The SEC West

[Mith242]

I'm still not so sure that many coaches would beat down the door to get the Arkansas job, but yes there are some that would be interested. I guess I'd also be curious as to whether they'd actually stick around if they had a good year or not also. I'm not saying Houston Nutt is the greastest coach or anything but I guess I'm not as down on him as others are. Maybe Nutt has lost some good Arkansas talent but that's not that uncommon. We've lost a number of good high school players to out of state schools long before Houston Nutt was coaching. Although I will admit knowing Butch Davis is around and interested in the job intrigues me. He might also be someone who wouldn't leave after a good year. But I'm not saying I'm ready to get rid of Nutt yet. I'm wondering if they got rid of Nutt whether all of our recruits would stay or not. They'd have the option to go elsewhere if they wanted.

[Aporkalypse]

I'm still not so sure that many coaches would beat down the door to get the Arkansas job, but yes there are some that would be interested.  I guess I'd also be curious as to whether they'd actually stick around if they had a good year or not also.  I'm not saying Houston Nutt is the greastest coach or anything but I guess I'm not as down on him as others are.  Maybe Nutt has lost some good Arkansas talent but that's not that uncommon.  We've lost a number of good high school players to out of state schools long before Houston Nutt was coaching.  Although I will admit knowing Butch Davis is around and interested in the job intrigues me.  He might also be someone who wouldn't leave after a good year.  But I'm not saying I'm ready to get rid of Nutt yet.  I'm wondering if they got rid of Nutt whether all of our recruits would stay or not.  They'd have the option to go elsewhere if they wanted.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Nutt intended to rebuild the fence around Arkansas when he took the job in 1998 and he did it at first. Even under Ford we seldom lost recruits from Arkansas until his last season, never more than one a year. The same was true of Nutt until the last couple of years. This year there will be a big exodus, including at least 3 of the Springdale 5. Arkansas recruits North and East Texas well and also gets a smattering from the rest of the Southeast but we've always sustained ourselves by getting nearly every decent in-stater we want. It's not happening anymore. Out of state recruiting has also taken a big dive, Felix Jones aside.

Other than Mustain, would losing our recruits be all that bad? I'm afraid the few decent ones we have aren't far from jumping ship. Having a name coach couldn't hurt this class, it could only improve it.

Not finishing in the top 25 the last 5 years for a program that was among the 3 winningest in the 1960s, 70s, and 80s is unacceptable. We really can't be much worse than we are now, so why NOT start over?

[Mith242]

Nutt intended to rebuild the fence around Arkansas when he took the job in 1998 and he did it at first.  Even under Ford we seldom lost recruits from Arkansas until his last season, never more than one a year.  The same was true of Nutt until the last couple of years.  This year there will be a big exodus, including at least 3 of the Springdale 5.  Arkansas recruits North and East Texas well and also gets a smattering from the rest of the Southeast but we've always sustained ourselves by getting nearly every decent in-stater we want.  It's not happening anymore.  Out of state recruiting has also taken a big dive, Felix Jones aside.

Other than Mustain, would losing our recruits be all that bad?  I'm afraid the few decent ones we have aren't far from jumping ship.  Having a name coach couldn't hurt this class, it could only improve it.

Not finishing in the top 25 the last 5 years for a program that was among the 3 winningest in the 1960s, 70s, and 80s is unacceptable.  We really can't be much worse than we are now, so why NOT start over?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I do see your point, I guess I'm just being stubborn Although I will say the SWC isn't the SEC and we all knew that we certainly going to be able to win games as easily as we did in the SWC days. I guess I'd still like to see more of this season before I'm ready to give up and start all over. I really wouldn't want to lose Mustain though. Although I'd really hate to rely on someone that has yet to play a single college game so far. Our defense certainly hasn't been much to look at so far. I know our defensive coordinator is in his first year and he might not have all of his plans in place yet. But it certainly isn't looking too good for him so far.

[Aporkalypse]

I do see your point, I guess I'm just being stubborn Although I will say the SWC isn't the SEC and we all knew that we certainly going to be able to win games as easily as we did in the SWC days. I guess I'd still like to see more of this season before I'm ready to give up and start all over. I really wouldn't want to lose Mustain though. Although I'd really hate to rely on someone that has yet to play a single college game so far. Our defense certainly hasn't been much to look at so far. I know our defensive coordinator is in his first year and he might not have all of his plans in place yet. But it certainly isn't looking too good for him so far.

The problem's a lack of personnel for him to work with, I'm afraid.

I think we'll go 3-8 or 4-7 and we'll see Nutt canned after the season. Bama should tear us a new one this weekend.

[Mith242]

The problem's a lack of personnel for him to work with, I'm afraid.

I think we'll go 3-8 or 4-7 and we'll see Nutt canned after the season. Bama should tear us a new one this weekend.

I'm hoping that the team will be able to pull it together and make something out of the rest of the season. The Razorbacks tend to be teams that are overachievers. But with what's happened so far I've seen other college teams fall apart and not come back after an early disappointing start. Guess we'll see how the team will respond to it all against Alabama.

[Aporkalypse]

I'm hoping that the team will be able to pull it together and make something out of the rest of the season. The Razorbacks tend to be teams that are overachievers. But with what's happened so far I've seen other college teams fall apart and not come back after an early disappointing start. Guess we'll see how the team will respond to it all against Alabama.

I thought the defense was much improved though Bama tied its own hands by being conservative and predictable against us. Nutt really hamstringed the offense with some terrible playcalling and his usual 3rd down draws. This Bama team is overrated. We should beat ULM and thankfully Ole Miss is probably worse than we are. MSU might be beatable but other than that I think we'll have a rough time - I think LSU, Georgia, and Auburn will blow us out and I think SC is so much better coached I can't see them losing to us at home. I can't see how we can escape another losing season.

I still think the end is in sight at the end of this year. I just hope Jim Lindsey can focus on building third-rate apartments and get his nose out of the athletic dept this time.

[Mith242]

I thought the defense was much improved though Bama tied its own hands by being conservative and predictable against us. Nutt really hamstringed the offense with some terrible playcalling and his usual 3rd down draws. This Bama team is overrated. We should beat ULM and thankfully Ole Miss is probably worse than we are. MSU might be beatable but other than that I think we'll have a rough time - I think LSU, Georgia, and Auburn will blow us out and I think SC is so much better coached I can't see them losing to us at home. I can't see how we can escape another losing season.

I still think the end is in sight at the end of this year. I just hope Jim Lindsey can focus on building third-rate apartments and get his nose out of the athletic dept this time.

I agree with you this could be a long season and there are only a few games that look like we have a good shot at winning. Although we certainly can't overlook anyone. I had got the impression before the season started that this was a team that was going to start off slow and grow as the season went on. Although I didn't think we'd start off quite like this. I do think we looked much better overall against Alabama. Hopefully we'll keep learning and get better and maybe someone will overlook us.

[johnnydr87]

We suck. Again.

[Mith242]

We suck. Again.

No offense to Robert Johnson but after Matt Jones we certainly are lacking in certain aspects. Although sadly even if Matt Jones were still here I'm not sure how much better we'd be. We are still having a lot of problems on defense. I just hope Mitch Mustain isn't weighed down by everyone's expectations of him next year.