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Why I’m not a Hog fan
This entry could also be titled, "Why Houston Nutt must go." Let’s just say this… completely predictable offensive game calling. Since 1997, Arkansas fans have defended Nutt, but it’s just nuts to continue.
I quit watching the game this evening when it was still 3-0. Approximately 1 minute later, USC scored to make it 10-0. I predict another humiliating defeat, in spite of excellent defensive play by the Hogs in the first quarter.
To all AD’s out there who haven’t ever watched a game film… here’s what Houston will call. Run. Run. Predicatable pass pattern on third down. Next offensive series. Run. Run. Predictable pass pattern on third down.
I’m so tired of Arkansas football. Honestly. I would love to be proven wrong, but in the past 38 years of my life, I’ve not been. Sure, there are a few great games each season. I won’t argue with that. But the Hogs have not/can not/will not seal the deal.
I’ve said for the past several years that they desperately need to hire an offensive coordinator, but Nutt remains at the helm. Of course, so does Frank Broyles, the titanic personality behind Arkansas sports. Broyles has served since 1974 as Arkansas’ AD, and in my uninformed opinion (along with every other Razorback fan) may be the continued cause of multiple Hog sports shipwrecks. His personality and ego are just too big for any other ship in the sea to maneuver. If Nutt would just admit his own inept offensive intuition, he might have a chance to go down in history as a great coach. As it is, he’s just a great guy, but only a good coach. He has an overall win-percentage of 58.8% as Arkansas’ head coach, and that alone will not earn you a spot in anyone’s top 20 polls at the end of the season.
If it’s just about money, then keep him. The UofA continues to rake in an alarming amount of money from Razorback paraphernalia – enough to justify Nutt’s annual $1.5 million contract. I imagine there are several profs at the UofA making a far greater impact into students’ lives, but in our American upside-down prioritized culture, we’d rather reward inanity than intellect. (Ooooo. I know I’m gonna get some nasty comments after this.)
So anyway… here I am, a little cooled-off now. I’m actually disappointed in myself for turning on the TV to begin with. Whew. I feel better. For the rest of you Hog fans who will discover this later and be incensed… a simple question… was it worth watching?
Houston, we have a problem. It’s you. Hire an offensive coordinator with intuitive feel for the game of football or move on.
Related posts:
57% at the Arkansas Traveler say Nutt should be fired… (no, I haven’t voted)
From experts.about.com:
Nutt’s teams have also been noted for a series of overtime games
including the two longest overtime games in NCAA history. His teams
have also made several record-setting comebacks which are unusual for
teams that rely primarily on the running game.Nutt has been
criticized for uninspired play calling and his unwillingness to hire an
offensive coordinator. Many critics point to a poor record versus teams
with winning records and claim that Nutt’s win-loss record is inflated.
They also point to Nutt’s poor bowl record and the fact that several of
his critical wins have been of the "hail Mary" variety.
I say a win’s still a win, but when will we get more wins? Oh, and Coulter/Slaughter, please don’t start singing your favorite worshhip chorus, "Just Wait Til Next Year."
Update:
Karl called me out on my facts already. See the comments. He pointed out that Arkansas has already hired an offensive coordinator this past January…. 8 months ago. Since I’m obviously not a Razorback horn-blower, I missed it. However, the welcome hiring proves my point. Or does it? Guz Malzahn was Mitch Mustain’s head coach at Springdale High School. Looks a little like an attempt at collegiate nepotism to me. Get a lock on the nation’s #1 QB prospect by hiring his head coach. Good move, Houston. Now, if they’d only played him in this game…
The 4th best team in the SEC is 11th in the country right now. 4th best in the SEC is GOOD!!!!!!!
Hi my name is A.J. and I’m a Arkansas Razorback fan.
They say that admitting it is the first step, so there, I said it, I’m a Hog fan. Always have been, always will be. Through the good times and the bad times. Because in the end it’s all about the fun of the game. I clicked on Jeff’s blog and thought I had went to Drive Time Sports there for a minute. I’m not going to get worked up over who should call the plays, who should get the start. Can’t we all just get alone. LOL!
Well, your dad and I stuck with the game till the bitter end, althought I threatened him if he didn’t quit “badmouthing” the coaching. I like and respect Houston Nutt. Hopefully, he’s instilling more than just the game of football in those young guys. No, it’s not fun to lose, but I’m hoping this season will be a different story with all the talent we have. I was excited to see in the paper today that Mitch Mustain is officially the #1 quarterback now. It’s amazing how many comments you’ve had on this topic. I guess it’s just easier to… Read more »
Kevin,
It honestly wasn’t meant to hurt. I didn’t intend that at all. I was just having some fun with it all. Please take it as that and don’t read between any lines there… K?
ouch!!!! your reply hurts…. I did have a great reply to this… I had it written and ready to post…. But after reading it, decided it was too much…. This could have turned into a great boxing match, but I will take your TKO and stay down….
Caro…. Thanks for your comment…
“GO HOGS GO!!!!!!!”
Embarrassing? Sorry Slaughter, but your statement that the SEC is the toughest conference in college football is totally laughable and only supports my earlier assertion that Hog fans are not seeing things objectively enough to foster real positive changes for a program that continues to slip…apparently, as your comment implies, since 1920! And by the way, who says that Arkansas “can’t” attain the recruiting base of Texas or USC…they can’t if they don’t try, but this sorry “we can’t” attitude, which is too prevalent around here, is the only hinderance. It doesn’t help the Hogs, just like it doesn’t help… Read more »
Phillip, please come back down to earth. Do you hear yourself? 4th best in one conference in the whole nation… 4th best winning % of Arkansas coaches since 1920?! What kind of point are you trying to prove by that? That’s almost embarrassing.
