Arkansas Declaws LSU 31-14

found on google images

Arkansas did something this past Saturday that many teams do not. They went into Death Valley at night and dominated LSU. The Hogs were hitting on all cylinders from the moment the clock started until it hit all zeros in the fourth quarter. One of the biggest stats lines of the night is 299-59. Those are the total rushing yards from the night. With LSU having a candidate for the Heisman trophy, it would be easy to make the assumption that the bigger number belongs to the Tigers. Arkansas's defense buckled down and forced LSU to try to beat the Hogs though the air. Fournette did have 91 yards averaging 4.8 yards per carry. However it was a negative 44 by LSU QB Brandon Harris that knocked the Tigers down to a total or 59 rushing yards on the night. Arkansas ran strong behind Alex Collins who finished up with 141 yards and an average or 8.8 per carry. The Hogs secondary bent but did not break allowing Harris to have 271 passing yards, 109 of those went to Malachi Dupre. Arkansas has now won 4 straight games and gone on the road the last 2. The Hogs are currently tied for second place in the West division of the SEC with a 4-2 conference record. Arkansas also clinched a bowl game at the end of the season getting their 6th win to improve to 6-4 overall. Up next for the Hog are the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Razorback Stadium. The Bulldogs are coming off a drumming from Alabama this weekend.

Never Yield Down the Stretch

 After a rough start Arkansas is back above .500 at 5-4 on the season. With three games left for the regular season, Arkansas will likely finish the regular season above .500 and bowl eligible.

 The first of the three games takes the Hogs to Baton Rouge to battle LSU in Death Valley. LSU is coming off a game where they got slapped around by Alabama. LSU is not known for losing back to back games. Arkansas has gone on the road and won SEC games this year( Tennessee and Ole Miss) and records seem to go out the window with the Hogs and Tigers meet. This game is hard to pick because Arkansas is rolling along with confidence and LSU knows that its playoff hopes are on life support. If Arkansas can shut down Fournette and not let Brandon Harris look like a world beater then they have a shot to get a third SEC road win.

 The second game in the final stretch brings the Hogs back home to Razorback stadium to face the Mississippi State Bulldogs. They are 7-2. They will not be a guarantee win for the Hogs. Arkansas does have a slight advantage being at home.

 The final regular season game has the Hogs hosting Mizzou for senior day. Mizzou is not very good. They are coming off back to back seasons of winning the east. This will be the game that Arkansas can almost count on for the bowl eligible win if they drop the other two. Mizzou got the Hogs last year so they should be looking for retribution especially if a bowl game or better bowl game is on the line.

Maniac's SEC Picks:Week 4

Week 4 of the College Football Season
Last week I went 7-1  So far this season I am 18-2 since week 2. 
My picks are in bold.

COLORADO STATE @ ALABAMA

ARKANSAS @ RUTGERS

AUBURN @ LSU

TENNESSEE @ FLORIDA

NORTH TEXAS @ GEORGIA

TROY @ MISSISSIPPI STATE

MISSOURI @ INDIANA

SMU @ TEXAS A&M

VANDERBILT @ UMASS


Kentucy, Ole Miss, and South Carolina are all off this week. 

Maniac's SEC Picks: Week 3

Week 3 of the College Football Season
Last week I went 11-1 Week 2 Picks
My picks are in bold.

ALABAMA @ TEXAS A&M

SOUTHERN MISS @ ARKANSAS

LOUISVILLE @ KENTUCKY

TENNESSEE @ OREGON

MISSISSIPPI STATE @ AUBURN

VANDERBILT @ SOUTH CAROLINA

KENT ST. @ LSU

OLE MISS @ TEXAS

Florida, Georgia, and Missouri are all off this week.

