Hogs Expected Record Breaking Season but Not Like This

Picked to finish fourth in SEC, Razorbacks have been unimaginably bad this season despite first-year coach's Hall of Fame standard

Arkansas coach John Calipari reacts on the sideline against the Troy Trojans. The Razorbacks won 65-49. | Nilsen Roman - Hogs on SI

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — There was a time not too long ago when Arkansas was a joy to watch. Following an 83-65 loss on the road to Missouri on Saturday evening, fans aren't the only ones embarrassed at how this season has unfolded.

This Razorbacks' team is accelerating toward being the biggest flop of any team first-year coach John Calipari has ever assembled. With a fifth consecutive loss to begin SEC action, the Razorbacks conference record now matches that of the 1985-86 squad which also started 0-5 in Southwest Conference competition.

Arkansas will fall to an 0-5 start in conference play for the first time since 1985-86 as a Southwest Conference member. #whewpig

— Jacob Davis (@JacobScottDavis) January 19, 2025

Most believed Calipari pieced together a team capable of at least making noise in the NCAA Tournament. Sadly, Arkansas didn't get the Florida Atlantic version of Johnell Davis nor Tennessee's Jonas Aidoo.

Arkansas takes about 22 three point shots per game since conference games started and are only connecting on 25% of its attempts which ranks near the bottom among SEC teams. Defensively, this team struggles to locate open players on the perimeter and often gets lost in pick-and-roll action with players switching which often gives opponents open lanes to the rim due to mismatches.

Calipari's final team at Kentucky ranked No. 7 nationally in offensive efficiency, according to KenPom. With guards Rod Dillingham, Reed Shepherd and Antonio Reeves flashing offensive fortitude, it unfortunately set the bar tremendously high for Arkansas, an unimaginable mess.

Despite Eric Musselman's consistency issues on the offensive end throughout his final two years, Arkansas finished higher than No. 61 in each of his first four seasons with the Razorbacks. Last season's anomaly dropped his team out of the top-100 completely but at least there was a balance, No. 103 on offensive and No. 133 on defense, which ranked No. 108 nationally and third-worst among SEC teams.

Basketball is arguably one of the easier sports to flip a roster and find success quickly. Out of Calipari, Mark Byinton (Vanderbilt) and Mark Pope (Kentucky) most thought Arkansas would have the easiest transition of all.

There were 16 high-major coaching changes this past season.

Only one does not have a conference victory.

John Calipari.

— Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanHoops) January 19, 2025

Arkansas fans likely thought they would be rooting for what Kentucky currently is with a talented roster, exciting offense and ranked in the AP Top-10. Even basement dweller Vanderbilt has rapidly exceeded expectations, fresh off an upset victory over No. 6 Tennessee.

Outside the SEC, Louisville has turned its program around from the pits of college basketball purgatory to ACC Championship contenders within eight months under another first-year coach Pat Kelsey. Hired away from Charleston, Kelsey had arguably one of the toughest rebuilds out of any new coach but are 14-5 overall with a 7-1 mark in conference play.

The Razorbacks went into this season with endless preseason love being picked to finish No. 4 in the SEC at basketball media day. Pundits were completely fooled as Arkansas has wound up a fraud, an embarrassment considering Calipari's hall-of-fame career.

HOGS FEED:

• New injury could hamper wounded Razorbacks moving forward

• Fans love mysteries but 'Cal's Kids' still ratings flop

• Mizzou grills Arkansas, Calipari stays winless in SEC

• We See if Razorbacks' Practice Approach Finally Gets SEC Win

• Money isn't only reason players pursue transfer portal opportunities

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