Arkansas’ Devin Cosper and Malica Monk talked with the media after the Razorbacks’ win on how the team adjusted to what was working for this one.
Mossman talks about team not playing well against Hogs
Tulsa coach Matilda Mossman started off with the media Sunday evening apologizing for how her team played in a 67-41 loss.
Morris lands first two commitments from Texas
Arkansas coach Chad Morris has landed a couple of recruits he previously had committed at SMU, according to various reports.
Magnolia, Texas, wide receiver Mike Woods (6-2, 190, 4.43) had multiple offers from schools around the country including Minnesota, Texas Tech, Colorado State, Iowa State and Houston.
Blessed ????????. Psalms 31:3 // Jeremiah 17:7 // #WPS #RazorFAST18 pic.twitter.com/1rbBSWX7MF
— Mike Woods (@TheMikeWoods) December 10, 2017
Woods committed to SMU on Feb. 6.
As a senior, Woods caught 51 passes for 1,018 yards and 15 touchdowns. In his career, Woods has 155 receptions for 2,988 yards and 41 touchdowns.
Richard Davenport at WholeHogSports.com talked with Woods on Saturday:
His relationship with Morris and receivers coach Justin Stepp made his decision to be a Razorback easy.
“I chose to be a Razorback because Coach Morris and Coach Stepp were a big part of my decision at SMU,” Woods said. “When they decided to leave and said they would bring me with them that was that.”
Woods wasn’t the only former SMU commitment to agree to follow Morris to Fayetteville.
Offensive lineman Silas Robinson of Yoakum, Texas, (6-4, 315) chose Arkansas over others he had offers from and was drawing “strong interest” from folks such as Oklahoma State.
#WPS #RazorbackFAST18 pic.twitter.com/MsIoYdWZ8e
— Silas Robinson (@SilasQb3) December 10, 2017
He was previously committed to SMU and decided to follow Morris to Fayetteville.
Davenport at WholeHogSports.com caught up with Robinson:
He said he wanted to be a Razorback because of Morris and offensive line coach Dustin Fry.
“I feel like there’s really nobody better than those two guys,” Robinson said. “I’m just fired up that I’m going to be with them and play for them. Ever since I met them, they’re great christian guys. I feel like they truly love their players. They don’t want to use you for football, they want to make you better person and make you be the best you can be.”
Stay tuned because Morris and his staff apparently are going fast making up for a late start.
New day, new way for state’s high school coaches
Everybody knows by now new Arkansas coach Chad Morris started as a high school coach.
They knew it before he got to Fayetteville.
That’s why Greenwood’s Rick Jones and Fayetteville’s Billy Dawson was there when he was introduced Thursday.
“I’m fired up to have Chad here,” said Jones.
“It’s nice for us to see one of our high school guys make it to where he’s at now,” Dawson said.
Those two have won championships and are widely respected in the high school coaches fraternity across the state. You can bet the message has been sent to other coaches.
Morris is one of their own.
“You’re always welcome here,” Morris said during his opening remarks.
That is not something the coaches have always felt. All too often they felt like outsiders with the state’s biggest — and most visible — university.
Previous coaches may have said something in passing about the high school coaches, but if they welcomed them with open arms publicly I’m not aware of it.
“We’re going to lock arms together with you to make sure we all benefit, and we’re going to see this program rise to the top,” Morris said. “This is your university. We want to make your life better. We want to make your job better. We need you. I need you.”
Can you imagine those words spilling out of Bobby Petrino or Bret Bielema’s mouth?
“We’ll see every high school in this great state,” Morris said. “When [Arkansas’ coaches] walk into your office, you make sure to get something from them. Ask them what their best third-and-6 play is. Ask them what their best pressure is against short yardage. Ask them what their best movement is.
“Get something out of these coaches, because there’s far more than just about walking in and putting a card down and saying, ‘Who do you got?’ You may not have anybody and you may not have a player that comes out of your school and hadn’t came out in eight to 10 years. That doesn’t matter, because you will one day.”
Morris wants to make it personal in Arkansas. He wants these coaches to develop players that WANT to be Razorbacks.
That was one of the keys to success Frank Broyles used. His key to reaching the high school coaches across Arkansas was first Wilson Matthews, then Harold Horton. Those two probably knew every coach in the state.
And those coaches developed Razorbacks.
Very, very few players ever left the state to go elsewhere. Oh, there were a few here and there. You can never keep every single one of them every year.
“It’s fun to have somebody in our state that’s a great resource, that’s as smart as Chad and his staff are and that we can drive 60 minutes up here to talk instead of having to go to Atlanta or Auburn like we have in the past trying to learn stuff,” Jones said. “It’s great to have it right here.”
