SEC

Beware of the Arkansas Razorbacks in 2015
Jonathan Williams Arkansas Razorbacks

(Photo Credit: Whole Hogs Sports)

Don’t be surprised if the Arkansas Razorbacks win the SEC Championship in 2015.  As Bret Bielema enters his third season as the Head Hog, he has restored toughness, discipline and power to the team.  We had an opportunity to witness the type of team to expect this season in the final four games of last season and against Alabama.  The Hogs won three of their last four games last season, including back-to-back shutouts of ranked SEC opponents LSU and Ole Miss, and the team concluded the season by crushing Texas in the Texas Bowl—not allowing the Longhorns to earn even 60 total yards.  Let’s not forget Arkansas nearly defeated mighty Alabama, losing by only one point.  In every loss last season, the Razorbacks were close to winning and probably should have won each one of those close games.  In the Auburn game, the Hogs were tied with the Tigers at halftime.  However, former Arkansas offensive coordinator Jim Chaney abandoned the running game—the strength of the Arkansas offense—and the Tigers were able to capitalize on his misguided offensive strategy (or lack thereof).

The Year of the Hogs?

The Hogs are ready to win the SEC Championship this year.  Although the Hogs surrendered a few valuable defensive players to the NFL, the team returns the core of its offense, defense and special teams.  Last season, Arkansas had one of the best defenses and offenses in the nation.  Based on Arkansas having fundamentally the same squad it had last year, including some talented new players, we can expect the team to continue to improve and surprise many teams in the SEC and stun many college football fans across the nation.  The recently released pre-season coaches’ poll has Arkansas ranked as the #20 team in the nation.  However, Las Vegas gamblers—people willing to put their money where their mouths are—have Arkansas ranked as the #6 team in the nation.

When Arkansas Goes on Offense

Again, Arkansas has the largest offensive line in football: both college and NFL.  The offensive line is not only massive but also highly talented and athletic.  Arkansas has two of the best running backs, Alex Collins and Jonathan Williams, in the nation—arguably the best running back duo in the country.  This season the Hogs will feature a third solid running back, Kody Walker, giving the Razorbacks a three-headed monster rushing attack.  Bielema is committed to a power running game—just as he was at Wisconsin—and it’s paying tremendous dividends for him at Arkansas and will continue to pay even greater dividends for him this season and beyond.  With new offensive coordinator Dan Enos at the helm, Brandon Allen, Arkansas’ senior quarterback, seems to have made significant improvements during the off-season, and Enos has been a proven-leader in ameliorating passing games and producing quality passing games.  The success the Hogs will have on offensive will aid them immensely on defense as they’re bound to dominate the time of possession in most games this season.

A Tough but Doable Schedule

Again, the Razorbacks will have one of the toughest schedules to combat, but a few huge wins can propel them to the SEC Championship game and give them a chance to play in this season’s National Championship.  It will be difficult to defeat Alabama on the road, but remember the Hogs only loss by one point to the Crimson Tide last year.  Also, it will be difficult to go on the road and defeat Ole Miss and LSU, but remember the Hogs shutout both teams in back-to-back weeks last season.

Teams situated in the SEC West have to win big games almost every week and Arkansas understands this by now.

Dr. Antonio Maurice Daniels

University of Arkansas

Open Letter to John L. Smith, Paul Petrino, and Paul Haynes

John L. Smith

Dear John L. Smith, Paul Petrino, and Paul Haynes:

The purpose of this letter is to express my outrage at you for blaming the players for the 4 – 8 losing season last year.  Paul Petrino, if you’re looking to blame someone, start with your brother first and then blame your horrible coaching.  John L. Smith, you’re a joke!  Paul Haynes, you could not come up with a defensive scheme to stop anyone we faced, even in the four games we won.  It was your poor defensive coaching that caused the Razorbacks to have a losing season.

Paul Petrino, Athletic Director Jeff Long was justified in only giving John L. Smith a 10 month contract: look what happened—a 4 – 8 season.  You guys were not good enough coaches to come up with a winning strategy to defeat Louisiana-Monroe. I repeat, Louisiana-Monroe.  Are you serious?

Each one of you should look in the mirror and place all of the blame for the 4 -8 season at Arkansas on the person in the mirror.  Those guys played tremendously hard and even believed in you guys, but you now want to be disrespectful to them now by placing all of the blame on them, the players—that’s simply disgusting.

You should be glad that you were granted an opportunity to coach at a program of the caliber of the University of Arkansas.  In all honesty, you never were worthy of coaching at Arkansas in the first place.  I want you to know that your current players will never trust you because they see how nasty you are treating your former players at Arkansas.  A coach should never place the blame on his players for having a losing season.  It is ridiculous for you to say that players who are seriously injured were faking their injuries.  I know those guys.  They would never fake an injury.  I have seen some of those players who were really too injured to step on the field get on the field without regard for doing further damage to their bodies.

Arkansas Razorback fans look forward to years of success with one of the best top-to-bottom coaching staffs in the nation.  We’re led by one of the best coaches in the nation, Bret Bielema.

John L. Smith, you need to worry about your bankruptcy issues.  You were fired and are now coaching at one of the smallest football programs in the nation, which means you’re a reject.  Paul Petrino, you need to focus on helping your brother to end his whorish ways.  You will never be a successful coach.  Paul Haynes, it’s only a matter of time before Kent State University discovers you are a loser.  Learn how to coach defense!

I’m a proud Arkansas Razorback!  Razorback fans are proud of our players!

Sincerely,

Antonio Maurice Daniels

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Open Letter to Bret Bielema Concerning Kevin Richardson

Dear Coach Bret Bielema:

The purpose of this letter is express my strong recommendation of Kevin Richardson, WR/QB, DB/S, and PR/KR of Jacksonville High School in Jacksonville, Arkansas, to be a part of the 2013 Arkansas Razorbacks football recruiting class. With my experience working in the athletic departments at the University of Arkansas and University of Wisconsin-Madison, and my experience as a football coach, I contend I’m a suitable judge of the type of talent you have acquired in the past and the type of talent the University of Arkansas has selected in the past and needs. I invite you to look at the highlights of Kevin Richardson here: http://www.hudl.com/athlete/602351/highlights/2023389 .

Kevin Richardson would set the Razorbacks apart from all SEC teams: the Razorbacks would have the only player in the conference who can play quarterback, wide receiver, defensive back/safety, and kick and punt returner. For a long time, Arkansas has longed for a player with the skill of Kevin Richardson: a player who can who can play at a high level on offense, defense and special teams. Imagine how frustrating it will be for defenses when they will not be able to decipher what the offense is doing when Richardson is on the field.

When thinking about getting the most value for the allotted scholarships, Kevin Richardson can contribute for you in every aspect of the game: offense, defense and special teams. That’s like getting two or three players on one scholarship.

As a football coach, almost nothing pleases me more than hearing other coaches having limitless great things to say about an athlete. Kevin’s coaches never run out of great things to say about him. He’s a gifted and versatile football player. He plays the game the right way. You will never have to worry about Kevin not meeting his academic responsibilities. He has an ACT score that’s nationally competitive with all student-athletes in the 2013 recruiting class. Kevin is a leader on and off the field. He’s the right player to help the Razorbacks’ defense to develop into a national championship level defense.

I very much appreciate your time and consideration and look forward to your response.

Sincerely,

Antonio Maurice Daniels
University of Wisconsin-Madison

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