What’s this? Razorbacks get the nod
Judging from the head count at two in-state games, the Razorback football team won’t exactly be missed this weekend.
When 36,055 turned out for Florida A&M Aug. 31 at War Memorial Stadium, the spin doctors in Fayetteville went to work. Playing a no- name opponent on the Thursday before Labor Day and with rain in the forecast were cited as factors for the low turnout. Arkansas honored its Little Rock commitment for 2017 with a 49-7 victory that did little to excite Razorback Nation and received a resounding “So, what?” elsewhere.
Arkansas sold out its Fayetteville opener against TCU, which CBS snapped up as its Southeastern Conference game of the week. Many in the Reynolds Razorback Stadium crowd of 73,668 left in disgust, well before game’s end. That’s bound to happen when the home team has six punts, two missed field goals and a fumble. TCU scored two late touchdowns, punctuating a 28-7 triumph over a former Southwest Conference rival that seemed onesided at 14-7.
For two teams with coaches under fire, Arkansas and Texas A&M staged a heckuva Southwest Classic two Saturdays past in Arlington, Texas. Honoring their host, Jerry Jones, the Razorbacks came out attired in Dallas Cowboy- like uniforms and took A& M to overtime for the third time in four years. And for the fifthstraight year, a Bret Bielema- coached Arkansas squad lost to a Kevin Sumlin-helmed Texas A&M, 50-43. Razorback fans grumbled or worse on the drive home, some wanting to change coaches before crossing Ray Hubbard Reservoir east of Dallas.
For someone with a 10-23 SEC record, Bielema has it better than some contemporaries. A rare nonconference home loss (24-21 to Troy) resulted in LSU’s Ed Orgeron (and both of his coordinators) visiting the principal’s office this week. Given a choice, LSU fans might keep Orgeron and can athletic director Joe Alleva, whose firing of Les Miles and non-hiring of Tom Herman last season made the program look amateurish.
Orgeron showed a pulse during his weekly coach’s show Wednesday, firing back at a critical caller, “I earned the job, (was) given the interim job and I earned it, whether you like it or not.” A fired former Ole Miss head coach and not-retained USC interim head coach, Orgeron called Alleva the “best athletic director” he’s worked for, one who “gave me the interim job, gave me a chance to earn it, coached me up every day.” ( Doubting that Ed lists Pete Boone and Pat Haden, two former bosses, as references.)
Though some who see Bielema on a daily basis think him close to snapping, the coach’s one blip with the media this year was trivial. Bielema got some criticism for comments about since-demoted kicker Cole Hedlund after the TCU game. The Arkansas press has treated Bielema with virtual kid gloves since he arrived from Wisconsin in 2012 (I’m considered a naysayer by some in and out of the media).
Based on my observations, the Razorback coach is nowhere close to the impasse Ken Hatfield reached after the infamous last-play loss to Texas at Little Rock in 1987. “Nothing forgiven, nothing forgotten,” Ken was quoted amidst questioning about his decision to run the ball exclusively for the last three quarters of a 16-14 loss to a mediocre Longhorn squad.
Razorback Nation isn’t necessarily on board with Bielema — at least one press-box observer openly hooted the announced crowd of 70,727 for New Mexico State last week, saying that no more than 50,000 were in Reynolds Ra-
Razorback Stadium at any time — but Arkansas people are generally forgiving. Although his 7-6 team of last year faltered late, the Bielema-coached squads of 2014 and 2015 finished strongly, as bowl winners, after lapses. And what of his current squad, 2-2 and with roadies ahead against South Carolina and Alabama?
An 11 a.m. kickoff, such as the SEC Network specified for Arkansas vs. New Mexico State, allows one to watch scores until late at night if one pleases. By the time Alabama destroyed Ole Miss 66-3 and Texas A&M wiggled past South Carolina 24-21, the thought arose that the SEC might have one superpower and 13 lesser lights.
With its senior quarterback playing well, Arkansas deserves an edge in the betting line today at South Carolina. Austin Allen has nine straight games with a touchdown pass, longest active streak in the SEC. And against a team that’s allowed 15 sacks (seven against Texas A&M), the Razorback defense might be poised for a big game.
In this matchup of teams formerly coached by Lou Holtz, make it 35-31 Arkansas, sending Gamecock fans home from Williams-Brice Stadium unhappy. (Lou coached at Arkansas 40 years ago. Wonder if, at 80, he’d be interested in LSU?)