Morris gets it when it comes to recruiting. The sport within the sport of college football is something Morris understands and apparently has a game plan to accomplish.
We are just starting to see it get rolling.
And it’s something we’re guessing is going to be a fine-oiled machine in a couple of years. Stop all that whining about, “well we’re Arkansas and we’re never going to be able to get good players.”
Morris said it in his first meeting with the players and I’m betting it has a broad implementation.
“I hear people say why,” Morris said, “and I say why not?”
Putting the hammer down doesn’t just apply to how Morris’ offense works. You get the idea everything associated with Razorback football is going to move at warp speed compared to the previous pace.
Especially in recruiting.
And it’s a pleasant change of pace.
Arkansas dominates No. 14 Minnesota, 95-79
FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas ran away from 14th-ranked Minnesota on Saturday in a wire-to-wire win, defeating the Golden Gophers 95-79.
The Razorbacks (7-2) improved to 19-9 against AP top 15 teams in the history of Bud Walton Arena.
After missing from deep on Arkansas’ initial possession, the Razorbacks nailed eight of their next nine shots, including five straight to give Arkansas an early 17-11 lead. Sophomore guard C.J. Jones caught fire, hitting three of Arkansas’ next six baskets, all from deep to give the Razorbacks their largest lead in the first half at 33-20.
It was Jones’ third three of the game, marking the fifth-straight contest the sharpshooter has made at least three made three-point baskets in a game.
Freshman forward Daniel Gafford started his first career game Saturday, going 6-of-6 from the floor in the first half to lead the Razorbacks at halftime with 12 points and four rebounds.
Going on to finish with 16 points on 8-of-8 shooting, it was Gafford’s sixth game this season scoring in double figures. He would also bring down seven rebounds and swat a career-high six blocks in the game.
The Razorbacks did a good job distributing the ball, assisting on 15 of 22 baskets in the first half, the most in a half this season. Senior guard Daryl Macon was held scoreless in the first half but was responsible for seven of Arkansas’ 15 first-half dimes. It marks the second straight game and third this season that Macon has seven or more assists in a game.
In the second half, Minnesota was able to get as close as six, but that was it. Senior guard Jaylen Barford hit this three to five the Razorbacks their largest lead of the game at 19.
Arkansas has led by at least 19 in all five home games this season.
Barford finished with a game-high 22 points, his fourth 20-point effort of the season, after going 9-of-15 from the floor. Six of Barford’s points came from behind the arc, marking his eighth game this season that he has hit at least two three pointers in a game.
Jones finished with 15 points, going 5-of-7 from the floor, all coming from behind the arc.
Macon would score all 12 of his points in the second half. He would finish with eight of Arkansas’ 23 assists to tie his career high.
Next up for Arkansas is its annual trip to Central Arkansas, as the Razorbacks take on the Troy Trojans Saturday, Dec. 16 at 7 p.m. at Verizon Arena in North Little Rock. The game will not be televised but a limited number of tickets remain.
Game Notes
• Arkansas has won nine straight games in Bud Walton Arena dating back to last year.
• The win gives Arkansas 100 home wins during the Anderson era, ranking T-5th in the nation during his tenure.
• The Razorbacks are undefeated in their first five games in Bud Walton Arena for the fourth time in the last seven years.
• The win is Arkansas’ ninth over an AP Top 25 team during the Mike Anderson era, including at least one in six of his seven years.
• The Razorbacks are 35-23 against AP top 25 teams in Bud Walton Arena, including 19-9 against top 15 teams.
• In five home games this year, the Razorbacks are 5-0 with a +117 scoring margin, including a +90 scoring margin in the first half.
• During the last seven years, Arkansas is 42-3 when dishing out 20 assists, including a 30-1 mark in non-conference play. The Razorbacks are 3-0 this season when recording 20-plus dimes.
Barford, Gafford talk about Hogs’ big win over Gophers
Arkansas players Jaylen Barford and Daniel Gafford met with the media after their 94-79 win over Minnesota on Saturday evening.
Pitino on strong crowd, solid performance of Hogs
werrrrrMinnesota coach Richard Pitino talked about the electric atmosphere at Bud Walton Arena on Saturday in the Gophers’ loss to Arkansas.
Morris offers Jones chance to ‘blueshirt’ for Hogs
Highland Park quarterback John Stephen Jones will have a chance to play for the Razorbacks.
Even though new coach Chad Morris’ offer was a chance to “blueshirt” for a semester, the offer is a chance to continue the family’s legacy at Arkansas.
Blueshirts pay their own way through school for a semester, then go on scholarship.
