Tye, Tommy and Chuck on the loss to Liberty, basketball game tonight and SEC action this past weekend
The Gimme the HAWGS Chuck Podcast E26: Matt Jones on the loss to Liberty
Chuck and Matt discuss the loss to Liberty, first basketball game tonight and more!
Presented by Weichert Realtors – The Griffin Company
Hogs ready to start season of high expectations Monday night
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Year 100 for Arkansas officially starts Monday against North Dakota State in the season opener.
Tipoff is set for 7 pm at Bud Walton Arena and the game will be broadcast on SEC Network Plus.
Also starting this week is year four of the Eric Musselman Live radio show.
The first two shows will be from Sassy’s Red House on College Avenue, then moving to Sassy’s Barbeque and Grille off Wedington.
Shows start at 7 p.m.
How to Watch-Listen
Who: No. 10 Arkansas Razorbacks (0-0, 0-0 SEC) vs North Dakota State Bison (0-0, 0-0 Summit)
What: Arkansas’ season opener; Game 1 of Season 100
When: Monday, Nov. 7, – 7 p.m. at Nolan Richardson Court in Bud Walton Arena
Listen: Online at HitThatLine.com or on the radio at ESPN Arkansas 99.5 in Fayetteville, 95.3 in the River Valley, 96.3 in Hot Springs and 104.3 in Harrison-Mountain Home. On satellite on Sirius 111 or XM 191 or the Sirius XM app channel 962.
Game Notes
• Did you know, the season opener in year one for Razorback men’s basketball (1923-24) was played on Dec. 19 in Talequah, Okla., versus Northeastern State? Arkansas won, 19-13.
• Arkansas is 1-0 all-time versus North Dakota State. The Razorbacks defeated the Bison, 71-55, on Dec. 20, 2016, in Bud Walton Arena.
• Arkansas is 80-19 in season openers all-time and 89-10 in home openers.
• Arkansas has won 46 of the last 48 season openers dating back to 1974-75 with both losses coming on neutral courts. One was the 1994-95 opener when preseason #1 Arkansas fell to preseason #3 UMass (104-80) in the Tipoff Classic (Springfield, Mass.). The other was the 2018-19 season opener in El Paso versus Texas (77-73 in OT) in the ESPN Armed Forces Classic.
• Arkansas has won 48 straight home openers dating back to 1974-75.
• Arkansas is a perfect 29-0 in Bud Walton Arena for home openers.
• Eric Musselman is 7-0 in both home and season openers. Over the last six seasons, his season opener was also his home opener. In his first year as a collegiate head coach, Nevada opened the season with a win in Hawai’i and returned to Reno to win its home opener.
• For the second time in program history, Arkansas will play seven games in the month of November. The other time came in 2019-20, Musselman’s first year.
• Nov. 7 is the second-earliest season opener in school history. The earliest opener came in 2019-20 versus Rice on Nov. 5 in Coach Muss’ first year.
• Arkansas is 134-40 (.770) all-time in the month of November, including a 15-0 mark under Musselman.
Information from Arkansas Communications is included in this story.
Razorbacks open season Monday against Golden Lions on road
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Arkansas is hitting the road for a season opener Monday night in Pine Bluff against Arkansas-Pine Bluff.
This Razorbacks are opening the season with a true road contest for the first time since 2006 when Arkansas started out the year at Clemson with a 75-69 win
The game marks the first time since 2011 the Razorbacks will open away from Bud Walton Arena. That was a 68-60 loss to Minnesota at the WBI Tipoff Classic.
It’s the earliest starting date for the program ever.
GAME INFORMATION
Time: 6 p.m.
Opponent: UAPB
Location: H.O. Clemmons Arena
Watch: UAPB Sports Network
Listen: Razorback Sports Network from IMG
Game Notes
• Makayla Daniels is the leader among all the returners on this team, coming off last season having averaged 14.0 points, 5.3 rebounds and 1.8 steals per game. She is now a part of the 1,000-point club and was named to the SEC Preseason Second Team, as decided by the league’s head coaches.
