If Razorbacks in Top of NIL, Then Lack of Recruits Obvious

Hype is they are competitive for pay and after losing top recruit, questions begin

Author:
Andy Hodges
Publish date:
Dec 19, 2023 4:01 PM EST

In this story:

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Even Arkansas' former players are starting to have questions now. With the top high school recruit in the state going to an arch rival and no really big name commitments in the transfer portal announcing anything, just about everybody else is starting to have those same questions. If the Razorbacks are in the top half of the SEC in pay, then what's the problem?

"The Razorbacks have a problem recruiting," former quarterback Matt Jones said on ESPN Arkansas' Halftime with Phil Elson. Everything has changed now even Sam Pittman is seeing crosshairs placed on him. That's what happens with a 23-25 overall record and 11-23 in SEC play. No excuses are allowed, despite all of the usual folks that love to make up excuses for failure. We've heard this new collective has them in a competitive position.

When Courtney Crutchfield made his decision of Missouri before National Signing Day on Wednesday, the immediate reaction some of us had was, "uh-oh." A lot of hopes were being placed on new offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino parlaying his previous success with Southeast Arkansas receivers into landing the top recruit in the state with Courtney Crutchfield from Pine Bluff.

No amount of glossing it over and sugar-coating everything we'll hear from Pittman in his press conference on Wednesday is going to cover it up, either. He'll like the players coming in publicly. There's not really a viable option to work out of that one. Hope will reign supreme over the transfers coming in.

Rankings are easily dismissed by people, usually those at the lower end of the scale. As former Florida State coach Bobby Bowden used to tell his staff every single year, "having those stars doesn't guarantee a championship, but it does guarantee you won't be if you don't get 'em." Just look at the numbers. Find me more teams than I count on one hand that have played for a championship that were not in the Top 10 there and I'll pay attention to your argument

The Hogs will need a miracle finish on signing day to break into the Top 20. They are currently lagging in the bottom 20's a day ahead. Don't give me the excuse about making up for it in the transfer portal, either. That's in the same general area and it's outside the Top 25.

More importantly, they are ranked No. 14 in the SEC. Texas and Oklahoma coming into the league have pushed them down. Only Mississippi State and Vanderbilt are below them in the pecking order. It's a tall order to overcome with just coaching and there's no evidence to suggest any type of leadership within the team to push it up, either.

The bottom line is they may be getting players good enough to be developed into a team that can at least qualify for a bowl game. If that is the expectation, some decisions are going to have to be made by the people making them about direction for the future.

Just over a decade ago, getting to a bowl game wasn't the goal. It was expected. Changing mediocrity to a goal is a big difference. Pittman and athletics director Hunter Yurachek will have to answer that with more than just words at a press conference.