Hogs in must-win situation Saturday against SC
It’s difficult for eternal optimists to understand why Saturday’s game against South Carolina is huge for Arkansas.
No, make that HUGE.
After all, the Razorbacks are sitting at 2-2 overall, 0-1 in the SEC. There’s a lot of games left to be played, right?
If Alabama wasn’t coming up next week, I might be inclined to go along with that.
It’s along the same lines as running the ball on second down after an incomplete pass. Nearly everybody does it and if you see a team not do it, then that’s the exception that proves the rule.
The reason is to give everybody something positive before a big third down play.
Well, the Hogs need something positive before marching into Tuscaloosa where it is likely not one single person in the stadium will think Arkansas can win. That includes players and coaches, who would never admit it, but deep down, they know.
When Southern Methodist came off the death penalty in 1989, they played Notre Dame in South Bend. Lou Holtz had his Irish players stepping out of bounds and everything else, some in the first half.
At halftime, Mustangs coach Forrest Gregg demanded of his team, “Who in this room doesn’t think we can come back and beat this team?”
He didn’t expect to see the overwhelmingly large number of hands raised.
“Hell, I almost raised my hand,” one assistant coach whispered later.
Years later, he admitted he knew it was the wrong thing to say as soon as he said it.
The point is, the players know how good Alabama is. There isn’t a team in the SEC that can stay with the Crimson Tide this year. The guess here is nobody will unless they shoot themselves in the foot in some game.
Arkansas has to beat South Carolina on Saturday. Pure and simple.
This Razorback team doesn’t have good enough players to start what is going to be a fairly tough stretch of games with Alabama-Auburn-Ole Miss coming up with a loss to the Gamecocks.
Getting a split in these four games is important. Going 1-3 puts them at 3-5, and it’s going to be interesting at that point.
Who knows how it will break out?
The guess here is the rather ragged start by everybody in the SEC except Bama and Georgia will be smoothed out by the middle of October at the latest.
By November is when teams often return to form if they have the talent. Coaches will have a handle on things by then and talent makes it easier to figure out.
On the Hogs’ schedule, a lot of people are trying desperately to talk themselves into favoring the Hogs over Auburn. Unless they have a rash of injuries, particularly on defense, you can forget about that as they are the closest thing to the Tide in the West.
LSU and Mississippi State have, for lack of a better word, stunk things up the last couple of weeks. The guess is they will have things smoothed out by November. No way to even begin guessing on those games now.
Every season is made up of mini seasons. College football breaks smoothly into thirds. In the summer, I thought if Arkansas could go 3-1 in the first third they could have an eight or nine-win season.
Now that it didn’t happen, reassessing things puts them with an eight-game schedule and there’s two games in there — Alabama and Auburn — the Hogs won’t be favored to win.
Which means there’s six games left and Arkansas is a big choice against Coastal Carolina and Missouri, which cancels the previous two possible losses mentioned.
Which still leaves them at .500 with four toss-up games in there. Winning two is essential and the obvious ones the Hogs will be favored in are South Carolina on Saturday and Ole Miss at the end of October.
Win those and you may still get that elusive eight-win season with a chance to get nine wins in a bowl game.
Bret Bielema’s teams got better towards the end of nearly every season he’s been in Fayetteville. Last year was all over the place, trading wins and losses after September.
If that repeats, then this will be a 6-6 team.
But even that is likely dependent on a win Saturday.
Which is why this game is HUGE.
Eugene on improving, getting ready for Gamecocks
Razorbacks linebacker Dwayne Eugene talked Wednesday about South Carolina’s offense and preparations to stop them.
Smith on preparing for SC, playing near home
Arkansas defensive lineman T.J. Smith talked with the media Wednesday about preparing for South Carolina and playing near his home.
Premier Relays meet highlights loaded 2018 slate
FAYETTEVILLE — Dubbed the John McDonnell Program of the Year last season, Arkansas looks to follow up their solid 2017 outing with an exceptional 2018 campaign set to tackle a loaded schedule, featuring eight home competitions.
Among those eight Fayetteville-based meets, the Razorbacks plan to introduce a new event, the National Relay Championships, scheduled for April 27-28 at John McDonnell Field.
“We are really excited about our home schedule this season,” coach Chris Bucknam said. “We think we have the two best regular season meets in the country in 2018 right here in Fayetteville.”
“We have added a new meet to our outdoor schedule this year that we think will be a game-changer for the presentation of college track and field. The National Relay Championships bring together national contending teams from all five power conferences for a team-scored relays competition.
“We are thankful for all the coaches who are bringing their teams to Arkansas. We are planning a condensed two hour relays only format on Saturday that will be the most exciting, fan friendly college track meet ever.”
