It wasn’t always pretty, but the Razorbacks managed to beat Louisiana Tech and immediately afterwards, here’s how it broke down.
Allen talks about Hogs’ comeback win over Bulldogs
Arkansas quarterback Austin Allen talked about the win over Louisiana Tech after the game Saturday.
Colorado thumping Colorado State with surprising ease
After the struggles of the past few seasons, the Buffaloes’ 37-7 lead in the fourth quarter against the Rams is a little surprising. Is Colorado that much improved or has Colorado State returned to where it was a decade ago?
When did sports banter become more civilized than politics?
Regardless of what side you’re on in the political conventions, you have to admit it’s a nice diversion while we wait on football season to get started.
Considering we’ve had, consecutively, a week of SEC Media Days, a week of the Republicans and now a week of the Democrats, it’s been enough to keep you entertained and out of all this heat.
All of this really came home during the latest faux pas, the Democrats having someone hack their e-mail accounts. Whether it was those blasted Russians or not is still up for debate and you can choose what you want to believe there.
With all of the back-and-forth going on, you’ll just have to close your eyes and imagine if football coaches went at each other like these political candidates.
I mean, really, that would be far more entertaining. Coaches at least can motivate their players to go out and beat the daylights out of the other team. Political candidates, well, they’re stuck trying to say the other side is bad for you.
The closest thing we have to that in sports is when Bret Bielema and Gus Malzahn go back and forth over hurrying up, going without a huddle.
At best, in sports, the accusations are kinda subtle. It must be some sort of coaching etiquette or something where they all agree not to be totally upfront. You can see it sometimes when the coaches always meet at midfield and are yucking it up before the game starts.
What happened to the days of Woody Hayes and Bo Schembechler. Neither one of those guys would stand on the midfield stripe, much less dare cross over it to the other side. Their trainers had to coordinate everything because one wouldn’t come out until the other one agreed to come out. Neither wanted to appear to be waiting for the other one.
You never get any great, in-your-face comments from coaches like you do these political candidates. Oh, you have some under-the-breath comments between coaches like Bielema telling A&M’s Kevin Sumlin not to say anything after last year’s game because he might hit him if he does (that nugget came out at Media Days).
Coaches get almost laughable talking about how their opponent is well-coached and does a great job. Nick Saban has even mastered the art of doing it about an opponent that would struggle against a good DII school and not giggle.
At these political conventions, they go almost 180 degrees the other way.
It may have gone out when Ronald Reagan in 1980 told Jimmy Carter, “there you go again.” Or maybe it was when Bill Clinton would baffle the others to the point where they just simply blurted out anything as a retort.
It almost sounds not like a contest as to who is actually better. They seem to be hell-bent on making the other person look worse.
Somewhere along the way, the term “politically correct” applies to sports more than politics.
My mother, who kept up with these things not because she was so much politically-involved as just entertained, would be mortified.
In fact the last time (of many) I heard one of her expressions was during the 2004 campaign of George W. Bush and John Kerry:
“You don’t raise yourself up by pulling somebody else down,” she would say before the pause. “And if you do, somebody’s going to pull you back down the same way.”
That might be something to consider these days.
Morris has highest vault in USA history, second-highest ever
HOUSTON — Former Arkansas standout Sandi Morris vaulted into American history with a clearance of 4.93m/16-2 at the American Track League competition in Houston on Saturday afternoon.
One of only two American women to clear a 16-foot bar, Morris now owns the American record and is the second-best performer in the world in the history of the event.
Morris Pole Vault Progressions
Fresh off qualifying for the U.S. Olympic team in early July, Morris returned to Fayetteville, Arkansas for continued training with renowned pole vault specialist and Arkansas women’s track and field assistant coach Bryan Compton.
In only her second competition following her pole snap in Ostrava, Morris put on a one woman show from 4.50m/14-9 through 4.93m/16-2 as the lone competitor in the field. Through the event’s entirety (opening height for Morris 4.35m/14-3 1/4) the 2016 USATF outdoor silver medalist posted five perfect first attempt clearances including one at the record-breaking height, faltering just once at 4.80m/15-9.
Morris holds a lifetime best of 4.95m/16-2 3/4 which earned her a gold medal at the 2016 USATF Indoor Championship earlier this year in March.
She heads to Rio with Team USA in early August in the hunt for a spot at the top of the pole vault podium as the current outdoor world leader in the event.
Defensive lineman added to Hogs’ 2016 signing class
Recruiting is a 12-month process now at Arkansa.
Bret Bielema announced the addition of Riverside (Calif.) City College defensive lineman Michael Taylor to the 2016 signing class.
Taylor signed his paperwork Friday and will join the Razorbacks for fall camp and will have three years of eligibility.