Maniac's SEC Picks: Week 2

Week 2 of the College Football Season.
These are my picks for the teams in the SEC
My picks are in bold and underlined 

Samford @ Arkansas

Arkansas State @ Auburn

Miami (OH) @ Kentucky

Florida @ Miami

W. Kentucky @ Tennessee

Toledo @ Missouri

Alcorn St @ Mississippi State

South Carolina @ Georgia

SE Missouri St @ Mississippi 

Sam Houston St @ Texas A&M

UAB @ LSU

Austin Peay @ Vanderbilt 

Open Letter to Razorback Nation

The College Football season is just around the corner. The SEC Media Days are going on and Coach Bret Bielema did what coach does best and stole the show. He has high hopes for the season and the future of the program. The Petrino era has spoiled the fans. Fans have been very high on the Hog for the last couple of years. Last season was a big disappointment for all involved with the U of A. Coach Bielema is already making headway with some recruits that fit his and his staff's styles better. Fans are just going to have to be patient for the next few seasons as adjustments are made and players are brought in and developed. Just look to the NFL and see how some of the most recent guys that have played for Bielema are doing. JJ Watt is considered one of the best defensive players in the league and he is only beginning his career. Russell Wilson was good at NC State but finished his development at Wisconsin and then went on to be one of the top QB's in the NFL as a rookie. There were several players drafted this past season including Dallas Cowboys first round pick Travis Frederick. Coach Bielema has a proven track record. Give him and his staff time. They will make Arkansas respectable again and hopefully bring them to the promise land. Bottom line please give the coaches time to do their jobs. We are fans which is short for fanatics but you still have to have realistic expectations for just a short while. Believe in the Hogs and support them no matter if they go 14-0 or 0-12. WPS! Never Yield! Go Hogs! Be Uncommon!

2013: A Razorback Rising

https://www.facebook.com/HOGHUB?fref=ts

In 2013 the Arkansas Razorbacks athletic department looks to bring a Razorback Rising to the college athletics. In 2012 their was a big buzz around the program. The beginning of the year saw the football team buzz of a possible National and SEC Championship run. The Diamond Hogs reached the College World Series. The basketball team had the return season of Mike Anderson and fans were extremely excited over his return. The Ladybacks also had a good season last year. They made the NCAA tournament and advanced into the second round. 

We are only a few days into 2013 but there is already a big buzz around the Razorback program. After a disastrous 2012 the Razorback football program is already on the road to recovery. After going 4-8 the Hogs hired a new permanent coach. Bret Bielema has put together a top notch staff and has brought back the excitement to the fans. There is no where to go but up for the football team. A return to a bowl isn't out of the realm of possibilities. It probably won't be a BCS bowl but a lower tier bowl with a 7-5 record is reasonable. 

Mike Anderson has the basketball team off to a good start. As of this writing they are 8-4 and about to enter SEC play. I expect this team to make a run toward the NCAA tournament. This team is getting better and better every game. 

The Diamond Hogs are getting ready to start up the season but the accolades are coming in already off the heels of the College World Series trip last season. The Diamond Hogs are ranked #1 in the preseason poll. Three players were named preseason All-Americans. 

The Ladybacks are off to a hot start again this year. As of this writing they are 12-1 and ranked 23rd in the country. They are also about to begin SEC play. I haven't keep up with them much but they look poised for a return trip to the NCAA tournament. 

The softball team didn't have a great season last year. Only winning 7 games in the SEC they look to improve on that and continue the Razorback Rising in 2013. 

2013 hopefully will be known as the Year of the Razorback by the time its all said and done. The program has several teams poised to make runs and some ready to return to relevance. 

Welcome to 2013: A Razorback Rising! 

2012 Arkansas Razorbacks Season Preview and Predictions

www.arkansasrazorbacks.com

There is just 15 days till the Razorbacks kickoff against Jacksonville State in Fayetteville. This past off-season has been one of the wildest in recent memory. Former Coach Bobby Petrino was involved in a motorcycle wreck that led to the discovery of infidelity and illegal hiring practices. He was let go mostly due to the illegal hiring of the women that he had the infidelity with. He also lied to his boss Athletic Director Jeff Long. With the timing of the incident there weren't many coaches available to take over the talented Razorbacks. Jeff Long reached out to former assistant coach John L. Smith. Smith had just left the Hogs to take over the Head Coach job at his alma mater Weber State. Smith knows the system and knows the players and the other coaches. He is the perfect fit for a rent-a-coach. Smith was given a 10 month contract. Most including myself don't think there is a thing he can do to remain the Head Coach of the Hogs including winning a National Championship. Also during the spring there were some issues with players. Andrew Peterson, Maudrecus Humphrey, and Marquel Wade were arrested and later removed from the team. But there is good news on the season. Knile Davis is back and says he is back to full strength. Tyler Wilson also returned to the team rather than make a run for the NFL. Paul Petrino also returned to the Hogs to take over for Garrick McGee who left to become the UAB Head Coach. Right before the Cotton Bowl two new defensive coaches were brought in after Willie Robinson was not retained. Taver Johnson and Paul Haynes both previously at Ohio State showed the upgrade they will bring during the Cotton Bowl.  This years Razorback team is one of the most talent from top to bottom in a long time.