National Relay Championships
With 16 of the most-respected track and field programs from around the country journeying to Northwest Arkansas for the newly minted relays meet, the National Relay Championships is set to become the premier collegiate relay competition in the nation.
Modeled after the flourishing, biennial IAAF World Relays, the National Relay Championships aims to invoke a spirited rivalry among the most competitive and historical college programs in track and field in advance of the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships.
Power Five Teams (16):
SEC (4): Arkansas, Florida, Kentucky, Tennessee,
ACC (3): Florida State, Miami, Virginia Tech
Big 10 (3): Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin
Big 12 (5): Baylor, Kansas, Oklahoma State, TCU, Texas
PAC 12 (1): Stanford
National Relay Championships Teams Success by the Numbers
• 116 NCAA Relay Titles
• At least one NCAA relay champion every year since 1994
2017 Men’s NCAA Relay Finalists
Indoor
• DMR: Virginia Tech (2nd), Oklahoma State (6th), Arkansas (7th), Stanford (12th)
• 4-x-400: Florida (2nd), Arkansas (3rd), Texas (7th), Kansas (11th)
Outdoor
• 4-x-100: Texas (5th), Arkansas (7th)
• 4-x-400: Arkansas (2nd), Florida (4th)
2017 Women’s NCAA Relay Finalists
Indoor
• DMR: Stanford (2nd), Michigan (5th), Kansas (7th), Arkansas (11th)
• 4-x-400: Baylor (5th), Miami (7th), Florida (8th), Arkansas (11th)
Outdoor
• 4-x-100: Kentucky (1st), Florida (3rd), Arkansas (6th)
• 4-x-400: Texas (5th), Florida (6th), Miami (7th)
Tyson Center Showdowns
Prior to the inaugural National Relay Championships, Arkansas will open its season at the Randal Tyson Track Center, hosting the Arkansas Invitational Friday, Jan. 12.
The Arkansas Invitational will be followed by the highly anticipated Razorback Invitational (Jan. 26-27).
The Razorback Invitational will feature some of the same programs as the National Relay Championships with the addition of Iowa State, Kansas State, LSU, Ole Miss, Southern California and Texas A&M.
The Razorbacks will wrap up their indoor stead at home with the enduringly competitive Tyson Invitational (Feb. 9-10) and the Arkansas Qualifier (Feb. 16).
“For the last few years, the Razorback Invitational has brought in the top contending teams and individuals and that will be the case once again this year,” Bucknam said. “In January, we will welcome schools from the SEC, Big12, Pac12 and ACC for the best team scored meet in the nation during the indoor season.”
“The Tyson Invitational once again will feature some of the best sprint and field event individuals at the ‘Fastest Track in the World.’ Year in and year out, that meet produces as many national qualifying marks as any other meet in the country.”
Line Up at John McDonnell
Bucknam’s squad will kick off their outdoor campaign at John McDonnell Field, hosting the Arkansas Spring Invitational March 23-24.
The Spring Invite will be the first of four outdoor competitions at home, which includes the aforementioned National Relay Championships (April 27-28).
In addition to those meets, Arkansas’ outdoor home slate will also feature the John McDonnell Invitational (April 13-14) and the Arkansas Twilight (May 4).
Razorbacks on the Road
Although the hosts of several home bouts the Razorbacks will still find time for some road challenges this upcoming season set to make stops in Ann Arbor, Michigan, Seattle, Washington and Winston Salem, North Carolina for a trio of indoor meets.
Arkansas will travel north for the Michigan Invitational Jan. 19-20, head out west for the distance dominated Husky Classic Feb. 9-10 and wrap up the regular season on the east coast at the UCS Invitational Feb. 16.
The outdoor season will see the Hogs hit the road, contesting a slew of competitions across the country including the Texas Relays (March 29-31), Stanford Invitational (March 30-31), Bryan Clay Invitational (April 19-21), Mt. SAC Invitational (April 19-21) and Michael Johnson Invitational (April 19-21).
Championships Season
The defending Southeastern Conference indoor champions will look to retain their title at the league meet Feb. 24-25 in College Station, Texas.
Arkansas will then focus its attention on adding to its NCAA trophy collection, returning to College Station March 9-10 for the NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships.
Always in pursuit of a Triple Crown, Arkansas will open the outdoor championships season in the hunt for their 20th SEC outdoor title May 11-13 in Knoxville, Tennessee.
Following a stop at the NCAA West Preliminary Round (May 24-26) in Sacramento, California, Bucknam’s squad will close out the year going for more team gold at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Eugene, Oregon.
Ragnow named senior CLASS award candidate
OVERLAND PARK, Kan. — Arkansas center Frank Ragnow was selected to a list of 30 candidates for the 2017 Senior CLASS Award, it was announced on Thursday.