“We’re very excited to add Michael to our 2016 signing class,” Bielema said. “He’ll be here early next week and will be full-go for fall camp. We expect big things and a great career for Michael here at Arkansas.”
Taylor helped Riverside finish 8-3 in 2015 by tallying 50 tackles, including 11.5 for loss, four sacks and one pass breakup under head coach Tom Craft.
A native of Orlando, Florida, Taylor had at least two tackles in all 11 contests and recorded six or more stops three times. He notched eight tackles, including 1.5 for loss, and one sack in the Tigers’ 38-18 win against Saddleback.
Four games later, he recorded four tackles, all for loss, and a season-high two sacks to help Riverside defeat LA Harbor 55-7. Taylor closed the year with a season-high nine tackles, including one for an 8-yard loss in the first round of the California Community College Athletic Association (CCCAA) Southern California Regional Championships.
“I couldn’t be happier with my decision to come to the University of Arkansas,” Taylor said. “Once I got to campus, the family-feel of the program was obvious to both me and my dad. It just felt like a place I could call home. I’m excited to finish strong in the classroom, and to get back to campus to join my teammates. Also to get into the weight room so I can continue to develop.”
Prior to Riverside, Taylor attended Coffeyville Community College in Kansas, after he ran track and redshirted in football for one semester at North Carolina Central in 2014.
Cornelius is Hogs’ 11th player named to watch list
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Arkansas junior wide receiver Jared Cornelius was named to the preseason watch list for the 2016 Paul Hornung Award presented by Texas Roadhouse, the Louisville Sports Commission announced Friday.
The Paul Hornung Award is presented to the most versatile player in college football.
Cornelius was the only player in the Southeastern Conference (SEC) and one of three players in the country with a 40-yard punt return, 40-yard run and 40-yard reception last season. Despite missing four games with a broken arm, he caught 24 passes for 393 yards and three touchdowns and turned seven rushes into 112 yards and two touchdowns.
The Shreveport, Louisiana, totaled nine plays of 20+ yards with six coming through the air, two on punt returns and one on the ground in 2015. He also scored a touchdown in four of the last five games, including a 69-yard touchdown run in the Razorbacks’ 31-14 win at No. 9 LSU.
Arkansas is now represented on 11 different preseason award watch lists.
Walker, Williams named to watch list for top running back
DALLAS — Senior Kody Walker and sophomore Rawleigh Williams III were named preseason candidates for the 2016 Doak Walker Award, the PwC SMU Athletic Forum announced Thursday.
The Doak Walker Award is presented each season to the nation’s premier running back. Former Razorback Alex Collins was a semifinalist last year.
It marks the fourth straight year Arkansas has had multiple candidates on the preseason list.
Walker, a sixth-year senior, participated in nine contests and started once last season, rushing for 394 yards and six touchdowns on 90 carries. Walker missed four games due to a thumb injury, but returned in a big way in the Razorbacks’ quadruple-overtime win against Auburn.
Four of Walker’s eight carries against Auburn came in overtime with two going for touchdowns and another resulting in a first down. Walker gave Arkansas the eventual final score of 54-46 with a two-point conversion after wide receiver Drew Morgan’s 25-yard touchdown catch.
The Jefferson City, Mo., product went on to rush for 366 yards and five touchdowns during the final seven games of the season.
Despite missing the final five games of the season due to suffering a season-ending neck injury, Williams earned a spot on the SEC All-Freshman team in 2015.
He finished the season with 254 yards rushing on 56 carries. His first career touchdown came in his home state of Texas against Texas A&M at AT&T Stadium and he followed with his first career 100-yard rushing game the next week during a win at Tennessee.
Collins, who was selected in the 2016 NFL Draft by the Seattle Seahawks, was a semifinalist for the Doak Walker Award last year. Collins rushed for 1,577 yards and a program record 20 touchdowns, extending coach Bret Bielema’s streak to 10 straight seasons (every year of his career) with a 1,000-yard running back.
Arkansas legend Darren McFadden is one of just two players to win the Doak Walker Award twice. McFadden became the first sophomore to take home the award in 2006 and repeated as the winner in 2007 when he rushed for a program record 1,830 yards.
Arkansas is now represented on 10 different preseason award watch lists.
Peavey injures back, undergoes minor surgery
Arkansas sophomore quarterback Rafe Peavey sustained a back injury during summer workouts that required minor surgery. The surgery on Wednesday was successful and Peavey is expected to be back for the start of fall camp on Aug. 4. Below is a statement from head coach Bret Bielema about Peavey’s injury and surgery.
Bret Bielema Statement
“Unfortunately Rafe suffered a minor back injury during routine summer workouts. He underwent successful surgery on Wednesday and is on the path to recovery so he can return to the field for fall camp. I’m confident Rafe will make a full recovery and will build on his strong spring during fall camp.”