• Erynn Barnum is also another veteran leader on the team, being tabbed to the Katrina McClain Preseason Watch List.
• SEC Freshman of the Year Samara Spencer returns to the floor, along with SEC All-Freshman Team member Jersey Wolfenbarger, who is back to playing her normal position at guard.
• The Razorbacks were projected to finish fourth in the SEC Preseason Media Poll and tie for fifth in the SEC Preseason Coaches Poll. Arkansas’ media poll placement is the best for the program since prior to the 1995-96 season.
• Arkansas is coming off an 18-14 record last season in a year that ended with a trip to the NCAA Tournament. The 10th-seeded Hogs lost to seventh-seed Utah, 92-69.
• Mike Neighbors comes into his sixth season at the helm of his alma matter with a 96-64 record on The Hill. His 194-105 overall record is the best among all collegiate coaches with nine years of head coaching experience. Neighbors is approaching big coaching milestones in wins as an Arkansas head coach and overall collegiate coach.
• After sitting out last season, Maryam Dauda and UConn transfer Saylor Poffenbarger will make their Arkansas debuts. The team also welcomes Syracuse transfer Chrissy Carr, as well as true freshmen Karley Johnson and Loren Lindsey.
Scouting UAPB
• UAPB finished the 2021-22 season with a 13-16 record, 9-9 in the Southwestern Athletic Conference, which marks a great improvement from the 2020-21 year, when the Golden Lions won three games.
• The leading returning scorer is Zaay Green, who was a 2018 McDonald’s All-American and Tennessee/Texas A&M transfer. In her first season at UAPB, she averaged 15.8 points and 7.8 rebounds per game. She was the SWAC Newcomer of the Year and First Team All-Conference choice.
• Coach Dawn Thornton has done great work in the transfer portal, bringing in former five-star recruits and Power Five players, highlighted by Georgia transfer Maori Davenport
History Against UAPB
• The Hogs have a 2-0 advantage over the Golden Lions in the series
Monday’s contest marks the first time ever this matchup has been played at UAPB with the prior two games being played at Bud Walton.
• After a near 40-year ban of Arkansas schools being able to play one another, the first meeting for these two teams was in 2020, resulting in an 86-72 victory for the Hogs.
• Last year’s game versus UAPB resulted in a 96-63 win for the Razorbacks. Five players reached double digits in scoring, led by Wolfenbarger’s 15 points and seven boards, Barnum’s 15 points and six rebounds, as well as Spencer’s 14 points and four assists.
LAST TIME OUT
• The Hogs defeated UAFS, 92-62, in the team’s lone exhibition game last Wednesday at Bud Walton Arena.
• Arkansas saw five players in double digits.
• Daniels led Arkansas with 21 points off 6-of-8 shooting from the field with nine rebounds, whilst drawing 10 fouls.
• Wolfenbarger and Dauda were big off the bench. Wolfenbarger tallied 17 points and five rebounds, while Dauda had 13 points, eight rebounds and three assists.
• Barnum double-doubled with 14 points and 11 rebounds.
• Rylee Langerman hustled like usual, pulling down nine rebounds and grabbing four seals.
• The Razorbacks had 80 shot attempts
Next Game
The Razorbacks will host Central Arkansas for its home opener on Friday, Nov. 11 at 10:30 a.m. as a part of Elementary Day. This event is back for the first time since 2019.
Pair of Razorbacks manage to get arrested after loss
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — With a secondary already struggling the last thing Arkansas needed was the numbers reduced even more.
Whether that happens or not after Myles Slusher and Anthony Brown were arrested early Sunday morning is in the hands of the coaches.
They were processed into the Washington County Detention Center around 3 a.m. and were released about 9 a.m. on $265 bonds.
Hearings for the two are scheduled for Monday morning in Fayetteville District Court with a court date of Dec. 1, based on information on the detention center website.
With LSU coming up next Saturday following a 21-19 loss to Liberty, this is not something Sam Pittman wanted to deal with. There probably won’t be much comment until after that court date.