To be eligible for the award, a student-athlete must be classified as an NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision senior and have notable achievements in four areas of excellence: community, classroom, character and competition.
An acronym for Celebrating Loyalty and Achievement for Staying in School, the Senior CLASS Award focuses on the total student-athlete and encourages students to use their platform in athletics to make a positive impact as leaders in their communities.
In the classroom, Ragnow maintains a 3.31 GPA. He needs just three credit hours to graduate and will earn his undergraduate degree in recreation and sport management in December.
He was selected to the SEC Academic Honor Roll last year and was named to the league’s 2014-15 First Year Academic Honor Roll as a freshman.
Highlights of Ragnow’s community involvement:
• Made visits to elementary schools in Northwest Arkansas throughout the Spring 2017 and Fall 2017 semesters.
• Participated in the Book Hogs — Read to Win Kickoff at Root Elementary School in Fayetteville, Arkansas, an initiative that encourages students at the elementary school level to enjoy reading, has been one of the Razorbacks’ most successful programs over the years.
• Participated in Razorback Relief: Operation Baton Rouge, which benefited those impacted by floods in Louisiana in August 2016.
• Helped host Special Olympics Arkansas at football practices this past spring.
• Volunteered with Hogs for Hope, a registered student organization at the University of Arkansas whose goal is to fundraise and support the Arkansas Children’s Hospital.
• Volunteered with and made regular visits over the last three years to the Northwest Arkansas Children’s Shelter, a private, non-profit organization that provides 24-hour emergency residential care to children who are victims of family violence, neglect and physical and sexual abuse.
The nation’s top-graded center by Pro Football Focus a year ago, Ragnow is off to a great start again in 2017. He boasts the top grade at 93.6 overall through five weeks.
The anchor of the Razorbacks’ offensive line, he has helped pave the way for Arkansas to produce 400 or more yards of total offense in three of its four games in 2017. The Hogs’ are also one of 20 FBS teams, including two from the SEC, to average both 200 yards rushing and passing per game this season.
To determine the final Senior CLASS Award winner, the 30 candidates will be narrowed to 10 finalists midway through the regular season, and those names will be placed on the official ballot. Ballots will be distributed through a nationwide voting system to media, coaches and fans, who will select one candidate who best exemplifies excellence in the four Cs of community, classroom, character and competition.
Along with the winner, the 10 finalists will be awarded Senior CLASS Award first- or second-team honors.
The Senior CLASS Award winner will be announced during the football bowl season in early January. For more information on the candidates, visit seniorCLASSaward.com.
Hogs volleyball back home for Ole Miss on Friday
FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas begins its home-and-away weekend Friday evening by hosting Ole Miss at Barnhill Arena.
First serve of the SEC matchup is scheduled for 7 p.m. (CT) and will be streamed online on SEC Network+ through the WatchESPN app.
Individual match tickets are $5 while students—with valid ID—and fans 17 years and younger receive free admission
In conjunction with their match, the Razorbacks are hosting Fall Fest which starts at 5:30 p.m. in Lot 59 near the south entrance of Barnhill Arena.
The first 200 children at Fall Fest will receive an Arkansas Razorbacks fidget spinner.
Activities include a bounce house, inflatable obstacle course, face painting and picture opportunities with a Razorback mascot.
All-Time Series vs Ole Miss
Arkansas enters Friday’s match with a 30-14 advantage in its all-time series against Ole Miss including a 17-5 mark on its home floor at Barnhill Arena. Ole Miss has won three in a row in the series after the Razorbacks had won the previous six meetings.
All-Time Series vs LSU
The Razorbacks own a 28-18 lead in the program’s series with LSU, and have won the last three meetings. Arkansas carries a 13-10 edge in matches played in Baton Rouge. Sunday will be the 47th meeting between the two teams, the most among the Razorbacks’ league opponents.
Last Time Out
Freshman Hailey Dirrigl had a team-high 11 kills and Pilar Victoria posted 15 digs with four total blocks in a straight-set loss at Auburn (Oct. 1). Junior libero Okiana Valle moved into sixth place on the program’s career-digs list while freshman Paige Johnson collected a career-best 11 digs.
RPI Watch
Arkansas checks in at No. 36 in the first release of the season’s RPI (Oct. 2). The Razorbacks are one of eight SEC teams within the top 50 including Ole Miss, Friday’s opponent, which is 46th in the initial ranking.
Milestone Watch
Junior libero Okiana Valle enters Friday’s match against Ole Miss with 1,108 career digs, just 22 shy of cracking Arkansas’ all-time top five. The Barceloneta, Puerto Rico, native is 10th in the SEC with 3.54 digs per set.
Season tickets are still available with pricing options beginning at $40 and can be purchased through the Razorback Ticket Center by calling 800-982-HOGS (4647).
