New countdown clock helps fans keep up with TV timeouts

ESPN Arkansas News Services
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BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — The Southeastern Conference will implement the use of a visible television timeout countdown clock on the field at all 14 SEC on-campus football venues for the 2018 season the conference announced on Tuesday.

The on-field display will allow fans, game officials and both teams to view the remaining time during each television commercial stoppage from anywhere in the stadium.

“The use of a visible timeout countdown clock will provide fans in particular an opportunity to know when a game will re-start after a television timeout and hopefully give some definition to the perceived delays in a game,” said SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey. “The clock will also give teams, game officials and event administrators more definitive information for time management in their respective areas of the game.”

The display is operated by the TV timeout coordinator, or ‘Red Hat,’ on the field during television commercial breaks and is turned off during routine game action.

The time shown on the TV timeout countdown clock will be the official time remaining in a timeout. When the display reaches zero, the game officials will make the ball ready for play.

This will require both teams to be ready on the field and the television production to be back from its commercial break.

The TV timeout countdown clock will also be utilized at three off-campus Southeastern Conference games played during the regular season including Georgia vs. Florida in Jacksonville, Fla., Arkansas vs. Texas A&M in Arlington, Texas and Ole Miss at Arkansas in Little Rock, as well as the SEC Championship Game on December 1, in Atlanta, Ga., at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

The clock will not be used at neutral site games involving non-conference opponents, such as games to be played on opening weekend in Houston, Arlington, Atlanta and Orlando.

The SEC worked with Victory Game Clocks to develop the TV timeout countdown clock for the upcoming football season.

The countdown clock is a variation of the company’s eDown digital product currently utilized at several SEC schools, the SEC Football Championship Game, and a number of bowl games.

Both projects are a by-product of the Auburn University Economic Development Administration (EDA) program, where prototypes and final design were completed by a group of 16 Auburn students in the program.

Kelley will start first game, but finishing is still wide open

Andy Hodges
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Chad Morris opened Monday’s gameweek press conference by announcing Cole Kelley will be the starter at quarterback, but later he kinda left open who will finish.

“I told him it wasn’t a lifetime contract,” Morris said.

Which means, simply, the only thing crystal clear about the quarterback position is that it most certainly isn’t clear WHO will play the most this season.

He pointed out keeping the quarterback position requires getting the team into the end zone. They could practice until Christmas and still not know that until they line up against someone in a different uniform.

In the end, it came down to Kelley being a little more consistent over the last couple of weeks.

“I was really in hopes that there would be a clearcut, ‘Boom, here it is, it was evident from the first scrimmage,’ but we didn’t get that,” Morris said. “We got a really good, healthy competition at that position. That’s a good thing.”

That’s coachspeak for nobody stepped up, grabbed the job by the throat and just flat-out claimed it.

“We just felt like for the decision-making and what we felt like going into this first game that Cole had earned that right to start,” Morris said. “Doesn’t say that he’s the finisher, but he’s the starter.”

Kelley’s size also played a role, in addition his strong arm and the fact he’s big enough to take a pounding behind an offensive line that has one side put together with hope and training tape.

“Cole has got a strong arm. He’s big, he’s not afraid to stand in there,” offensive coordinator Joe Craddock said.

That could be due as much to the injury issues in the offensive line, combined with the inexperience. It’s a massive understatement to say that usually is a bad combination.

“I’m just saying that one of his strengths when you turned on the tape from last year when he did play, he’s standing in there taking some good, big hits, and to keep being able standing in there showing the courage that it takes to do that, that’s one of his biggest attributes is his size and his ability to throw the ball down the field,” Craddock said.

We’re assuming he knows that’s also how quarterbacks — even the big ones — get laid out in the SEC.

On the depth chart for this week, the Hogs list five quarterbacks.

And, near the end of the press conference, Morris also suggested we not forget about freshmen Connor Noland and John Stephen Jones.

A little research shows when he had Deshaun Watson at Clemson when he was a freshman in 2014, Morris kept him out of the starting lineup for a big part of the season.

Now that’s not to say either of these guys are Watson, who ended up being a finalist for the Heisman Trophy in 2016 when he led the Tigers to a national title win over Alabama.

But Morris said both will play.

“Now, when and exactly the moment, I don’t know that and probably won’t know that until that moment,” Morris said. “I want them engaged and ready and prepared as if they were the starter.”

The word from people that have seen more of fall camp than the media have said both look better in the scrimmages, especially Jones. His reputation is as a competitor.