Brown was among a group of individuals standing in the street in the restaurant and bar bar district just off Dickson St.
An officer on foot patrol noted he told Brown, 19, to get out of the street and he initially complied. The officer went on to report he continued to move more of the crowd out of the roadway before finding Brown “intentionally standing in the roadway a second time.”
The officer stated he grabbed the sleeve on Brown’s right arm and walked him to the sidewalk, where Brown pushed him away. That’s usually enough for things to start getting interesting.
“Brown was taken to the ground and taken into custody,” the report said. “Brown engaged in fighting behavior, congregated with two or more other people in a public place refusing to comply with a lawful order to disperse, and obstructed vehicular traffic in a public place.”
In a separate arrest report, a second officer, who was also trying to disperse the crowd, said the commotion going on with Brown and witnessed “another male, later identified as Myles Slusher grabbed police officer [J.] Barnett and attempted to pull him away from Brown. Other officers began attempting to separate Slusher from the altercation.”
The report on Slusher, 20, stated he was asked multiple times for his name and refused to provide the information. The arresting officer said Slusher did provide his name and date of birth as a transport unit arrived on the scene, according to the report.
KJ Jefferson didn’t get there, so don’t believe your lyin’ eyes
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Arkansas fans will want to believe the officials were the reason they lost to Liberty on Saturday afternoon.
Many will continue to convince themselves Razorbacks quarterback KJ Jefferson got into the end zone for a two-point conversion that would have tied things with 1:11 left to play.
He didn’t make it. Oh, he ended up there, but his elbow hit the ground a couple of blades of grass before with the ball in his hand.
It doesn’t matter now. Officially, he didn’t get there.
And Hogs coach Sam Pittman saw some warning signs.
“I knew we weren’t quite as locked in as we need to be, but tried to adjust that on the bus, during the practice, after the practice,” he said later.
That usually isn’t the best plan, but at that point it may have been all Pittman had left. He’s the one that’s going to have to deal with the fallout.
A guess is he’s looking at a tough week. Oh, and LSU comes to town next week. They are the front-runners now in the SEC West after an overtime win over Alabama on Saturday night.
“Our job is to put the best team we can out there and win ballgames,” Pittman said. “It’ll be no different next week.”
It better be different or this Razorback team might be in serious jeopardy of having to beat Missouri the day after Thanksgiving to even qualify for a postseason trip to Birmingham, Ala.
The loss dropped the Hogs to 5-4 on the season with the Tigers and Ole Miss coming to town the next two weeks.
“We weren’t playing inspired football,” Pittman said.
There will be a jillion questions coming from this game, starting with the health of quarterback KJ Jefferson, who was wildly erratic from the start.
The entire offense was dysfunctional for the entire game. A stretch of a few good plays would be followed by either one of the 14 tackles for 57 yards in losses or a confounding penalty.
As much as anything, though, Pittman almost seemed dazed later. He admitted they haven’t seen this often in his three seasons. “This” is losing to a team they should have handled routinely.
“I was worried about it because of the way we played against Missouri State,” he said referring to a 38-27 win that was actually much closer than it sounds.
He tried repeating to the players Liberty was a two-point conversion from being undefeated, getting bowl eligible and a lot of other things.
“I tried to go with all those things to motivate,” Pittman said. “We had pretty good practices up until Thursday. We had a couple of mistakes on Friday walkthrough that is not typical.”
In the old days before all these rules basically took a lot of what coaches did to get a team straightened out aren’t allowed. That may be why they aren’t still scrimmaging at the football center.
The other part is that probably wouldn’t work. Logic and reason didn’t work against Liberty and the Hogs went down in flames.
A lot was expected of this team in August. Those expectations are in the dumpster now. Running the table just equals last year and the bowl game won’t be as good.
A loss to a non-Power 5 team does that.
Right now, though, Pittman has to figure out how to get a team that was just humiliated on homecoming by a team nobody expected.
