It seems a foregone conclusion that change is coming to the football roster at the University of Arkansas, and not just when a new freshman class reports in June.
Like in December, as soon as the semester is finished.
Some seemed to think it would happen sooner, like Monday. Or maybe they were just hoping, but head Coach Chad Morris and staff were out shoring up the 24 commitments they hope to sign in the early signing period that runs Dec. 19-21.
It probably is considered the main signing period for the coaches because 65 percent of last year's recruits signed as soon as possible, making the first Wednesday in February much less dramatic.
Who will leave the UA on their own and who will be helped to find another school is not known.
There are guesses, some educated and some not. The story is Cole Kelley -- who began the season as the starting quarterback -- was running at tight end with the scout team last week and then was too sick to travel for the second consecutive game. Those factors lead to speculation he will move on.
The bottom line is that only Morris and his staff know who they need to get rid of, but Saturday's debacle against Missouri left little doubt some of the team quit. Those who did should not be welcomed back.
When Danny Ford took over at Arkansas, he had worked as a consultant and had the luxury of knowing something about the players. His first day on the job, he told a staff member to pick out nine players who needed to go.
The message was loud and clear: Ford's way or the highway.
It may not have translated to wins at Arkansas, but Ford knew talent. Just as importantly, he understood the worth of self-discipline and self-control.
When Brandon Burlsworth was an undistinguished walk-on, Ford pointed him out to a reporter and said to watch that one, he's going to be special. And he was.
Except for the 18 players he signed last season, Morris inherited a team that in too many cases lacked self-discipline the year before he arrived, which explains why about half of his first class played this season.
Those 18 were recruited on the fly because Morris got a late start. The class was ranked No. 48 in the country.
This year's class is sizing up as maybe the best since the ranking of recruiting classes, sitting at No. 16. That's why Morris and staff are spending the time to keep the 24 they have as well as trying to lure five more to campus.
It is an interesting class so far with nine defensive linemen, five receivers, three offensive linemen, three defensive backs, and one each at quarterback, running back, linebacker and athlete (could play on either side of the ball).
Seven are from Texas, five from Arkansas, and two each from Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Oklahoma and Tennessee. There is one apiece from Alabama and Mississippi.
There are seven four-star recruits, although Hudson Henry is a five-star in some ratings. In 2016, the Razorbacks signed five four-stars and one five-star; the year before that, they signed seven four-stars, but one was from junior college and another left the team.
After going 2-10, the only thing Morris can hang his hat on is recruiting, and he's going after that like Jesse James did trains.
Morris doesn't need to waste much time evaluating who should stay and who should go. He and his staff should know that by now because they lived it for an entire season.
There's going to be some roster changes, just probably not this week.
Sports on 11/27/2018