Razorbacks' Attitude Toward South Arkansas Means Crutchfield Like Won't Be Last to Leave

Years of increased neglect by Arkansas athletics has set table for players in southern region leaving state for places like Missouri, Ole Miss to become quite common

Author:
Kent Smith
Publish date:
Dec 19, 2023 2:58 PM EST

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Arkansas Razorbacks

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – There are a lot of people out there upset over Arkansas not being able to land Pine Bluff's Courtney Crutchfield.

There are complaints of lack of loyalty and fandom from that part of the state. Let's put a stopper in that right there. It was Arkansas that abandoned the lower third of the state, leaving it fair game for anyone to drop in.

True, it was once easy to raise a Razorback fan in South Arkansas, but even then there were plenty of LSU, Mississippi State, Louisiana Tech, Tennessee, Southern Miss and even Texas fans spread throughout. It was a different time.

The Razorback coach's show came on television every Sunday afternoon as devout families waited on lunch to be warmed up after church. There were multiple games at War Memorial Stadium. Basketball games were to be had at Barton Coliseum and the Pine Bluff Convention Center. Plus, Razorback coaches regularly showed up for social gatherings in that part of the state and wandered through from school to school looking to see if there was any up and coming talent.

There wasn't much access to content from programs other than Arkansas on television or the radio other than the Louisiana-Monroe (then NLU) coach's show and a few LSU highlights on the one broadcast station covering ElDorado and northern Louisiana. As a result, there was an invisible fence around South Arkansas.

That began to change in the early 2000s as college sports began to fill more and more of the television line-up. At the same time, a facilities arms race began in the SEC that saw tons of money begin to be pumped into the University of Arkansas.

First to go were the games in Pine Bluff in 1992. That helped generate the first clear chink in the armor as the first generation to not have memories of games at the Convention Center came of age. Arkansas missed out on its first burst of talent in the Warren Lumberjack machine in Bo Hembree's early days. Wide receiver Bret Smith chose Tennessee over Arkansas. Defensive back Roshaun Fellows chose Ole Miss over the Hogs. And the biggest stunner of them all, the Landers Award winning quarterback, Reid McKinney, stared into the camera on statewide television with Houston Nutt nearby and told everyone he was choosing Arkansas State over the Razorbacks.

Arkansas had gotten complacent in South Arkansas and a clear message was intentionally delivered. Fortunately for Bobby Petrino, the message got across, and things were handled better in recruiting when Chris Gragg, Greg Childs and Jarius Wright came along.

However, the recent attitude toward South Arkansas has far exceeded any former transgressions. The phrase "nothing matters south of the Bobby Hopper Tunnel" has worn thin, and nothing is more south of the tunnel than this neglected region. War Memorial has become such a mess of a stadium as a result of outdated facilities, poor internet connectivity, bad planning and inferior games that it's no longer an anticipated event for young men and women growing up in the area. Even blacking out the game doesn't do a whole lot to help.

There are better games from other college teams to be watched from the comfort of home in the air conditioning with bottles of water easily within reach. Besides, Arkansas almost never comes down there anymore, so why go north to sit in blistering heat to go to them.

When Arkansas went on its "Fan Appreciation" tour this past year, the people of South Arkansas were officially designated as no longer fans as the entire region was left out. Coaches are genuinely surprised to see a Razorback staffer darken their doors these days. No one's checking in to see if there's a diamond in the rough. It's been years since most had a visit from Arkansas. Filling the void are teams like Ole Miss, Missouri, Mississippi State, Kansas and Oklahoma.

And when these coaches show up, players are treated at the highest level because opposing coaches are trying to make sure they show the love Arkansas hasn't to get them to leave the state. Just look at this photo. Eli Drinkwitz is sitting right next to Crutchfield giving him full attention. Now zoom in on his plate. That's one giant slab of appreciation being shown.

Another thing is money tends to be scarce in South Arkansas. Good paying jobs are few and far between. So, while an extra $5,000-$20,000 for an athlete from ultra rich Collin County, Texas isn't going to move the needle, it's literally life changing for an athlete from South Arkansas. When that number gets higher, it's blinding.

Also, it makes sense for Crutchfield to go elsewhere, especially if it turns out there was more money. Right now, things are unstable at Arkansas. Pittman may be gone before Thanksgiving if things don't pan out.

Meanwhile, Kiffin's on stable ground at Ole Miss and Drinkwitz is firmly planted at Missouri. Either choice, which in this case turned out to be Missouri, gives him the chance to be under a coach he knows will be there for the next two years if he wants to be.

So, get as much money as possible from one of these other schools while Arkansas goes through whatever it's going to go through next year. Then, if things stabilize or a new coach comes along, a decision can be made whether it's in Crutchfield's best interest to return to Arkansas.

Look, there is a crop of incredible talent coming up in South Arkansas over the next few years. People are going to want those players to show loyalty when the time comes. However, it's the Razorback football program that needs to show loyalty.

It's not enough to come acting like they care or understand the culture down there when there's something in it for them. There has to be a true relationship. No one would marry someone who only came around when it's their birthday or they needed money, so why suspect things are automatically going to go one way when the only contact with the Arkansas program for most of these players is when there's an elite, can't miss prospect who might end up somewhere else.

Crutchfield's gone. If the arrogant attitude toward South Arkansas and its players and fans doesn't change soon, he won't be the last.