Odds are not stacked in Razorbacks’ favor

Despite having never met Jimmy Shapiro, he sends emails several times a week.

It is his job as senior vice president of publicity for Press Notes to get odds on sporting events published for BetOnline.

His latest email Tuesday morning included the odds on which teams would win the SEC.

The top six teams to win the SEC share something besides conference brotherhood.

In order of most favored, Alabama, Georgia, Florida, LSU, Texas &M and Auburn all must face the Arkansas Razorbacks, who were 500-1 in the odds.

The Razorbacks play four of those teams every year. Georgia and Florida were extra blessings bestowed by

the SEC this season.

No wonder the SEC announced masks would be mandatory for fans at the games.

Granted, there is some optimism about the Razorbacks improving.

Sam Pittman has brought in a healthy dose of discipline, which primarily existed last season with just the band and cheerleaders.

He also assembled a much more experienced set of assistants, added some transfers and got back some players from injury.

Truthfully, what fans should expect is a team that competes harder and has pride in the outcome. That may not result in a single victory, but it would show true progress.

Still, this is a team that returns 14 starters who lost to San Jose State and Western Kentucky.

A team that was outscored 319-139 in SEC play.

Yet, they were the team chosen to add 12-2 Georgia and 11-2 Florida. The Bulldogs are No. 4 and the Gators No. 8 in the nation, according to the coach’s preseason poll.

All six of the favorites to win the SEC are ranked in the top 13.

The good news is the Razorbacks don’t play all six on consecutive weekends, and they open and close the season at home in front of about 17,000 fans, hopefully.

The problem is the first game is against Georgia and the last is Alabama. That’s starting and ending the season pretty much the same way.

Expect the Hogs to not get blown out by the Dawgs, and not because Kirby Smart will call off his dogs.

From the time the schedule was announced until that Sept. 26 kickoff, the Razorbacks will be focused on one team only — Georgia.

A team that Pittman spent the past four seasons helping coach to a 42-12 record.

Smart doesn’t know diddly squat about the Hogs. Why would he have paid any attention to them the past three years?

That is not some coronavirus crazy prediction of a victory for the Razorbacks. Only that the Hogs will be ready for that game.

Pittman and staff will not be scheming as if it was a onegame season, although that’s a possibility without a covid-19 vaccine. He’s not going to address it publicly, but then he doesn’t have to.

The big questions the staff needs answers for are the offensive line, defensive line and secondary.

Offensive line coach Brad Davis, defensive line coach Derrick LeBlanc and cornerbacks coach Sam Carter were hired for their beliefs in fundamentals and techniques.

From everything heard coming out of the Razorbacks’ bubble, the hiring of Jamil Walker as director of strength and conditioning is a plus.

Where the previous staff wanted lighter, more mobile offensive linemen, Pittman wants bigger, stronger and more mobile O-linemen. He apparently is getting what he wants.

It is still 38 days until the Razorbacks take on Georgia, and if that game takes place, every Razorback fan who can get a ticket will be there for the debut of Pitt’s Porkers.