Arkansas (ain't the head coaching job it used to be?)

[KJW]

Update: Cody Kirby was named the starter for MSU and he responded tonight with over 280 yards of offense and 5 TDs, 3 rushing, 2 passing - making him as a true freshman MSU's leading scorer.

Bentonville High's running back now has 790 yards and 12 TDs in 4 games...he may help NWA have its 3rd straight OPOY in as many years (Mustain, Kirby, Blackmon?).

[Aporkalypse]

I just don't know what to say about Arkansas. We have the lead and somehow we always blow it. I think we should try going with a different qb. It's not all C.Dick's fault b/c our receivers aren't doing their job either. Anyone know when Marcus Monk is coming back...or even if he is? Our secondary needs to improve too. With the game that Felix and Darren had you would think that we would've won. The offense only scored one TD and yet we scored 29 pts. Turnovers and penalties just killed us.

[KJW]

I don't think Dick's the problem, the coach is the problem. Playycalling and execution fall on the coaching staff and the passing game hasn't been a priority and it shows.

The really sad thing about all of this is that McFadden's Heisman campaign probably died tonight. He could've been the first UA player and first Arkansas-born player to win it but it won't happen. We had more talent than both Bama and Kentucky, we were just clearly outcoached both times.

[KJW]

Lee Ziemba's on Rivals' mid-season Freshman all-America team. His Rogers QB mate Cody Kirby also was named a day or two ago the Gateway Conference Player of the week for the second time this season.

Good to see McFadden and Jones on the Rivals all-America midseason team, however, especially given all the struggles the Razorbacks may seem to be having on the field.

[KJW]

Care to see how much has changed in Arkansas?

This Friday, Bentonville and Fayetteville will square off in B'ville for a state 7A football semifinal. The game will feature a quarterback who's passed for 3,500 yards so far, a receiver with 1,100 yards in catches and a running back (Anthony Blackmon for Bentonville, who also carries a 3.9 GPA while working two jobs) who's rushed for 2,500 yards and an Arkansas all-time big school season-record 33 TDs, and as far as I've heard NONE of them are being recruited by Arkansas.

Now, the expansion of the spread offenses accounts for the Fayetteville kids - big qb/receiver numbers are more common now than they used to be. The F'ville receiver Harris is indeed being recruited according to the NWA high school sports publication by schools as Hawaii and Tulsa. But the Blackmon situation is different entirely - Bentonville lost their star WR literally minutes before their opening game kickoff as he re-injured a bum knee jumping up and down in pre-game celebration, and they've had to retool and build their team completely around Blackmon and their all-senior offensive line (only one of whom may be being recruited by Arkansas).

Back in Ken Hatfield's day I'm guessing Arkansas would have been all over at least a couple of these kids.

BTW, speaking of big numbers, keep an eye on Siloam Springs and their big 6'3" QB and WR as they take on #1 Camden Fairview this Friday. The QB (also with 300+ rushing yards and 8 TDs this season to go with 2,000 yards passing, 15 TDs and only 8 INTS last season) may be yet another Arkansas DI quarterback recruit to add to the parade of kids we've already talked about (and I don't even think I added Auburn's/Fort Smith Northside's Kodi Burns to the list)...

[KJW]

The paper today said the Fayetteville High School quarterback, with about 200 passing yards this Friday, will break Mitch Mustain's 7A single season passing record.

But more interesting is this article about this week's coaching hires at Heritage, Rogers' new high school. Remember how Rogers' new director of athletics (I think his name is Holderbaum) was most recently the athletic director for the Oklahoma City School System?

Take a look at this, final paragraph in the linked article:

Jay Gilstrap was also hired as the head coach for boys golf. His cover letter lists 16 years of experience beginning at Hutchinson High School in Hutchinson, Kan. As head boys and girls golf coach at Lakeside High School in Augusta, Ga., Gilstrap earned back to back boys AAAA state championships in the spring of 2006 and 2007.

He also has experience directing tournaments and is a charter member of the National High School Golf Coaches Association.

[KJW]

From reports I've seen in the papers there may be at least 11 DI recruits between NWA and Fort Smith in the class of 2008 alone:

- Anthony Blackmon, RB, Bentonville (offered by Army)

- Tyler Barnes, OL, Bentonville (offered by Tulsa, Army)

- Nathan Hughes, WR, Bentonville (offered by Army)

- (Don't remember his name), LB, Rogers (offered by Army)

- (" " " "), TE, Rogers (committed to Wisconsin)

- (" " " "), OL, Har-Ber (committed to Tulsa)

- Tyler Wilson, QB, Greenwood (committed to Tulsa, offered by Alabama, LSU, Missouri, Arizona, others)

- (?) Eoff, OL, Fort Smith Northside (committed to Arkansas)

- Taylor Stockemer, WR, Van Buren (offered by Kansas, Air Force, Arkansas State, being called 1-2 times a week by Oklahoma State, Ole Miss, Mississippi State)

- Nathan Nall, QB, Siloam Springs (being recruited by Arkansas State and others)

- Gionni Harris, WR, Fayetteville (being recruited by Texas Tech, Hawaii, North Texas, Tulsa)

Granted, some of those offers aren't from top-tier DI schools, but ELEVEN (at least)? Again, looking at how many DI guys have come out of NWA in 2006 and 2007 it's amazing what a consistent talent producer this area's starting to become vs. even the final days of the Southwest Conference...

[KJW]

Tyler Wilson (10:07pm on September 2 post on this thread) has switched his commitment from Tulsa to the Razorbacks. He had been offered by, among others, Alabama, LSU, Mizzou and Arizona.

The Petrino brothers "get it" about the talent level in this state, ladies and gentlemen, and know that for all intents and purposes the U of A is the only DI game in the state. I'm not sure if Messrs. Bowden, Tuberville, Davis or Grobe would have convinced Wilson to make the change, but the Petrinos did.

Look out, world...

[Mith242]

Yeah I think with Petrino's type of game he'll be able to keep more recruits from leaving the state. In the past we've lost quite a few offensive players (non runningback) because they knew they wouldn't get to use their skills much.

[KJW]

Arkansas out-of-state QB commits for 2008-09:

Ashton Glaser, Springdale - Missouri

Philip Butterfield, Hot Springs Lake Hamilton - Tulsa

Seems like I'm missing someone but again, this ain't Arkansas 1988 any more...