FAYETTEVILLE -- The Razorbacks never will miss a career 10-17 pitcher quite like they miss Trey Killian this season.
Turns out even the hard luck of all those 1-0, 2-1 and 3-2 losses Killian accumulated during his 2013-2015 Arkansas tenure was Arkansas' good fortune.
For while Killian lost more starts than he won, he was seldom blown out early in an outing.
The 217 innings Killian pitched in three years, particularly the 94 and 87 innings he logged in 2014 and 2015 when customarily opening a three-game SEC weekend series, often proved victorious even in defeat.
Killian keeping Arkansas competitive late into games of SEC series openers kept the bullpen fresh for those next two conference games.
Arkansas' hitters had to feel they were helped, too. Opening every series knowing you can score just a couple of runs and still have a chance is a major morale boost over staring at large early deficits. Poor starts leaving too much to make up have dogged the Razorbacks during their 4-8 SEC campaign, which resumes Thursday at Baum Stadium against No. 2 Florida.
In their previous 13 seasons together, Arkansas Coach Dave Van Horn and pitching coach Dave Jorn haven't always had the best SEC pitchers if you go strictly by SEC won-loss records.
But they have always been among the best at recruiting and cultivating pitchers who consistently battle long into the game.
Sometimes that's better than beating the best. Because for the long haul, it's not always whether you win or lose but how many innings you go.
Hackett hacking it
During last spring's Razorback football practices, linebacker Khalia Hackett got handed a first-team slot and couldn't hack it.
The junior from Douglasville, Ga., a two-year letterman mostly on special teams, didn't keep his first-team status and doesn't line up as an obvious first-teamer now, although he practices better than when he did.
Hackett recorded five tackles and broke up on pass during Saturday's scrimmage.
"Hackett is playing probably as good as he's played since I have been here," second-year linebackers coach Vernon Hargreaves said. "He made a great play [in the scrimmage]. An effort play. Another guy caught the ball, and somebody missed the tackle and [Hackett] ran down the field and almost knocked the ball out. He's running around, and I think finally felt comfortable with what he's doing."
Third-year defensive coordinator Robb Smith also said he sees Hackett in an enhanced light.
"He's a little bit of a different guy," Smith said. "He's playing as good as I've been around him. He's been hearing it for three years and I think he's starting to get it. Hopefully it's starting to click because his athletic ability, that's never been an issue."
Sports on 04/13/2016