Which Morris likes.

If it shows itself in a game against someone in another jersey and with the new redshirt rule, he can play them against SEC opponents to see how they do in the big time.

But Morris going to find out.

Morris names Kelley starter at QB for opener for Hogs

ESPN Arkansas News Services
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Arkansas coach Chad Morris on Monday named Cole Kelley as the starting quarterback for the opener against Eastern Illinois this Saturday in the official unveiling of Razorback Stadium.

NLR still atop poll, Grizzlies in Top 10; B-West drops

ESPN Arkansas News Services
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There was no shuffling at the top of the Arkansas High School Football Poll this week, but Fort Smith got in while Bentonville West dropped from fourth to eighth.

Fayetteville leapfrogged Bentonville to the third spot and Bryant stayed in second place.

HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL RANKINGS
Last year's final Arkansas High School Football poll as voted by a panel of state media. The new poll will be released Sunday night!
OVERALLRecordPtsPrv
1.Bryant (20)13-02001
2.North Little Rock8-51689
3.Bentonville11-11382
4.Pulaski Academy12-21337
5.Searcy12-111210
6.Benton9-4706
7.Joe T. Robinson14-154—
8.Bentonville West7-545—
9.Little Rock Christian13-1383
10.Harrison11-1324
Others receiving votes: Greenwood 27, Conway 24, Harding Academy 22, Shiloh Christian 10, Fordyce 8, Springdale Har-Ber 8, Fayetteville 6, Morrilton 3, LR Catholic 2.
CLASS 7A
1.Bryant (20)13-01001
2.North Little Rock8-5784
3.Bentonville11-1602
4.Bentonville West7-532—
5.Conway8-4213
Others receiving votes: Springdale Har-Ber 5, Fayetteville 4.
CLASS 6A
1.Searcy (20)12-11003
2.Benton9-4792
3.Greenwood10-2611
4.West Memphis7-2324
5.Jonesboro8-4215
Others receiving votes: Lake Hamilton 7.
CLASS 5A
1.Pulaski Academy (20)12-21003
2.Little Rock Christian13-1751
3.Harrison11-1602
4.Morrilton8-541—
5.Valley View10-1124
Others receiving votes: White Hall 10, Wynne 1, Vilonia 1.
CLASS 4A
1.Joe T. Robinson (20)14-11002
2.Shiloh Christian14-1773
3.Ozark12-2375
4.Arkadelphia11-2361
5.Crossett9-428—
Others receiving votes: Nashville 20, Jonesboro Westside 2.
CLASS 3A
1.Harding Academy (20)15-01002
2.Osceola12-2803
3.Prescott11-3574
4.Camden Harmony Grove11-338—
5.Rison11-2161
Others receiving votes: Melbourne 5, Booneville 2, Hoxie 2.
CLASS 2A
1.Fordyce (20)13-21003
2.Junction City11-2801
3.Gurdon10-446—
4.Salem10-2315
5.Des Arc9-3204
Others receiving votes: Hazen 17, Foreman 4, Magnet Cove 1, Carlisle 1.

Craddock on Kelley as starter, offense for opener

ESPN Arkansas News Services
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Arkansas offensive coordinator Joe Craddock talked Monday about naming Cole Kelley as the starting quarterback for the opener against Eastern Illinois on Saturday.

Chavis keeping some things under wraps for Hogs’ opener

ESPN Arkansas News Services
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Arkansas defensive coordinator John Chavis met with the media in preparation for Saturday’s opener against Eastern Illinois and he didn’t want to give away much information in advance of the game.

Bud Light Countdown: 5 days until Hogs kick off the season

Tye Richardson
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Man, DMAC could fly.

Photo Credit: Doug Pensinger – Getty Images

Bud Light Morning Rush Podcast: Monday

Tye Richardson
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Bud Light Morning Rush Podcast: Monday

John and Tommy are joined by former hog QB Tyler Wilson to discuss Darren McFadden’s career at Arkansas, plus ADG’s Tom Murphy and Eddie from Clarksville phone in.

Three walk-ons get scholarships on Sunday night

ESPN Arkansas News Services
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Walk-ons Grant Morgan, Connor Limpert and D’Vone McClure received scholarships from Arkansas coach Chad Morris on Sunday night following the Razorbacks first game week practice of the season.

Morgan is a sophomore linebacker from Greenwood. Limpert is a junior kicker from Allen, Texas. McClure, a former professional baseball player, is a sophomore nickel back from Rixie, Arkansas.

