ANSWERS TO STATEMENTS ABOUT THE FOOTBALL TEAM

Chuck Barrett asked this week, "Is it that Arkansas can't pass, or that Arkansas won't pass?"  It seems that most Hog fans have decided that Houton Nutt WANTS to run the ball all the time, WANTS to run the option, and never WANTS to pass the ball.
I think we can all agree that John McDonnell is the best track coach of all time.  Do you think he could make a relay team out of Wally, Chuck, you and me?  I was wrong about our receivers for this year (and last for that matter). Thier pedigree says they should consistently catch balls thrown thier way.  Which puts Monk in double coverage most of the game. When you add that to the inconsistencies at QB, we very simply CAN'T pass.  I was obviously also wrong thinking that RJ, Mortenson and Barthel would compete and that at least one of them would be proven to be the one who would produce a consitent passing threat.

"Houston's an idiot for not playing another QB last Saturday!"  The staff decided the best chance to win a game AT Georgia was to play RJ.  Without giving them 3 [THREE!!!, III!!!] first downs with penalties and a punt fumble in the red zone, we probably win that game.  Hard to argue that we at least didn't have a 'chance' to win.

"He's had 4 years to get a QB to replace Matt Jones!"  Didn't HDN start each of those 4 years preseasons trying to get plays to work with MJ at receiver?  KInda shoots a hole in your "HDN only wants to run the option" theory.  Do you remember the Ole Miss 7 OT game on an ESPN Thursday night?  So did every top-notch QB prospect for the next 3 years.  Would YOU have come to Arkansas thinking you were gonna knock THAT GUY out of the lineup?  Not if you're intelligent enough to go to college.

"I'm a fan that doesn't accept mediocrity!  We pay our coach a lot of money and have built great facilities!  We should be a consistent Top 10 team!"  Are we the only school paying a football coach well? Have you looked at the teams on our schedule? Some Georgia football fans gripe constantly about Richt.  Tennessee fans are grousing about Fulmer.  Florida fans are questioning the Urban Meyer hire - you know, the firing and hiring that Hog fans thought we should be doing at the end of last year.  LSU went through a stretch of 'mediocrity' and having a new coach every two years or so - Alabama went through a stretch with coaches every TWO WEEKS or so!  Everyone in this conference wants to be at the top, and 10 teams won't fit in the top 3.  Despite what many think, Wal-Mart money doesn't trump the coffers of everyone else.  We have the toughest schedule in the country, filled with teams who have as many resources (or more), as good facilities (or better), and have been trying to get to the very top longer.

"Why are we having these 2 bad years in a row?"  You've been given actual reasons.

"I'm so tired of EXCUSES!"  Then don't continue to ask 'Why?', and then turn those reasons into 'making excuses'.  You hear so much more sports radio and have so much more info and opinions over the internet than you did 8 years ago, its no wonder we all 'get tired' of hearing anything over and over.

"I'm so tired of looking bad on TV!"  Twenty years ago we just wanted to consistently be ON TV.

"Houston Nutt has been here long enough!"  I don't think he's through.  From the looks of McFadden, Jones, Monk and the incoming talent, I'd say he's not through.

"He doesn't care about winning, he just wants that fat paycheck!"  See "he's not through" above and grow a brain.

"All you do is kiss his butt!!!"  I expect to win the next 3 games.  Less than 2 wins may cost Houston the job - and as long as that doesn't lose the committed class, it probably should!  There is way too many plays getting in late, costing timeouts and delay of game penalties.  Too many 'woulda, shoulda, couldas' on play calling after the game.  These scream for an offensive coordinator.  Houston:  How about "I was wrong."?  You need to take responsibility for problems in the offense.  Yes, the offense has often produced enough to win if the defense didn't let us down.  You can take credit for that - but in turn you must solely take the blame for the 1-3 goof-ups that happen on that side of the ball and can be pointed to in retrospect after each loss.  Maybe the defense needs the occasional pressence of the head coach.  No matter the reason, you need an offensive coordinator calling the plays during the game.  You can still put those plays in the gameplan.  It will still be your offense.  You'll still get credit when it works.  But someone else needs the sole responsibilty of calling the specific plays.  You no longer have a leg to stand on with this.  Hire an OC - shift staff to name an OC - whatever.  Do it or hit the road.  No, you don't get to take those recruits with you.

"Butch Davis will turn all this around!"  Who is his coaching staff?  I've already seen a good/great coach come in and try to assemble a staff hodgepodge from leftovers and strays.  From his last coaching results, I fail to see the proof that improvement will definitely come.

I still maintain the HDN gives us the best chance right now to get us where we want to be.  It is squarely his job to convince you, keep me convinced, and get there. A good deal of convincing starts next Saturday against South Carolina.