Razorbacks Played Like .500 Team, Which is What They Were

Preseason projection ends up being completely accurate with 6-6 finish

Author:
Andy Hodges
Updated:
Nov 28, 2022 11:44 AM EST
Original:
Nov 27, 2022

In this story:

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Exactly what is wrong with this Arkansas football team has been hard to pinpoint all year.

They just didn't feel like a group that was challenging for anything.

Back in the summer, some of us looked at the roster, did a little research and looked at the players with our own eyes and I came away saying it's a team with 6-6 talent.

That usually means they will end up anywhere from 5-7 to 8-4 depending on things none of us can see in the summer.

I was in the minority.

KJ Jefferson-Missouri — Arkansas Razorbacks quarterback KJ Jefferson (1) warms up against the Missouri Tigers prior to a game at Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium. (Denny Medley / USA TODAY Sports)

Right now, the standard around the football center seems to be 9-4 and a meaningless bowl game on New Year's in sunny Florida.

This group never looked like they would get there.

While fans are quick to knee-jerk that into a negative, that didn't mean they were terrible but there were some huge question marks and the answer to every one came back the wrong way.

No real leaders emerged on this team. Oh, KJ Jefferson was the leader of the offense with his actions and deeds. Bumper Pool was the same way on defense.

If there was somebody that would get in someone's face and tell them to get better or get gone never really emerged. Teams that compete for championships have that.

Raheim Sanders-Missouri — Arkansas Razorbacks running back Raheim Sanders (5) runs the ball against the Missouri Tigers during the first half at Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium. (Denny Medley / USA TODAY Sports)

Ones that don't, well, they look at 9-4 and some trophies no one cares about as a goal to shoot for.

In the end, this Razorback team ended up being exactly what we thought they'd be before the season. Granted, I couldn't have outlined all the twists and turns this year took to get there.

But, as Bill Parcells told us one time in Dallas about 20 years ago, you are what your record says you are.

There's no way around that.

It was former Hogs athletic director John Barnhill that said back in the 1960's teams are remembered more in December for what was expected in August than what happened in November.

Over several decades, even as things have dramatically changed in the world of college athletics several times, that comment has stood the test of time.

Now we are getting ready to enter a whole new world of building a roster. The days of recruiting kids out of high school and building a team for 3-4 years down the road are long gone.

Arkansas Razorbacks running back Raheim Sanders (5) celebrates with wide receiver Jadon Haselwood (9) after scoring against the Missouri Tigers during the first half at Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium. — (Denny Medley / USA TODAY Sports)

"You don't have that much time these days," Hogs coach Sam Pittman said a few weeks ago.

Now it's the transfer portal.

Instead of convincing high school players and their parents to come to Arkansas, they are working on players that are adults.

And we don't even know what all plays into that these days with name, image and likeness plus some other stuff.

We'll find out if Pittman can build a team that way.

The excuse of being a new head coach won't work anymore. While Pittman was an assistant grinding his way through the trenches of college football, there was no transfer portal and complete different roster-building methods.

He's got to figure it out like everybody else.

And fast.

Nobody else in the SEC West is slowing down to wait on him.