Those three are now part of the 85 man scholarship roster for the 2018 Razorback Football team.

Late charge not enough for Razorbacks at McNeese State

ESPN Arkansas News Services
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LAKE CHARLES, La. — With second-half goals from junior Tori Cannata and sophomore Taylor Malham, Arkansas came back twice against McNeese State to force overtime Sunday afternoon.

However, a 107th-minute rebound score gave the Cowgirls the 3-2 victory in double overtime, handing the Razorbacks their first loss of the 2018 season.

McNeese State’s (3-1-0) Havana Johnson scored the game-winner after a rebound near the right-post deflected to her feet.

Arkansas (2-1-1) goalkeeper Rachel Harris had come off her line to try and knock the ball away on the first shot attempt, but could not get her hand on it, leaving the goal open for Johnson.

For Cannata and Malham, both of their goals were their first of the season and equalized the match in the 79thand 90th minutes.

McNeese looked to have the match in hand with its go-ahead goal in the 89th minute, but the Razorback offense caught the Cowgirls on their heels seconds later as Malham ricocheted a shot off the left post into the net to send the match into overtime.

Sunday’s match was the second time this season that Arkansas has gone into extra time after it played to a draw with No. 9 West Virginia last week for its fourth result over a top-10 team in the last three seasons.

From Head Coach Colby Hale

“First off, credit to McNeese State. I thought they were very good. A big congrats to (McNeese head coach) Drew (Fitzgerald), his staff and those players. We will let this sting a bit. We will need to watch video, learn a few lessons as a team and then get to work for a big home game against Baylor on Friday.”

How It Went Down

21st minute – McNeese broke the scoreless match midway through the first half after being awarded a penalty kick from foul call on Razorback keeper Rachel Harris. Keely Morrow scored the goal to give the Cowgirls the early advantage. Arkansas already notched two corner opportunities before the penalty kick.

79th minute – The Razorbacks finally got the equalizer it had been looking for when Cannata one-timed in her first score of the year. Senior Carly Hoke got the assist on a perfect cross from the left side to the right post. Sophomore Parker Goins deflected it to dupe the keeper and Cannata finished it with the one-timer. The point for Hoke was her first since notching an assist against Providence (Sept. 10, 2017) last year.

bIn the final two minutes, McNeese went ahead for the second time in the afternoon as Morgan Middleton beat Arkansas’ back line on a counter attack with the assist from Havana Johnson.

90th minute – Arkansas wasted no time after the Cowgirl goal as it was able to score just seconds after being cleared to play from the referee. Before McNeese had its defense set, the Razorbacks worked down the left side of the field and Malham finished with a right-footed shot that bounced in off the left post.

Other Key Notes

• Taylor Malham and Tori Cannata became the fourth and fifth different Razorbacks to score a goal through four matches this year.

• Malham’s score gives her three points on the season, just one behind junior Marissa Kinsey, who scored twice on Friday against Omaha.

-Senior defender Carly Hoke recorded her first point of the 2018 season, her first since notching an assist against Providence (Sept. 10, 2017) last year.

• Arkansas and McNeese State notched a combined 34 shots in Sunday’s match. The Razorbacks held the advantage 19-15, their second-largest shot output this season.

• Parker Goins and Taylor Malham are the only Razorbacks to record at least one point in multiple matches so far this year.

Up Next

Arkansas returns home for a single-game weekend slated against No. 17 Baylor. Kick is scheduled for 7 p.m. on Friday at Razorback Field and the match will be broadcast on SEC Network+.

Schedule has Hogs’ season one that could be good

Andy Hodges
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This time next week we’ll be talking about the season-opening game against Eastern Illinois, so it’s time now to start making predictions.

Last year, I picked a 6-6 record before the first game. They should get that this year at the very least just because the schedule sets up about as well as Chad Morris is ever going to see.

Plus, as usual, I’m ignoring the national dunderheads who quite simply look at the records from last year, view a coaching change and see if a starting quarterback is returning and throw something out there.

This Arkansas team will be better than last year.

Bret Bielema didn’t recruit players that played in his system. That’s why it didn’t work, quite simply. He kept trying to fit round pegs into square holes and never seemed to grasp why it wasn’t working. He recruited players that played Morris’ system.

Last year’s players and coaches all sounded like they were trying to talk themselves into being good. The coordinators, Dan Enos on offense and Paul Rhoads on defense, too often sounded like they were trying not to lose instead of winning.

That appeared to carry over to the players, who did not play up to their ability level.

