon your initial hearing that an NFL coach was making his way from Atlanta to Fayetteville.
Arkansas soon earned a ranking as the No. 3 team in the nation while playing in a more prestigious bowl game. Now recall your thoughts upon the following word motorcycle. The events rekindled in your mind are soon chased by the blocked-out memories created under the reign of one John L Smith.
“No problem,” said then Arkansas athletics director Jeff Long, “I have us a big name.”
That promise from Long turned out to be Bret Bielema. No, the three-time Big Ten Champion from Wisconsin may not have been at the top of the list for the Arkansas faithful, however, Bielema’s personality brought an air of trust and future successes.
Mix that with somewhat of a successful sophomore campaign on The Hill and the majority of Hog fans soon swooned with hope and promise. But, alas, the aforementioned air was quickly let out of the proverbial balloon.
Enter Chad Morris.
For the casual fan, Morris was a relatively unknown coming out of SMU. Some had heard legend of his offensive prowess as a coordinator at Clemson. Others perhaps thought of him as the embattled martyr who clawed his way to a 7-6 third season at SMU after being hired to replace June Jones at the helm.
Granted, Jones had achieved some short-lived success, yet he managed to return SMU to its post-death penalty ways by winning only its last game in a 1–11 record for the 2014 campaign.
This, topped off with a snubbing “thanks, but no thanks” from the Big 12 upon receiving SMU’s application to join their ranks, had many questioning Morris’s decision to leave the Tigers instead of waiting on a better head coaching opportunity.
Back to the present as we soon face the kickoff for the 2018 season, and a fan base that just this past year opted to leave Donald W Reynold’s Razorback Stadium a desert of attendance has suddenly gotten fully behind Morris, his staff and, especially, the players.
Arkansas fans are known for their loyalty to support the team year in and year out whether the season proves successful or dismal, victorious or as an opportunity to ponder the future, and the pride of a state versus its Monday morning water cooler embarrassment.
Yes, this season looks to possess no difference in the rallying call for loyal fans to support these young men that give it their all each and every game.
Why the possible turnaround from Beilema’s last to Morris’s first? Bret was a vocal figure — an entertainer.
We often watched press conferences with the thought of “I wonder what funny or polarizing comment Coach will make today.”
Morris is all about business, but with a steady dose of support for all things Arkansas and its multiple programs.
Need the recruiting approach and triumphs of Morris and his staff be mentioned? His ability to attract JUCO players has caught the attention of the national media.
Already, the 2019 class has been ranked in the Top 25 by a number of outlets. In-state talent seems to be leaning towards staying instead of leaving. Furthermore, we are back in the state of Texas going after big names to garner top talent for Arkansas.
Certainly most Razorback fans do not expect to be a contender for the SEC West this season, yet there is a new feeling upon a horizon that took a few months for even Morris to sell us.
We aspire our state’s flagship program to be great once again. To carry that banner which represents us from victory to victory. Some will doubt that we stand a chance to accomplish anything of importance in year one of this new chapter.
And some will scoff at the perspective that Morris can have us competitive again in 2019. Likewise, having fallen victim to despair, some social media genius types will scorn the hopeful fans that have their fingers crossed and their eyes bright for the future.
To those that only have a pessimistic view, I say relax, enjoy your life, and let us enjoy ours. Optimism during the off-season is what we often must take the most pleasure in given our modern football history.
Fans, we want to hear your thoughts on the upcoming season.
Feel free to reach out to me on ‘Twitter’ via @PeterMorganWPS, or utilize #ArkFBExpectations. Go HOGS!!!
Hogs’ Gibson talking about problems on line
Hogs guard Johnny Gibson talked about the offensive linemen’s new look and how the new offense is developing, plus working at different positions and different quarterbacks.
Bud Light Morning Rush Podcast: Friday
John is joined by former Arkansas QB Tyler Wilson to discuss what fans are excited about, preseason NFL football, the toughest job of a college QB and more!
Hogs’ offense just might have different spark than you think
Since Chad Morris was hired in December, many fans have thought this was going to be a Petrino-style passing attack.
That got some folks excited. They remember the offense under Ryan Mallett and Tyler Wilson that lit up the scoreboard.
Some remember an offense that got stymied at times by athletic and aggressive defenses.
Morris said back on December 7 when he was introduced he wanted a two-back rushing offense. His offense has been termed the Smashmouth Spread.
Looking at it in the brief part of early practices we’ve been allowed to attend, you start to see why it’s called that and how Morris could have more success doing what his predecessor WANTED to do, but never could quite get right.
This offense looks similar in some respects to Ken Hatfield’s Wishbone that opened inside running lanes simply by the alignment. There are times looking at the line splits you wonder if you could parallel park a small car there. Okay, they’re not that big, but you still wonder.
That creates some awfully big running lanes that can be made wider with simple zone blocking.
And that is why Morris has said at times the offense has an answer for whatever a defense does. It’s almost like some of the old Wishbone teams where big, physical defenses were at a huge disadvantage playing them because they were always wrong.
Arkansas fans should know that because the Razorbacks beat Oklahoma in the 1978 Orange Bowl with speed and quickness more than physicality.
Roland Sales set an Orange Bowl rushing record by running behind a scheme Lou Holtz concocted that created gigantic holes with ONE block that was simply the case of taking a defender where he was going, then Sales read it and hit the hole.
It appears there’s some of that in Morris’ offense.
With a group of running backs that are much quicker and faster than anything the Hogs have shown the last few years, it could get very interesting.
Even Devwah Whaley.
“He looks more explosive,” Morris said Thursday after practice about Whaley, who lowered his body fat in the offseason and even talked at Media Day about being quicker now and it’s showing on the practice field.
“He looks light on his feet,” Morris said. “He plants now and has vision. He sees it and makes the cut.”
There are others that are looking good, too. It won’t be a one-back offensive attack and there will be fullbacks used on occasion.
“I think we’ve got a great running back room,” Morris said. “There’s competition and a challenge.”
Maleek Williams looked good in the spring and is still having good showings in fall camp.
“Maleek has looked good,” Morris said. “He’s 225 (pounds) and runs hard. He had a good run today in short yardage.”
It’s a group that is faster than in recent years. That much is plainly obvious. The right side of the offensive line with Brian Wallace at tackle, Johnny Gibson at guard and Hjalte Froholdt at center actually looks pretty good.
But you can’t run to the right all the time. Most teams will figure that out pretty quick.
“Now we have to get the left side like that,” Morris said.
If Dylan Hays can get out of the green shirt he was in Thursday and can play center, that will let Froholdt go back to left guard.
Silas Robinson and Noah Gatlin, a pair of freshmen with size and surprisingly quick feet, are showing promise at left tackle.
“Gatlin and Robinson are getting a ton of reps in the offensive line,” Morris said. “With the guys we have out, that’s forcing two freshmen to get some game speed reps. They’ve done a really good job. I’m proud of them and I’m proud of the older guys for pulling them along.”
Hays is expected back for a scrimmage Saturday, which will help.
In Thursday’s 11-on-11 work, Connor Noland started with the first team, then John Stephen Jones came on.
But it was Daulton Hyatt, again, who had some of the best plays, including a run on the option and a perfectly-time pitch to Rakeem Boyd, who has outside speed better than anyone the Hogs have had for a while.
Morris isn’t giving preference to any of the five quarterbacks, who have appeared to be rotating equally.
At least for now.
Saturday’s scrimmage may provide some separation, but the media won’t be allowed to attend.
“I’ll tell you what all went on,” Morris told the media with a smile Thursday as he left the podium.
