Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Web Comments
Comments collected this week from the message boards at WholeHogSports.com:
Concerns about Arkansas’ running game in last week’s 55-20 win over Eastern Illinois
Bayouhog: (There are) a lot of complaints about poor blocking, etc., and while not untrue, we should all remember that last year’s team may have very well lost the football game against this same EIU team.
Va. Ham: True. Plus, we gave up no sacks!
Clay Henry: There was one sack. Daulton Hyatt was sacked in the fourth quarter. The top two quarterbacks were never really close to being sacked.
eaglehog5: Yeah, 80-90 yards (rushing) is kind of paltry, but the EI’s were loading the box. It really doesn’t matter who you’re playing, if your blockers are outnumbered, you probably won’t gain many yards. The good news is we made them pay for bringing their safeties up.
Jrjdent: Regardless of them loading the box and vanilla play calling, the lack of push from the offensive line is extremely concerning.
Bobghawg: I am very worried that some think we showed a great passing game, but I fear they had a terrible passing defense. The game was a good scrimmage, but surely not a true test.
Superhargfan: No, (I’m) not worried about the run game after one game. Thinking the run game is dead is liking thinking Ty Storey is going to win the Heisman. It’s 1/12 of the season. As a businessman or with a personal issue, I’ve never made a decision knowing only 1/12 of what I need to know.
Bob Swagger: The run game will be fixed over the next two games, if it was even broken. They will work on blocking this week, along with the running backs looking for and finding the seams.
What was the “key statistic” of the Eastern Illinois game?
daBoar: My key stat is Ty Storey leading the SEC in passing efficiency after one game and (ranking) No. 2 in the nation. Sure, the Hogs played a rent-awin opponent, but so did several other SEC schools. I’ll also note that I did not previously think that Ty was capable of leading the Hogs. I was very much mistaken.
Hawgfan1: We only gave up one sack, which is way different than the last two years. gashog: My key stat: 55 points. LDHog: Another key stat is the five fumble recoveries we forced. The guys were hustling to the ball. Big change.
Hogsrus: For the first one out of the gate, I felt the staff managed the clock and made adjustments very well.
Bob Swagger: Talk about managing the clock, how about that score right before halftime? There was some coaching aggressiveness as well as good clock management going on there.
Swine Fusion: We had two scores right before halftime. La’Michael Pettway scored with 1:20 left and Jordan Jones with 45 seconds left.
Arkansas will wear red chrome helmets at Colorado State today
JacksonReid: Looks fantastic …. Mucho chrome!
Neastarkie: The helmet itself doesn’t bother me, but I’d prefer a white hog that’s easy to distinguish. To me that’s the most sacrosanct aspect of our uniform.
Hawgfan: Can’t wait to see that on the field, man!
eaglehog5: While I would prefer the traditional cardinal helmet with white Razorback, I’m OK with it. I just wish they would throw us fans of traditional unis a bone every now and then.
Gadewey: I have a feeling you traditionalists aren’t going to be fond of the new regime. Story was that Nike presented Bielema with the opportunity to make Arkansas the “Oregon of the SEC” and Bret turned it down. I have a hunch if dealt the same offer, this staff would jump all over it.
Ty Storey’s performance and taking most of the first-team repetitions in practice this week
Gay: Although right now (the starting quarterback) looks to be Storey, I don’t believe one game is enough to determine who the starting QB will end up being. Any QB can have an exceptionally good day or bad day.
eaglehog5: Statistically Cole Kelley had a pretty good game too. Maybe Ty made better decisions with his reads, but I still think Cole is the more accurate passer as well as having a much stronger arm.
Jhawg: No team can be effective playing two quarterbacks. I would expect this battle to be over in a couple of games. I was shocked at how well Ty Storey played Saturday. He got the opportunity and he took advantage of it.
Hollywood-beachhog: I know what you mean. Florida really struggled with (using two quarterbacks) in 2006.
Swine Fusion: Florida won a national championship playing Chris Leak and Tim Tebow. I’d say that was pretty effective.
Clay Henry: Lou Holtz ALWAYS played two quarterbacks. And Chad Morris has almost always played two. … He says the risk of injury when you use a running quarterback means you better have another one ready. So he does. Doghog72: We started inside EIU territory twice with Kelly at QB and all we managed was a field goal. With Storey we scored on six out of eight possessions including two 80-yard drives and two 60-yard drives. The offense was much more in sync and efficient with Storey.
Matt Jones: The pace was also about five seconds quicker per snap with Storey than with Kelly, a key stat to these coaches.
Comments on true freshman linebacker Bumper Pool
elmo871e: My dear friend lives in Texas. His next door neighbors are some of Bumper’s family. They all said he was excited and was gonna be a good player for us. Good to see him get in there and play well. Dudley Dawson: Nick Saban
also thought so. Tuschhawg: Dudley, for you to get Nick’s opinion on Bumper’s first game is GENIUS! He just does not like interviews. I’m impressed. Dudley Dawson: It’s all about the bro’s. I’m sure he was happy it wasn’t a QB question. All kidding aside, Saban really wanted Bumper.
Score predictions for the Colorado State-Arkansas game
Bayouhog: Good guys, 52-17
Colorado Hog: Arkansas 31, CSU 24. Altitude is a non-issue. It is only 5,000 feet, not 8,000 feet. Teams come into Denver, Boulder and Fort Collins all the time with no problems. Now perhaps our punter can get it 25 yards i nstead of 20. daBoar: And Storey will be able to throw a straighter pitch.
youdaman: Arkansas 34-24. BobgHawg: Hogs at least 35, CS no more than 14.
lilhawg: Hawgs 31-17. Rzbackangler: Hogs 42, CSU 21.
SDHog: Hogs 41-24 gashog: 56-17 Hog tilted. SuiGeneris: Hogs 41-31. Bakedhog19741: Arkansas 34, CSU 10. Jrjdent: 56-30. High scoring game. Colorado State has no defense. We should score over 50 and (gain) over 500 yards of offense. Buckhog: The Hogs’ running game wakes up. Hogs, 49, Rams 17.
Hogsrus: 45-21 Hogs. We should throw for 400-plus yards against their defense.
bikehog23: We rush for 200 and pass for 250. Defense tightens. Hogs 41-17.
cleverhog: Shades of Rutgers. CSU 28, Hogs 25.
Mossy Lake Hog: Could be, but no. Hogs 38, Rams 31.