“With LSU coming in here, we can’t do anything but go out and have good practices, work hard and see if we can’t get a win next week,” he said.
There’s no way to know, but the guess here is the speech to the team wasn’t that subdued and probably won’t be next week.
It shouldn’t be.
WATCH: Razorbacks’ Quincey McAdoo, Jadon Haselwood after loss
Complete press conference with defensive back Quincey McAdoo and wide receiver Jadon Haselwood after 21-19 loss to Liberty on Saturday.
WATCH: Razorbacks’ Drew Sanders, Bumper Pool recapping loss
Complete press conference with Hogs’ linebackers after pitching a shutout in the second half, but coming up short.
WATCH: Hogs coach Sam Pittman after loss to Liberty
Arkansas coach Sam Pittman’s complete press conference after a 21-19 loss to Liberty on Saturday afternoon at Razorback Stadium.
LIVE BLOG: Hogs go down in Flames in game leaving more questions
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — This one is going to leave a foul taste in everyone’s mouth for awhile.
Liberty scored 21 points in the first half and made it stand up, keeping Razorbacks quarterback KJ Jefferson out of the end zone on a two-point conversion play with 1:11 left in the game for a 21-19 win.
It is a game where the No. 23 Flames out-played the Hogs in the first half and made it stand up in a second half that came down to the end.
Our running commentary is below.
Game Blog
A win over Liberty this afternoon makes Arkansas eligible for a bowl game.
Which one will depend on what they do in the last three SEC games.
The weather is bright and sunny, 58 degrees with a light breeze that makes feel cooler at times.
The Razorbacks, 5-3, are looking to qualify for their third straight bowl game after sitting home for a few years.
It may not be easy.
The Flames are coached by Hugh Freeze, who was at Ole Miss for a few years and has played games in Fayetteville before.
He’s never won here, though.
You can listen to the game at at HitThatLine.com or on the radio at ESPN Arkansas 99.5 in Fayetteville, 95.3 in the River Valley, 96.3 in Hot Springs and 104.3 in Harrison-Mountain Home.
It is televised on the SEC Network.
Follow along with the live blog where we talk about the highlights.
First Quarter
1Q :17: After Arkansas’ offense can’t really figure out how to run or pass consistency, Liberty gets moving and quarterback Johnathan Bennett completes a 31-yard pass to Demario Douglas, then hits Noah Frith with a 16-yard scoring play in the end zone. Flames 7, Hogs 0
The Hogs finish the first period with just 60 yards of offense and a lot of that came on a pass from KJ Jefferson, who seems a little off, and a 19-yard run by AJ Green just before the quarter ended.
Second Quarter
2Q 11:00: Okay, this is starting to look really rough. The Flames’ defense is shutting down the Hogs’ offense, that looks completely out of sync. Liberty partially blocks a punt and goes 53 yards in just five plays with Bennett throwing another touchdown to Douglas, this time from 20 yards out in the corner of the end zone against Hudson Clark. The Hogs have just 79 yards offense. Flames 14, Hogs 0
2Q :42: At least the halftime speech from coaches will be interesting on the Arkansas side. Liberty is stopping the Razorbacks’ offense. The Hogs’ defense is getting burned like a marshmallow in a campfire on a Saturday night. Bennett avoids a sack and finds Treon Sibley at the flag in the end zone for an 18-yard score. Flames 21, Hogs 0
END HALF: Cam Little lets Hogs avoid a complete first-half disaster as the offense takes advantage of a 22-yard completion to Landers and 15 yards was added to it on a hands to the face penalty against the Flames. Little hits a 50-yard field goal as time expires to at least avoid a shutout. Flames 21, Hogs 3
Second Half
3Q 5:28: The Hogs get Liberty bottled up deep and take advantage, getting a blocked punt by Quincey McAdoo that went out the back of the end zone. Flames 21, Hogs 5
Fourth Quarter
4Q 7:44: Liberty appears to just be trying to win the game and the Hogs are fighting for their lives. A 5-yard pass to Trey Knox cuts into the lead, then Raheim Sanders takes a direct snap in for a two-point conversion and it’s a touchdown and another two-point conversion to tie game, but the clock is running down quickly. Flames 21, Hogs 13
4Q 1:11: 34-yard pass to Matt Landers set up Jefferson’s 8-yard pass to Knox in the end zone. Jefferson tried to tie the game with a 2-point conversion but was stopped inches short. Flames 21, Hogs 19
PETE’S PICKS: Hogs face Liberty that could be troublesome, but not enough
Patrick Henry. That’s who coined the phrase you think of when you look at the name of Arkansas’s opponent for this week.