According to Whole Hog Sports’ Richard Davenport in a story Saturday morning:
“I’ve been talking to Coach Morris while he was at SMU,” Jones said. “While he was there he said we’re going to wait and talk until after my season is over and then once he moved to Arkansas we texted back and forth congrats and he said I want you here with me. He came and watched me play last night and we talked after the game and I called him later that night and offered me a blueshirt scholarship.
“I’m just thrilled to be able to have the opportunity to play there,” Jones said.”It’s a dream come true…since I was a little kid. It’s just an honor.”
Jones, 5-10½, 185, 4.6 seconds in the 40, also has scholarship offers from Texas Tech, Jacksonville and Davidson.
He completed 20-of-30 passes for 226 yards while rushing 11 times for 53 yards and two touchdowns in a 37-35 victory over Mansfield Lake Ridge in the state quarterfinals Friday night with Morris in attendance.
Go ahead, put the hammer down on expectations, too
Chad Morris hasn’t been on the job for a week yet and Arkansas fans’ expectations are high.
Some, like fellow cynic Mike Irwin, are urging caution with expectations. Nah, that’s not the way things are going to proceed with this coach.
Hey fans, get in the left lane and put the hammer down.
When Chad said that Thursday he was referring to the offense, but he might as well been referring to the fans.
The hammer has been put down.
Historically, Hog fans have been cautious with a new coach.
In 1977, most didn’t know what to expect from a team coming off a 5-5-1 record in Frank Broyles’ final season. Nobody was overly excited about a skinny-looking coach that looked like a nerd taking over a lackluster team.
Well, my old buddy Jim Harris and I sat in the parking lot of the Sears store in Pine Bluff (that one on 6th St., not the newfangled one in the Mall) and we came up with a 10-1 regular season. The only loss we had penciled in was Texas, which happened.
And we even came up with Arkansas in the Orange Bowl. Our mentor Frank Lightfoot at the Pine Bluff Commercial basically thought we were either drunk or had lost our minds when we told him.
Guess what? We could look at the roster, do some analysis, throw in some youthful overconfidence and we decided the Hogs would be in Miami on New Year’s.
We were right.
When Ken Hatfield took over a 6-5 team from Lou Holtz in 1984, he completely changed everything and went 7-4-1 with a Holiday Bowl win.
That set the stage for a 48-13 run over the next five years. It was the best run for any Razorback coach in the modern-day era.
Jack Crowe inherited a team that he had to scramble to keep together. When Broyles announced before Crowe had coached a game the Hogs were headed to the SEC he nearly lost 75 percent of his team because they were from Texas.
Crowe went 9-15 before getting fired after an opening-game loss to The Citadel in 1992. He never coached against a single SEC opponent.
Danny Ford took over in 1993 and warned everyone it was going to be tough sledding. He was right. The Hogs were 10-11-1 in his first two seasons, but then won the SEC West in 1995 before collapsing again.
Houston Nutt took over in 1998 and most were simply concerned about beating SMU. Yes, things had fallen to that point. Fans weren’t expecting anything and when the Hogs got off to an 8-0 start and as high as No. 9 in the country before stumbling at the finish.
By then the fans had high expectations again. They were so high that a 10-4 season in 2006 seemed like a massive disappointment.
Bobby Petrino got the expectations up there again, going 21-5 over his last two seasons. That, combined with some unrealistic projections for 2012 (they were never going to be better than a 7-5 team if Bobby hadn’t sailed through the handlebars because they lost the big-time playmakers off those two teams), set the stage for the six-year fall into mediocrity the Hogs find themselves now.
Timing is everything for coaches.
According to some of the former assistants on Bret Bielema’s staff, many of the players they had recruited were better suited for an offense like Morris’. They didn’t have a choice. The overwhelming number of high schools play it and that’s about the only option out there.
And Bielema wasn’t going to change, despite the objections of some of his offensive staff.
That’s why Morris may be set up for more success than many are ready to expect. Fans and some in the media have become accustomed to mediocre expectations.
This isn’t the time.
One thing research on Morris has shown is that the biggest positive he has is that he tailors his offensive approach to what the players he has can do best.
His track record shows Morris can get it done. He inherits a roster right now that’s better than anything he had at SMU. He probably won’t say it publicly (there’s no need for him to embarrass his former players), but the Hogs are better.
Bielema talked about being close on several occasions this year and he was right.
This team lost very winnable games against TCU, Texas A&M, Mississippi State and Missouri. One or two plays in each game would have made a difference and we might not be having this discussion.
But they were losses and that’s why Morris is here now.
It’s also why he could have success immediately.
With a nonconference schedule that is favorable (thanks to Michigan cancelling their series), the Hogs should be penciled in for four wins there. Throw Ole Miss and Vanderbilt in the likely win column and you’re at six wins.