Perhaps your indoctrination into all things Hogs is best revealed by “we’re not going to be in the hunt for the national title every year…” How about any year?
1964 was a long time ago. Neither you nor I were even gleams in our daddy’s eyes. Heck, your folks may not have even met yet.
Leave the even-handed journalism to Jeff. Nutt is not that bad. He has the 4th best winning % of Arkansas coaches sinces 1920. He also has the 4th best Conference winning %, and those guys didn’t have to play in the SEC. He has also led the Hogs to bowl games 6 of the last 8 years (including a win over Texas in the Cotton Bowl). Plus, Arkansas has 41 home victories under him (most in the SEC during that span). Before Nutt (1990 – 1997), 25-37; Since 29 – 27. Arkansas is Arkansas; we’re not going to be in… Read more »
Jeff, you are probably right. It has caused me to reflect somewhat on what is really significant though. I will continue to follow the Hogs but will attempt to keep things in perspective. I will also endeavor to comment on the deeper posts.
No disrespect meant to anyone who commented on Jeff’s Hogs post, I’m right there with you regarding my displeasure with the program.
Caro, you’re just trying to suck up to everyone. 😉
Mark, exactly.
Karl, thanks so much… really. I thought the same thing about the comments stuff. I spend a lot of time of some of the more significant posts and get no feedback. Then I post something silly like this, and look where we are…
I think it’s perhaps it’s easier to make comments on a post like than it is on one that is “deeper?”
What a comment it says about all of us who read this blog (including myself) that we have most likely set a record for comments for one of Jeff’s posts. I hate that I haven’t commented more on the spiritual matters that Jeff continualy brings up but don’t seem to have any problem commenting on trivial matters such as who will be the Hogs QB next week versus Utah St. or what records somebody set at Nobody High. Jeff please keep up the great work of challenging me to do God’s work and to follow Him closer in my daily… Read more »
Since moving to Arkansas, I continue to be floored by the naive, glossy-eyed faith by which Razorback fans continue to “expect” great things from their mediocre teams. I totally agree that Houston Nutt is not worthy of continuing at such a large football-dependent institution. However, what is most surprising to me is that any Razorback fan would actually get upset at yesterday’s game against USC. What did they expect for crying out loud? It’s time that Arkansas stop living in this dream world that they can compete nationally before rebuilding the program. The drawback is that a few “loyal” Hogs… Read more »
Kevin, What an awesome post!! Go Hogs!!
Kev,
Despite your disclaimer, it sounds like worship to me… 😉
Would that all our church members were as devoted… Let me change your quote up a bit:
“When we look bad, I will vent, about the leaders maybe or some members, but I will always be faithful to ________________ and look forward to the gathered community of faith each week.”
How’s that sound?
Hmmmmmmm. Guilty… I am an Arkansas Razorback fan to the bitter end. I will stand by them through thick and thin. Do I get upset with play calling??? Do I get impatient with the way things are ran? Yes to both. But…. I also do that with many other things in my life also…. Family, Friends….Even God….. Which proves my point that I don’t have the answers. I get impatient with God and his play calling yet he has the master game plan for all of us… No..I am not saying that Houston is a God, nor am I saying… Read more »
oops, Jeff, Mustain actually rushed four yards for a touchdown . . . I should proofread my comments so late at night. 🙂
They finally did put Mustain in at the end of the 4th and he threw a touchdown pass, of course.
Nutt should’ve put him in sooner (in my humble, very limited knowledge, opinion).
There Jeff, that wasn’t so bad was it? He was at Shiloh (2 state championships), most recently at Springdale (another championship), where Mustain played and broke all of the records you spoke off on his way to being the #1 rated QB in the nation. You are correct on the question as to why he isn’t in the game. As of 11pm, it is shaping up to be a blowout you mentioned when it was 10-0.
I would much rather watch the weevils lose than the ‘backs. At one point in my life I thought the pigs were the most wonderful thing in the world. Now I couldn’t give a flying flip about them.
Ah, Karl, thanks for the clarification. He was hired late last December, and was the coach of the Springdale High School football program where… oh my goodness… Mitch Mustain blew out every school record and became the nation’s most sought-after QB recruit in decades. What a coincidence!?
Malzahn’s hiring was a genius move by Nutt to get a leg up on Mustain’s recruitment. But his playcalling so far is still “nuts.”
Again, thanks for the clarification… we’ll see how the final score looks to determine if it was a blowout or not.
Jeff, are you watching a rerun of last year’s game? Houston doesn’t call the plays anymore (ever hear of a guy named Gus Malzahn) and they aren’t getting blown off the field. Malzahn calls the plays now, also have a pretty nice resume, won a championship last year at Springdale with a Parade All-American quarterback or something like that. Most of what you said about Nutt & Broyles is correct but loses a little creditibility when you think that Nutt is still calling the plays. Pick up the ArDemGaz tomorrow, they will catch you up on who Malzahn is.
Jamie has a blog you might be interested in this week……as related to this story.
Give them time…
Can I ask though – how did you get this picked up and into google news?
Very impressive that this blog is syndicated through Google and is it something that is just up to Google or you actively created?
Obviously this is a popular blog with great data so well done on your seo success..
Boxing greats you should write about next!