Liberty is coming to town, and Hugh Freeze is coming with them.
I have heard it said recently this could easily be a trap game with LSU preparing for their own journey to Fayetteville to face the Razorbacks.
With all due respect to the unnamed commentor, I strongly disagree.
The Flames roll up the Hill ranked as high as 23 in some major polls. Not to mention, they do have a great coaching staff who had an extra week with a bye to prepare for today’s game. I cannot see Arkansas coach Sam Pittman allowing his players to fall into a mental lull by overlooking this FBS Independent.
In other words, Freeze’s team is no slouch.
We do have a common opponent with them in BYU. Arkansas made the trip to Provo and defeated the Cougars 52 – 35, while Liberty hosted the Brigham Youngsters (which is not an accurate description since a good number of their players are 22- to 25-years of age) and sent them home with 41 – 14 loss.
Take from those numbers what you will.
It should be an intriguing match-up, and it does not appear to be a cakewalk, yet I will declare Liberty has had a soft schedule in earning its current 7 – 1 record.
Liberty’s game plan will have to be to stop the passing momentum of Arkansas quarterback KJ Jefferson, limit our backfield in gaining big yards, and having their signal caller ready to pick apart our secondary.
Can they pull off all three aspects and leave with an upset over an SEC school? The answers will unfold in Donald W Reynolds today.
Nope.
Arkansas, 34 – 21.
Random Thoughts
If Rocket Sanders does not have an NIL contract with a certain mortgage company by next season someone is dropping the ball.
TRIVIA QUESTION: What is Arkansas’s record against Hugh Freeze in Fayetteville?
I like Hugh Freeze; however, he does have some weird tendencies including but not limited to coaching from a hospital bed in the booth. In retrospect, I kind of admire the dedication to his team. Freeze’s goal this week is to pad his resume in hopes to earn his way back into a top SEC program, and I think we all know it is “plains” to see upon which school he has his crosshairs on at this current time.
TRIVIA ANSWER: The Razorbacks have twice hosted Hugh Freeze twice during his tenure at Ole Miss. Both were victories for Arkansas with one being a one-sided 30 – 0 upset over the eighth-ranked Rebels and the subsequent 2016 contest ending in a 34 -30 score.
Liberty should really join a conference. Prove me wrong.
Our backfield will rush for over 200-yards today.
Hugh Freeze to Auburn, yes or no?
I love our Razorbacks! Even Jeff Long and company giving away my great season tickets to a prominent booster a few years ago did not change that.
“Where have you been?” That’s a question I have received a lot recently. If you are able to read the following few sentences, it means editor Andy Hodges permitted me to include a few personal occurrences in this week’s piece. It also means he allowed me to submit these musings despite them being later than a Tennessee co-ed a month after date night with Travis Henry.
The easy answer is to state I went to Provo, got pulled into a room by men in white suits, and left immediately to serve two years in a Sao Paulo mission. Since this piece is not in Portuguese, I am betting you deduced that did not happen.
I have had a lot of changes in my life as of late. Family illnesses and medical conditions, a busy sports schedule, and (I am more than happy to announce) getting engaged to the most amazing woman ever. Why she tolerates me is a question only her and God can answer, but I am blessed to be a part of her life while she makes mine greater every day.
I want to thank everyone who has continuously supported me including my Family, my friends, my leadership and peers at work, Andy Hodges himself, and so many others who have sent condolences and congratulations alike. Your patience and understanding speak volumes. My appreciation is yours.
