Morris recruits to give UA what it deserves
“You get what you deserve, and we didn’t deserve to win.” Chad Morris, Oct. 27, 2018
Immediately after the University of Arkansas lost to Vanderbilt 45-31, the UA head coach made the most honest assessment of his team’s performance this year. Maybe in his life.
From the day Morris stepped foot on the Fayetteville campus, he has been upbeat, positive and protected his team. He’s never said a word about the players he inherited. Nothing about the skill level, or lack thereof. Nothing about their character, or lack thereof. Nothing about their desire, or lack thereof.
To do so would have been a criticism of the entire team. There are some players who bust their behinds on every play, and then there are those who didn’t play well enough to beat Colorado State, North Texas, Texas A&M, Mississippi or Vanderbilt.
If they had, the Razorbacks could be looking at 6-3, maybe 7-2, and a nice bowl trip.
Instead, everyone will be home for the holidays because some guys who don’t buy into Morris’ discipline have underperformed.
He’s not naming names — that will stay in the family — but it is obvious this team has underachieved after nine games.
Morris’ candidness drew quite a bit of attention, some of it critical.
“He should be fired,” one football fan said.
That was a distinct minority.
At the Little Rock Touchdown Club on Monday, several former Razorbacks rejoiced in his words, saying total honesty was a good thing and needed. They support Morris now more than ever.
If this was Morris’ fifth or sixth year, it might be different. The heat would be on like it is for former Arkansas coach Bobby Petrino at Louisville. After going 34-18 during the first four years of his second stint at the school, Petrino found himself explaining why he shouldn’t be fired at his Monday news conference.
The Cardinals are 2-6 and 0-5 in Atlantic Coast Conference play this season.
Actually, one doesn’t have to look far to see what is wrong with Louisville. Petrino’s first four recruiting classes ranked 33rd, 38th, 34th and 30th in the nation. In the ACC, his best class ranked sixth.
There is not a better football mind in the country than Petrino, but the reason Nick Saban is more successful is he recruits better.
It is simple.
In the past four Arkansas recruiting classes, the Hogs ranked 22, 23, 27 and 48. The 48 was Morris’ first class, the one he scrambled to put together on short notice. It has some talent, and all of those players are committed to him and the Razorbacks.
His current class ranks No. 16. Of course, they are commitments and not signees yet, but there is no doubt Morris and his staff are not recruiting blindly. They are seeking help in specific areas.
He has commitments from nine defensive linemen, three offensive linemen (and probably not finished there) and five receivers. The group has six four-star players and 17 three-stars. He’s keeping two of the state’s best players home in Hudson Henry from Pulaski Academy and Warren’s Treylon Burks. Both were recruited nationally.
Morris and his staff are not finished. He may sign as many as six more players.
What Morris has is a plan and clear vision of how to execute that plan. He will find leaders on the field who will speak up on offense and defense. He will find guys who want to win, and most of all take pride in wearing the Razorbacks uniform.
Morris wants to give the Razorbacks Nation what it deserves, a competitive football program that no one schedules for homecoming and rarely has to play at 11 a.m.
He’ll do that with players who deserve to win.