Morgan named to watch list for top wide receiver award
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Arkansas senior wide receiver Drew Morgan was named to the preseason watch list for the 2016 Biletnikoff Award, the Tallahassee Quarterback Club Foundation announced Wednesday.
The Biletnikoff Award is given annually to the most outstanding receiver in college football.
The Greenwood native is one of only seven players from the SEC to make the prestigious list.
Morgan was a late addition to the watch list last season after leading the SEC in touchdown receptions heading into November. Now he goes into the 2016 season as one of Arkansas’ primary receivers and looks to build on his team leading 63 catches and 10 touchdowns from a year ago.
After opening 2015 as the No. 3 or No. 4 wide receiver, Morgan went on to not only lead the team in receptions and touchdown catches, but also yards (843).
Ranking in the top 10 in the conference in receptions (T-6th), yards (9th) and TDs (2nd), Morgan also ranked 17th nationally in touchdown receptions and his 10 scores were the third-most in program single-season history.
Away from home field, Morgan was even better becoming the first player in program history with back-to-back 100 yard receiving games in SEC play away from home after going for 155 yards against No. 14 Texas A&M in Arlington and 100 yards at Tennessee.
His year-long performance earned him All-SEC second team status by the Associated Press, Athlon and Phil Steele. This preseason, Morgan has been named to Athlon’s All-SEC third team.
Bielema delivers strong message on Razorback program
HOOVER, Ala. — It’s hard to really get a handle on what goes on at these SEC Media Days.
Some of the questions are about the players and, let’s face it, every coach says his team is improved, the players are bigger, stronger, faster and, by golly, his team should be better this year.
Oh, and we should all remember everybody is undefeated in July. Barring a suspension or major off-season injury, there’s not a whole lot of valid information to be divulged and you get a lot of coach-speak.
Bret Bielema is a prime example.
The video above is from the TV/Internet session the coaches go through. It’s a little different from the big press conference area for the general media where the coach delivers an opening monologue, then answers question from everybody in the country.
On Wednesday, Bielema pretty much stayed on topic, but there was a central theme in all of his conversations: Arkansas is heading up and they are doing it his way. He is one of the best in the country and promoting his program and what he’s trying to accomplish.
In his three years, the Razorbacks have gone 0-8, 2-6 and 5-3 last year in the SEC.
“It’s because the players in the program and coaches we brought in make a huge difference,” he said in one of the interviews.
The three players he brought with him to Media Days — tight end Jeremy Sprinkle, linebacker Brooks Ellis and defensive lineman Dietrich Wise — were all examples he used.
On Sprinkle:
“I remember the crossroad his sophomore year when he wasn’t doing what I wanted him to do in the classroom, off the field, A to Z,” Bielema said. “So I did the simple thing. I called his dad and say can we have a meeting. We sat down with his dad and talked with Dad about where he wanted to be, if he wanted to do it. From that point forward, he’s been a different guy.”
On Wise:
“I sat him down and just simply: Hey, do you want to be just involved in a lot of different things or do you want to be great at a few things?” Bielema said. “We talked about taking a few things off his plate. We had conversations with his parents. We took track out of his life until he got a better GPA.
“The result is he could probably be one of the best premier lineman. He already has a degree in his hands. Both he and Jeremy already graduated. They already have a diploma in hand going to their senior year.”
On Ellis:
“I knew he wanted to be a Hog. He committed before I got there. I sat in that hom,” Bielema said. “He is sitting there with his mom and a dad. There was a grandma that talked about her husband, who is Brooks’ grandfather who played at the University of Arkansas, and the whole room got quiet when she talked about who he is and what he represented to the family.
“Brooks made a lot of tackles, did a lot of good things. He probably at one point didn’t think he would be as
good of a player as he is today. A guy that’s up for the most elite awards for linebacker play, a four-year starter, but he’s also a pre-med student, did an internship in Belize, did so many different things that did not pertain to football that will give him success forever.”
Those are the recurring themes in nearly every conversation Bielema gets to have about his team out of season. He is involved with them, and wants them to succeed off the field as much as on the field.
It’s an approach that is not commonly known if others are doing it. That’s the only reason you can’t say it’s completely unique because there are some others that care, too.
But they aren’t as public about it as Bielema is.
Nick Saban recruits his way. Bielema recruits his way.
Make no mistake about it, with the SEC Network covering nearly every word uttered, this is a massive recruiting platform for the coaches and their programs.
Every coach uses it to what he hopes is something talented players will see and want to be a part of.
And every coach is recruiting a particular kind of player.
Only time will tell if Bielema’s method produces championships.
It’s just one more reason this is such a crucial year for Bielema.