Be certain to listen to the game Saturday at 3 p.m. via HitThatLine.com and on the air at ESPN Arkansas 99.5 in Fayetteville, 95.3 in the River Valley, 96.3 in Hot Springs, and 104.3 in Harrison-Mountain Home.
SEC Picks for Week 10
To the HitThatLine Chase we go with this week’s selections. Due to my recent truancy issues, I am no doubt being left in the dust by Andy and his countless (and I do mean countless) years of wisdom.
Kentucky at Missouri: The Wildcats may have fallen out of the rankings following three SEC losses in the past four outings, but they are still they far better team than Missouri. Big Blue by 20.
Florida at Texas A&M: What a disappointing season for two teams who at some respective point both enjoyed being ranked in the Top 15. Some say the Aggies cannot afford to fire Jimbo Fisher (who looks like a completely different person when he is not wearing a cap, but I digress) after this season, while others rebut they cannot afford to keep Fisher’s services on Kyle Field. This week the Gators help them make the decision. Florida by 3.
(1) Tennessee at (3) Georgia – GAME OF THE WEEK: While I am impressed with the improvements Josh Heupel has made in Knoxville, I believe the selection committee is wrong is having the Vols as No. 1 in the playoff rankings. That said, I do realize they use a lot of numerical stats and percentages calculated by their favorite Commodore 64 PC. Tennessee is a great team bringing back hope for a once nationally dominant program, but Kirby Smart has the better team in Georgia. This game is a home game for the Bulldogs, and the players in Athens no doubt feel slighted. Tennessee will not be able to overcome the psychological deck stacked against them. Georgia by 10.
Liberty at Arkansas: Give us Liberty, but if we lose it might be death. This is a must-win for Arkansas in regards to momentum, confidence, and bowl placement. Hogs by 13.
(6) Alabama at (10) LSU: The Tigers have surprised many given how poor of a dancer Brian Kelly is, yet I feel they are overrated. Do not take my opinion personally LSU fans, I also said Scott Frost was a bad hire by Nebraska, and we have all seen how wrong I was on that… Oh wait… Alabama is just too much for Mike the Tiger to handle even at home. Crimson Tide by 18.
Auburn at Mississippi State: Poor Bryan Harsin. Things just do not work down here the way they do up north. It is not a knock, but the high clout yet still rabid fan base at Auburn will not tolerate losses the same way return missionaries will. Boise was your safe haven. Maybe they will take you back if you give them 10% of your buyout. No way are the Tigers able to recover in less than a week from Harsin’s departure; therefore, unless he somehow manages to find another game of eligibility for himself, Tigers interim coach Cadillac Williams will not be able to pull off a miracle in Starkville. Bulldogs by 18.
South Carolina at Vanderbilt: A much improving Vanderbilt can win this game since it is at home, but I truly feel Shane Beamer has his South Carolina team on a much better rise as they continue to remain competitive and even had a cameo appearance in the Top 25 recently. Gamecocks by 17.
Soller Opposites
Eric is still on fire with his gambling expertise. Should you continue to ride the wave or bet against his hot streak? All good things must come to an end, right?
Clemson @ Notre Dame +4
The College Football playoffs need a makeover after the first week release has a haphazard Clemson looming. It’s the first weekend of November football and an upset or two will shake things up as we set our clocks back.
Setting back is an accurate analysis of Clemson’s QB situation and surprisingly Notre Dame has learned a little ball control game that will keep this a field goal deciding score range.
Take the Notre Dame +4.
Back to Liberty at Arkansas; check in during the game for all the highlights and updates from Saturday’s contest.
This week’s props go to Ken and Sandy. As mentioned earlier, I have had a many changes developing in my personal life, and I appreciate their perfect mix of humor, sarcasm, and love. Thank you both for absolutely the most wonderful and perfect gift! I will cherish it always.
Find me on ‘Twitter’: @PeterMorganWPS
Go HOGS!!!
