Have Razorbacks Won Big Already Regardless What Happens Thursday?

Just getting to Sweet 16 has Calipari already getting Hogs out on national recruiting stage

Arkansas Razorbacks coach John Calipari during game against the Oakland Grizzlies at Bud Walton Arena in Fayetteville, Ark. / Nilsen Roman-Hogs on SI Images

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — It's been interesting after Arkansas got past St. John's to see how the Razorbacks have suddenly vaulted into the national picture.

Call it the John Calipari Effect. The Hogs boss has been on national talk shows all over the place the last couple of days. All of the national reports are talking about Arkansas.

It's exactly why he was hired in the first place. Winning two games in March Madness after the faceplant in January has validated everything that was risked last April.

"Literally, I'm like put it down," Calipari said Tuesday on the Pat McAfee Show on ESPN. Folks kept trying to show him Tech on phones. "They weren't even highlights. You've gotta stay focused."

He doesn't want his team thinking anything is guaranteed. Maybe the best news is he's dealt with this quite a bit in his past. Calipari has been in the Sweet 16 an interesting 16 times, one more than Arkansas' entire history.

Calipari is getting his top scorer back with the news Adou Thiero will be back in San Francisco. That's only good news, though, if he's able to be as good as he was before the injury.

Boogie Fland made it back after hand surgery, but he's still getting his game back in order after missing a couple of months. Thiero just missed a few weeks so everybody will be wondering how he responds.

The nucleus is there, though. Somehow you get the idea with Jonas Aidoo and Trevon Brazile playing like they are right now. This will be the first time Calipari's team will all be playing together.

Somehow, you don't have to be a fan looking at the world through cardinal-colored glasses to realize if this team had been playing like they have the last month they wouldn't have been a No. 10 seed.

Considering they just knocked off the second seed, it's doubtful they're going to be particularly awed by the Red Raiders, regardless how good they actually are.

This Razorback team doesn't appear to be intimidated by anyone right now. Which may be the best thing of all as Calipari has already started making a splash with recruits simply by being on everything they look at these days.

HOGS FEED:

• With Sweet 16 looming, Calipari not able to ignore recruiting

• Calipari reveals whether Hogs will have Thiero in Sweet 16

• Big risk by Arkansas taking on Calipari has paid off

• Top five scorer available in portal with Arkansas ties

• Razorbacks begin to feed monster, headline exclusive list