The guess here is Mississippi State and Missouri aren’t going to be as good in 2018, pick up wins there and you’re at eight.
That leaves Alabama-Auburn-LSU-Texas A&M and winning one of those is not out of the question.
Get the picture?
Put the expectations up there. This schedule sets up nicely for some high expectations.
And the guess here is Morris has those same expectations.
At least you’d hope so.
Hogs hosting 14th-ranked Minnesota a big game
FAYETTEVILLE — The Basketball Palace of Mid-America will be rocking Saturday night for one of the most highly anticipated non-conference home games of the Mike Anderson era, as the Razorbacks host 14th-ranked Minnesota.
If you don’t have a ticket, you better hurry because the UA announced Friday afternoon there were less than 1,000 available.
The Rundown
Opponent: No. 14 Minnesota (8-2)
Date: Saturday, Dec. 9
Site: Bud Walton Arena
Tip-off: 5:45 p.m. CT
TV: WatchESPN | SEC Network
SiriusXM Radio: 137/190
Live Stats: Click Here
The #Fastest40 Facts
• Riding a seven-game winning streak in Bud Walton Arena, Arkansas returns home Saturday to host No. 14 Minnesota.
• Arkansas is hosting a top 15 non-conference team in Bud Walton Arena for just the sixth time. The Razorbacks are 3-2 in such games.
• The Razorbacks are 34-23 against AP top 25 teams in Bud Walton Arena, including 18-9 against top 15 teams.
• Mike Anderson is 1-0 against ranked Big Ten conference opponents in Bud Walton Arena after knocking off No. 20 Michigan in his first year during the 2011-12 season.
• In four home games this year, the Razorbacks are 4-0 with a +101 scoring margin, including a +82 scoring margin in the first half.
• According to the NCAA, the Razorbacks have the No. 14 RPI in the nation and the eighth-toughest strength of schedule in the country.
• For the first time in 17 years, Arkansas has scored 90+ points in three of its first four home games. The Razorbacks are currently averaging 92.8 points per contest in Bud Walton Arena.
A Win Would …
• Extend Arkansas’ current winning streak in Bud Walton Arena to eight games dating back to last year.
• Give Arkansas 100 home wins during the Anderson era, ranking T-5th in the nation during his tenure.
• Make the Razorbacks undefeated in their first five games in Bud Walton Arena for the fourth time in the last seven years.
• Give Arkansas its ninth victory over an AP Top 25 team during the Mike Anderson era, including at least one in six of his seven years.
First of Hogs’ staff released in coach changeover
The downside of a coaching change are when assistant coaches, who often don’t have the big buyouts of the head coach, are released.
That is the case with many of the assistants who worked for Bret Bielema as they have been let go and have handled it in a classy manner on Twitter.
As an aside, it’s rare to find a staff that has a staff made up of guys who are really good guys outside of coaching and that’s what this former staff had.
Coaching you men at Arkansas was an absolute joy. The Sacrifice, The Preparation, The Love y’all gave, Thank You! My hope is that the lessons I taught you will allow you to become better Husbands, Fathers, Men some day! Only your best is good enough! Beutimus Maximus #OLINEPRIDE
— Kurt Anderson (@OLINEPRIDE) December 8, 2017
Thanks for the fun memories and breaking records! Always rooting for you and Keon! #streetdogs
— Dan Enos (@DanEnosUA) December 8, 2017
A very heartfelt thank you to all the players I had the opportunity to coach and be associated with while at the University of Arkansas – you are tremendous young men and I wish you much success in all life has to offer. And to the Razorback fans a great big WPS! ????
— Paul Rhoads (@CoachRhoadsUA) December 8, 2017
It’s been a great two years on The Hill! Thank you to everyone who was made it a special time. A special thank you to the RB’s for everything y’all have done. It was a pleasure to coach y’all.
— Reggie Mitchell (@coachregmitch) December 8, 2017
Three great years on the Hill!! #woopig!! Thanks Hogs!
— vernon hargreaves (@vh3omega) December 8, 2017
It’s been a great 5 years here at the U of A! I’d like to thank all those who have loved and supported me and my family! I want to wish the Hogs great success in the future. And to my guys (Wideouts), remember to Represent Each Other, Represent The Team, and Represent You! WPS!!!
— Coach Michael Smith (@CoachMichaelSmi) December 8, 2017
Really neat experience being part of a Hog call instead of playing against it. So grateful for all of the friends & relationships we have built in this community. Special thanks to all of my OLBs –Live your dreams-Empty the bucket when the time is right. Best of luck #LLTB #WPS
— Chad Walker (@coachchadwalk) December 8, 2017