Arkansas Razorback Schedule
9-1 Jacksonville State----------------------------------------------------------------W
9-8 Louisiana-Monroe @WarMemorialStadium in Little Rock------------W
9-15 Alabama--------------------------------------------------------------------------W
9-22 Rutgers---------------------------------------------------------------------------W
9-29 @Texas A&M-------------------------------------------------------------------W
10-6 @Auburn------------------------------------------------------------------------W
10-13 Kentucky----------------------------------------------------------------------W
10-27 Ole Miss @WarMemorialStadium in Little Rock------------------W
11-3 Tulsa (Homecoming)-------------------------------------------------------W
11-10 @South Carolina----------------------------------------------------------W
11-17 @Mississippi State--------------------------------------------------------W
11-23 LSU--------------------------------------------------------------------------W

I am drinking the kool-aid as they say. This team is very talented and very motivated. The schedule sets them up for lots of success. The only losses I could see possible happening would be to Alabama or LSU. Both of those teams did lose a lot last year and LSU just lost their special team beast the Honey Badger. With the games being at home I have to give the edge to the Razorbacks. Texas A&M at College Station could be a tough task. Miss State is always tough at home. South Carolina wont be an easy win but should be a competitive game.

This should be a very special year for the Hogs. Some National Media pundits have mentioned thier prediction for the National Championship game would be the Hogs vs Southern Cal. As a die-hard Razorback fan that sounds good to me. I could really care less who the Hogs played if they were to win a SEC and National Title. Recruiting is ahead of schedule at this point and that is a good thing considering the coaching situation. Even if the Hogs stumble a little this year they are positioning themselves to be a major player in the years to come.

How you do you see the season turning out?

2012: Year of the Hog

The stars seem to be aligning for the Arkansas Razorbacks to make a run at a SEC title and National Championship. Knile Davis has decided to stay at Arkansas at least one more year to give his all to Razorback Nation. Knile could have left for the NFL and started his career but choose to return to see how he could help the Hogs. Another piece of the puzzle decided to stay at Arkansas as well. Tyler Wilson will return to lead the Hogs. Colbi Hamilton and Chris Gragg also decided to stay. The offensive line should only improve. The defense showed promise in the short time with new defensive coordinator Paul Haynes. The Hogs are losing a lot at the wide out spot. All world receiver Joe Adams, Greg Childs, and Jaruis Wright all are gone to the NFL. Even with all those losses the Razorbacks have the players ready to step up in their place. Hogs are also chasing a major recruit in DGB. He is a guy that would be able to come in and play immediately as a freshman in the SEC. Even if DGB doesn't choose the Hogs they still have the weapons compete for the SEC and National Titles. 2012 should be the Year of the Hog. I am going to start a twitter campaign using the hash tag #2012YearoftheHog. If you agree use the hashtag to get the word out.

