As Outside Noise Increases, Calipari, Staff Trying to Block Out Chaos

Razorbacks trying to keep level head amid horrid SEC start and Chin Coleman just trying to stay focused on Georgia

John Calipari gives orders from the sideline against Florida inside Bud Walton Arena. Arkansas lost 71-63. | Nilsen Roman - Hogs on SI Images

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — As Arkansas' season has slowly gone off the rails over the past two weeks, the optimism has slowly started to wane. 0-3 became 0-4, which became 0-5. The tone from the coaching staff has remained the same, once we get one, we'll be fine.

"We've got to grit this next one out and then go from there," assistant coach Chin Coleman said. "Like this is a game where we got to grit this one out and then hopefully, we'll catapult off of that grit."

That optimism is hardly shared outside of the four walls of the Arkansas practice facility. A recent column written by the Field Of 68's Jeff Goodman cited anonymous SEC coaches opining that Calipari's prime is past him.

"There’s just no fear now when I see him on the other sideline,” Goodman wrote in his article, citing an SEC coach. “The game has changed and he is becoming archaic.”

Coleman countered with the antonym of archaic when asked about where Calipari is in his career.

"He’s one of the most innovative coaches to ever coach," Coleman said. "To say he’s archaic, you’re fishing, in my opinion, but everybody’s entitled to their opinion."

Meanwhile, on the court, the hits just keep coming. Boogie Fland remains doubtful with a hand injury, once again shrinking Arkansas' nine-man rotation down to eight. Despite starting with a two-big lineup against Missouri and getting outscored 18-2, Calipari vows to keep trying some variation of the big lineup.

"You’re definitely going to see that a little bit more," Coleman said about the two-big lineup. "We definitely want to try that lineup. I don’t know if coach is committed to starting that lineup, but I know that’s a lineup that we want to see more of."

Arkansas and Calipari will look to innovate their way to its first SEC win against Georgia. Tipoff is scheduled for 8 p.m. Wednesday and will be broadcast on SEC Network.

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