The change in attitude from coaches and players is night and day from last season. Especially the players, who are bouncing around most of the time.

Even when Morris wasn’t happy about things at practices there was more pep in the step at a good practice last year.

After being at every practice availability for the media this year, this team isn’t that bad. The offense is going to be better, no matter who the quarterback is going to be.

I’ve listened to everybody try to figure out which quarterback will play based on what they think this offense is going to be.

Just go back to what Morris has said on a couple of occasions. His “system” is designed for what the players he has available do best. In other words, if passing works best then they’ll fling it around. If the quarterback is better at running then he’ll run, if he throws it better he’ll pass.

There is NO definitive way a quarterback has to fit in the offense.

He just has to make decisions quickly … and correctly.

And I don’t think we’ll know that for awhile. In fact it wouldn’t surprise me if the quarterback that starts Saturday won’t be the starter the next week at Colorado State.

Having said all of that, here’s my take on the season:

LIKELY WINS

Eastern Illinois, Colorado State, North Texas, Tulsa, Ole Miss and Vanderbilt

The four nonconference opponents are there quite simply because Michigan cancelled their series and the Hogs got a waiver from the league on playing a Power 5 opponent.

Thank you, SEC.

Ole Miss will have some offensive pop. Their defense couldn’t keep a good high school team from scoring. In Little Rock there will be a bunch of Rebels’ boosters because it’s close and affordable. It won’t help.

Vanderbilt is, well, still Vandy.

LIKELY LOSS

Alabama is the only one I’m willing to put in that category. You may think I’m crazy, but stay with me.

NEEDING HELP

The Hogs will not be favored against Auburn, LSU or Mississippi State. And I’m not going to put all three of those games in the preseason win column, but it may not be as big a hill to climb as you think.

The schedule sets up pretty well, remember?

Auburn will play two emotional and big games before hosting the Hogs down on The Plains. They open with Washington, have a rent-a-win, then LSU in a chance to redeem themselves from last year’s second-half meltdown.

The Tigers will have to get up three of the first four weeks of the season. Not predicting a Razorback win here, but it’s a game to keep an eye on.

The Hogs have an off date before hosting LSU after the Tigers play Alabama. They could have 5-6 losses by that time after having played Miami, Auburn, Florida, Georgia and Mississippi State in addition to the Crimson Tide.

And, finally, we come to Mississippi State the week before Thanksgiving and before playing the Hogs, the Bulldogs play Alabama. In addition, they will have played (in order) Florida, Auburn, LSU and Texas A&M.

As we said, the schedule sets up well for Arkansas this year. I think right now Arkansas will win one of those, putting them at seven for the season.

THE TOSS-UP GAMES

Texas A&M and Missouri are a pair of teams people aren’t really looking closely at the actual facts before throwing them both in the doubtful category.

First, the Aggies are, well, the Aggies and no matter who they bring in as coach he’ll find out why others haven’t won championships in College Station.

Jimbo Fisher isn’t the first coach in this position at A&M. They hired, over the last several decades, Bear Bryant, Gene Stallings, Emory Bellard (when he was the master of the Wishbone), Jackie Sherrill (where he had gone 50-9-1 over five seasons), Dennis Franchione from Alabama, Mike Sherman (offensive guru from the NFL) and Kevin Sumlin (hottest rising coach in Group of 5).

None of them won a national title. Something goofy always screwed it up or they just flat never got close enough to really smell it.

Fisher will find out the same thing and now there are allegations from a former player that he was paid cash by an assistant coach. Hello NCAA. They know their way to College Station, by the way.

And Arkansas should have beaten the Aggies three of the last four years. The talent differential hasn’t been THAT great.

They are also changing offenses, going the opposite direction of Arkansas. We’ll see how that works out for Jimbo in the SEC.

Then we come to Missouri, who is doing much of the same things offensively with the hiring of Derek Dooley as offensive coordinator, who is putting in a more pro-style offense with maybe the best quarterback in the league in Drew Lock.

Dooley hasn’t done anything impressive as a coach.

It’s not unlikely the Hogs split these two games and could win both.

THE FINAL PREDICTION

Arkansas goes 8-4 this year, based on some favorable scheduling through no masterful looking ahead (it was basically luck) and the way some key opponents’ schedules have fallen into place.

With a little luck it could be better. If injuries hit key spots, it could be worse.

But I think that’s how it will play out.

(STANDARD DISCLAIMER: Like Congress, I reserved the right to revise and extend these comments and prediction throughout the season, depending on how things play out.)

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