Sugar Bowl, How sweet it wasn't for Arkansas

Arkansas Razorback fans everywhere have a bad taste in their mouth right now. That taste is that of bitter sugar that Ohio State dished out last night in the Sugar Bowl. For a while there in the game it looked like Ohio State was going to run a way with the game. Ohio State built a big 21 point lead before Arkansas came back in the second half to come with in 31-26. Arkansas gave this game away. Ohio State was not the best team but were the better team last night. Arkansas tried very hard to lose this game. This was the worse possible time to have a major case of the butterfingers. Joe Adams himself dropped at least 3 passes that would have gave the hogs 21 points. Lots of people want to blame Ryan Mallett today for the loss. Its not Ryan's fault. Yes, he did throw the game ending interception but there were lots of other issues that lead to the loss. The case of the butterfingers the receivers had, missed opportunity on the blocked punt, poor tackling in the first half....etc. Kickers played great in the bowl. Breeding put Ohio State deep in there territory several times. Hocker put through some long field goals to keep the hogs in it. Special teams played well for the most part. Knile Davis was able to end the game with just over 130 yards. Breeding, Hocker, Davis amoung others are some players to keep your eyes on in 2011. The big question now will Ryan Mallett come back for his senior season. A lot of Hog fans would love for him to come back and see what the Hogs can accompish next season. I would like to think the wouldnt want to end his Razorback career on an interception. With that said I really think its going to come down to where the so called "experts/draft gurus" think he will go. If Mallett is projected as a top 15 pick I don't see him coming back. If he is projected to the late first round or later he will be back in Razorback Red. That Sugar Bowl loss stings but the Hogs did finish the season 10-3 going 6-2 in the SEC. It was a great season. I know I am still proud today to say I am an Arkansas Razorback fan.

This song sums it up for me.

Sugar bowl starting to Sour?

We are only 12 days away from the very anticipated Sugar Bowl. There is now some drama involving Ohio State. 5 players including starting quarterback Terrell Pryor have been suspended for 5 games next season for violating NCAA rules. Pryor sold some of his apparel and a football ring. The one big that sticks out is they will play in the Sugar Bowl. If the players did something wrong worth missing games shouldn't they be punished and not play in a reward for playing well. I agree with lots of Hog fans that want to beat OSU at full power to make the victory that much sweeter. The other big problem that I have is some of if not all will not have to ever serve a suspension. Because all of the affected players are juniors they will be eligible for the NFL draft therefore never getting punished. The NCAA knows this and that is another reason they delayed the suspensions in my opinion. Another reason is because they want the big ten to look good against the SEC. The NCAA is all about money. They want to make every last cent they can off the amateur college athlete.

Arkansas still has a basketball program, Wow

What is that sport that the hogs play in between football and baseball? Oh yeah its basketball. John Pelphery owes Bobby Petrino a very big favor. Arkansas Basketball has been on the decline for years. They only time you hear anything about basketball is when another player gets suspended or some type of trouble. With the success of the football team the basketball team has been able to sorta hide away. The Hogs have put together a decent start to the season. So far they are 6-1. The record can be misleading. The Hogs haven't played a decent team yet. They beat a horrible Oklahoma team and their one loss comes from an ok UAB team. The next Razorback basketball game is against the mighty Mississippi Valley State on December 15th. The only decent teams left on the non conference schedule for the Hogs are games against Texas A&M and Texas. Both of those games are road games for the Hogs. Once the SEC games start we will have a better idea of how this team will fare. My expectations as well as some other sports fans that I have spoken to say a good season would be a .500 record in SEC play. Next year though has already got high exceptions with that talented group of recruits coming in. I will revisit the Razorback basketball team after a few SEC games to give an update on how they are doing. What are you thoughts on the bball hogs?

Hogs vs Buckeyes in Sugar Bowl, How sweet it is.

Its finally official the Arkansas Razorbacks will meet the Ohio State Buckeyes in the 77th Annual Allstate Sugar Bowl on January 4th, 2011 in New Orleans, Louisana
For everything Sugar Bowl click here to go to the official Sugar Bowl website
For Hog fans this will be a great treat to end a great season. Before the season started Razorback fans had high hopes for this season. Lots of people said a National Championship was possible. Others said getting into a BCS bowl and winning the SEC was possible. No matter what you thought you have to be happy that the Hogs ended up in the Sugar Bowl. The Razorbacks made history by getting accepted into the game. This will be the first ever BCS game for the Hogs. The Hogs have played in big name bowls before. The Razorbacks actually played in 5 Sugar Bowls according to Hog Database. The Hogs are 1-4 in those games. All opponents in those games are current SEC teams. Arkansas would make another milestone for the program with a win. A win in the Sugar Bowl would give the Hogs back to back wins in a bowl game for the first time in history. This game should be very exciting. Most people will being eying the big name quarterbacks Terrel Pryor from Ohio State and Ryan Mallett from Arkansas. No matter which team you root for Jan 4th can't get here fast enough.