Razorbacks Should Be Able to Play for Title if TCU Can

Horned Frogs showing low recruiting rankings, non-pedigree can be overcome

Author:
Andy Hodges
Updated:
Jan 1, 2023 9:50 PM EST
Original:
Dec 31, 2022

In this story:

Arkansas Razorbacks

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Sonny Dyes walked into a situation at TCU similar in many ways to what Lou Holt had at Arkansas in 1977.

Neither one had a bare cupboard.

When Gary Patterson stepped down from the Horned Frogs, he had built a pretty solid program and developed a culture.

Dykes has taken it to a higher level.

Pittman inherited a program that had basically been twisted into a shell of what it once was. Gone were the days of figuring out how to wrangle that extra win over Texas every year to have a shot at a national title.

Now they try to get into any bowl game they can reach.

None of this is directed particularly at Pittman, although there is an alarming number of people hitting the transfer portal this year for whatever reason, and a quick fix may not be in sight.

That is Pittman's responsibility.

But TCU's 51-46 win over Michigan on Saturday in the College Football Playoff semifinal at the Fiesta Bowl shows it can be accomplished. I'll leave it to the nerds who do all that research to find out if they have the lowest recruiting rankings to ever reach the playoffs (it will be close).

Part of it is the foundation Patterson put together over a 20-year stretch. He didn't inherit a whole lot either.

The difference is Pittman probably won't coach the Hogs for 20 years.

Coaches also don't get that long to build something.

These days, one bad year better not be followed by another one.

Before you ask, yeah, I'm fully aware the Hogs play in the SEC and TCU is in the Big 12. That's just another excuse for failure to compete for championships.

No matter what league you're in, coaches have to figure out a way to get the players to compete for a title.

Since joining the league, the Hogs have won two SEC West and no league titles. Yes, they have been in three title games in Atlanta, but the only reason they went in 2002 is because Alabama was on probation.

None of those title games have gone particularly well.

But TCU has made a championship game in today's world. There's now a path for anybody.

You just have to figure out a way and have the commitment from everyone in the organization to do it.