Why starting Noland fits today’s college football
In case you haven’t noticed, college football today is nothing like it was 10 years ago.
Some heard new defensive coordinator John Chavis’ comments at his first press conference about having a goal of limiting opponents to 300 yards and were disappointed.
If you were one of those, then you haven’t been paying attention to the changing face of college football.
It’s nothing like it was 10 years ago.
Especially with defensive goals.
Back in 2008, limiting opponents to 300 yards a game in offense and 20 points a game would have barely gotten a team in the Top 25 of defense.
In 2017 you would be in the Top 10.
Chavis knows this, which is exactly why that’s the goal for every game.
Don’t say it can’t be done.
Mississippi State averaged allowing 302 yards per game and 20.4 points per game last season, which was 10th in the nation.
That was a turnaround from a defense tied for 110th the year before, giving up 461 yards of offense and 33 points a game.
They changed coordinators.
On offense, Arkansas will have only Cole Kelley returning at quarterback and the guess here is that’s not going to get anyone excited. Too big, slow footwork, bad mechanics and slow decision-making won’t cut it in this offense.
Enter incoming freshman Connor Noland from Greenwood.
The guess here is he knows more about Chad Morris’ offense while he’s getting ready for the Bulldogs’ baseball season than any of the current players will figure out by the end of spring practice.
He’s been running it at Greenwood under Rick Jones, who has known Morris and his offense for over a decade or so.
Don’t give me the freshman argument.
A true freshman came off the bench to win the national championship game just a week ago. If he hadn’t, a true freshman would have won it on the other side.
Last season a true freshman came within a minute of winning the national championship and if his team’s defense had lasted one more drive, his touchdown will less than two minutes left would have won it then.
It’s proven you can win with a true freshman quarterback.
Still skeptical? The smart money is that Clemson, who will be the No. 2-ranked team when the 2018 season starts, will be starting a true freshman quarterback.
Don’t be shocked if Arkansas’ defense is a whole lot better in 2018 than anyone can imagine. The game hasn’t passed John Chavis, but he did have a job for three years where defense wasn’t a particular concern.
The guess here is the offense will be drastically better too.
Probably with a freshman running the show.
Razorbacks crack Top 10 in weekly gymnastics rankings
FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas moved up one spot to No. 10 in the RoadtoNationals.com weekly rankings list following its 196.525 performance against No. 6 Kentucky last Friday.
The 196.525 against the Wildcats was Arkansas’ third highest home opening score in program history.
Arkansas began the year as the preseason 19th-ranked team, and moved up to No. 11 following its week one score of 195.350 at No. 3 LSU. It’s the first top-10 ranking for the Razorbacks since Feb. 9, 2016.
Event Rankings
The Razorbacks rank fourth in the nation on beam with an average score of 49.200.
Freshman Sophia Carter leads Arkansas on the event, recording scores of 9.900 in both meets at LSU and Kentucky.
Carter won her first career event title on beam against the Wildcats and ranks tied for sixth-nationally, and as the second-best freshman, in the event.
On vault, Arkansas comes in as the eighth-ranked team nationally with an average score of 49.050.
Senior Amanda Wellick is ranked No. 14 on both bars and beam, while sophomore Sydney McGlone is tied for No. 13 on vault.
Wellick scored a season high 9.900 on bars against Kentucky, receiving her 31st career event title. The Razorbacks rank 19th on bars and 27th on floor.
Arkansas is one of five teams from the Southeastern Conference ranked in the top 10.
LSU is No. 1 for the second-consecutive week, while Kentucky and Florida are tied for fifth. Alabama comes in just ahead of the Razorbacks at No. 9.
The Razorbacks are on the road again for another top 25 conference matchup against the No. 24 Missouri Tigers this Friday.
The meet will be streamed on the SEC Network+ and the WatchESPN App beginning at 6:45 p.m.
Schultz selected to 2018 USA Diving high performance squad
FAYETTEVILLE — Freshman diver Brooke Schultz continues to add to her accolades, as the Fayetteville native was selected to the 2018 USA Diving High Performance Squad over the weekend.
The High Performance Squad is composed of divers who most exhibit the potential, skill and determination to become 2020 U.S. Olympic Team members.
The squad is broken into three tiers and Schultz was picked for the top one.
Tier one includes six members from the 2016 U.S. Olympic Team and 11 members from the 2017 FINA World Championships team that represented the United States this past July in Budapest.
Tier two contains two Olympians and five members from the 2017 FINA World Championships team, while the third tier takes place of what was formerly known as the Junior National Squad.
Schultz is the only Southeastern Conference diver on the squad.
Over the weekend, Schultz won both the 1m and 3m springboards against No. 7 Tennessee, remaining undefeated in dual meet action this season.
Of her 18 six-dive efforts this season, Schultz has 15 first-place showings, having never finished outside the top three.
In dual meets alone, Schultz has yet to finish off the top of the podium, recording 10 first-place finishes — five each on the 1m and 3m. She has won SEC Diver of the Week five times this season.
To begin the 2018 part of the schedule, Schultz competed at the Tennessee Diving Invitational, where she broke her own school record on the three-meter for the third time this season, scoring a 383.40 to capture the 3m crown at the invite.
It was her fifth school record this season, as she has broken the 1m mark two times.
On the 1m, Schultz finished second with a score of 325.70, leading all Southeastern Conference divers.
At the 2017 USA Winter Diving National Championships in December, Schultz won the three-meter title with a 15-dive score of 912.25.
Anderson on Hogs getting back on track on road
Razorbacks coach Mike Anderson wants same energy from players they had down the stretch in win over Missouri last Saturday.
Thompson, Beard talk about facing Gators on road
Arkansas’ Trey Thompson and Anton Beard met with the media to talk about the Razorbacks’ game Wednesday night in Gainesville.
