BEST OF THE WEB

A selection of comments from Razorback fans posted to the message boards at WholeHogSports.com:

LOOKING FORWARD TO SATURDAY’S GAME WITH MISSOURI.

coloradohog: First off, I think we really need it. We have already done more than we had all thought with three wins. Still, this one can mean a lot to momentum going into the off-season as well as helping with a possible bowl. I don’t know what to think. Missouri looked very good Saturday. Is Vandy really that bad? …The one I don’t know about is Arkansas. I guess the first question is, who will play? Coach Odom has done more with this defense than any one could have wished … I suspect a close game, but who knows?

youdaman: Missouri defense is very good … We may can run straight at them but they will give our offensive tackles fits on the passing downs (why I would pass on 1st down a lot!) because they are very fast off the edge. Their running back will be very hard to slow down …

jimbeau77: They have a freshman quarterback, and like most we have faced if you dot get pressure on him he can be accurate. Mizzou’s defense has held last three opponents to about 10 points or less. Depends on who we have back and how much practice time they got in.

Mr_Smith: Mizzou is not that good to blow us out, It’ll be close either way. They looked better the last two weeks, but who wouldn’t against Vandy and South Carolina? The game is winnable …

jjhog18: We have to be able to get off the field on third down! The past couple of weeks, we get teams in third down situations and we can’t get them off the field. Hopefully we have a better plan for the freshman QB this time and show him some different looks and especially before the snap.

ClayHenry: Third down is critical, but doing well on first down against the run will be the key.

SWHog: Really hope I’m wrong, but I’m not feeling it for this game. Missouri has a lot of momentum, and we seem to have plateaued, with injuries and covid understandably contributing to our current state. Hopefully we can get several guys back on the defensive line, and have some renewed energy.

ClayHenry: The line of scrimmage determines the outcome. You get off blocks to get to the QB. I have seen some ask for more pressure. When they have brought pressure, it does not get there. I point to the Texas A&M game. There was more pressure calls in that game than in most and they got picked up by proper checks from the QB to hold a blocker, or get the pass off to where the blitz came from almost every time. The LSU game was unique in that there were no linemen available to rush the passer. …I have seen Barry Odom teams pressure. He knows how to do it. It’s not as simple as just calling a blitz or running this or that scheme. Players have to have the quickness, strength and ability to do it.

FANS REACT TO RAKEEM BOYD OPTING OUT FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE SEASON.

suigeneris: Good luck to him. I appreciate his past contributions even though I don’t appreciate his leaving us in a lurch for running backs the rest of the way.

Baumbastic_Hawg: I suspect it will hurt his chances with the NFL. He has not had a productive season.

Richard Davenport: This will not impress NFL teams. Maybe he can make up for some of it by showing well at the Senior Bowl. He was a mid-round guy at the start of the season. He had a sub par season and then quitting with two games left will scare off teams.

nlrbuzzard: It’s a business decision that probably got made when his position coach told him that Smith was still likely to get at least half the carries the rest of the year. The chances of him being on the field enough to improve his draft stock the rest of the year were not good. He probably figures he’s better off trying to get completely healthy, working out and getting ready for the Senior Bowl, the NFL Combine (if he gets an invitation) and Pro Day. … His absence will be felt more because we don’t have anybody else besides Smith who has shown they can handle 10 carries a game.

lilhawg: This is all business with him and the NFL. Good luck to him. I don’t like it, but it’s his life, and if anyone thinks the NFL cares when someone leaves a team they are wrong. They will evaluate him in the usual way and that won’t be part of the decision-making.

DudleyDawson: Just as I said with Jerry Jacobs, it seems to me the best way to prove yourself to the NFL brass is to compete against SEC teams. But there is a bunch of people in these guys’ ears and it suddenly has become a “thing” to opt out. I remain old school. You finish what you start

SCORE PREDICTIONS FOR SATURDAY’S GAME AT MISSOURI.

jhawg: These teams are pretty even, I think. I will go with Missouri at home and because they have owned us the past several years. I don’t like them and hate those butt ugly black and yellow uniforms. Arkansas 31, Missouri 35.

neastarkie: I’m afraid to predict, but if we’re full strength, or nearly so, I like our chances. I’ll say we win, 35-28. Shouldn’t be much of a home field advantage for MU. We badly need to win this game so the year will be well above all expectations.

generalhog: 49-14, Arkansas.

dfarris: 37-20, Arkansas wins!

LDhog: Hogs. 38,Tigers 14. Odom is ready. Franks is on target.

coloradohog: Boy, I don’t know. I think their offensive and defensive lines are a little better and playing well. We really need this one, but until I see us stop their run game to get off the field and see us block somebody to open up the run game a little, I will have to go with Missouri. Arkansas 24 (can we make a FG?), Missouri 35.

suigeneris: Arkansas surprises at the line of scrimmage and the crafty vet Franks makes fewer mistakes than the rising star Connor Bazelak, leading to Arkansas 31, Mizzou 27.

lilhawg: If we have all our starters back we have a chance, but I just don’t feel good about this one. We lose a heartbreaker, 31-28.

jimbeau77: This new attitude Arkansas team doesn’t like losing and know they let a couple games get away from them they should have won in spite of the refs. Coach Sam Pittman has said recently we are getting back to full health and numbers. Arkansas 30, Mizzou 21.

hogbacker: 38 – 31, Hogs win. We have proven we can hang with about anyone when we’re healthy. We need our defense to score for us plus we are due to get a win over Mizzou and now is as good of a time as any. This year’s team has been fun to watch for a change. We had some chances for more wins but the warm breath coming through a refs whistle has set us back when the opponent could not. Proud of this team and coaching staff for a great job this season!

golfinhog: I see this as a low scoring game as neither offense has been able to score a lot of points …. I will go with Arkansas 24, Missouri 17. I rarely make a prediction on the games because they usually make me look foolish. Based on that, the score will likely be something more like 45-41 in who-knows favor!

white25: Arkansas 25, Mizzou 24. The Hogs squeak by another surprising SEC team.

irunalot: I’m rummaging around in my mind figuring out how we get to 25.

georgiahawg: Ark 31, Mizz 13.Time to put it all together with a solid win. Defensive line comes to life with everyone rested and ready to play. Coach Odom has a little extra incentive in this one.

stillgreghog: When Missouri joined the SEC I thought we would beat them most of the time. They had never impressed me much in football. Boy was I wrong. Missouri 38, Hogs 24. Hope I am wrong.

youdaman: Mizzou 34-21. Run game will be hard for us to stop and their defense is playing much better than ours, Hope I’m wrong.

harleyhawgidson: Oh ye of little faith. Healthy Hogs handily, 28-17.