It probably was a feeble attempt at some sort of psychology on the part of Bruce Barnum.
He’s the head coach at Portland State, and he was quoted in Monday’s Democrat-Gazette extensively.
“I’m sure Arkansas’ threes are more excited than their ones and twos with us coming,” he said. “Those guys are calling girlfriends and moms and grandparents saying, ‘I’m got to play Saturday.’
“Those threes are going to make sure their socks are on right-side out and their stuff is all tucked in, because they’re probably expecting to get in after that first quarter.’
No doubt Barnum is hoping the University of Arkansas Razorbacks read or hear about that and come into the game expecting a walk-over. Or maybe he was trying to be funny.
Regardless, Chad Morris probably already has been fighting that kind of overconfidence from his players.
Portland State is an FCS team. It hopes to win enough games to make it to the playoffs, not a bowl.
Barnum’s comments probably brought back memories of that September 1997 day in Shreveport when the Razorbacks played SMU.
The Mustangs, who play this Saturday at Arkansas State University, had opened the season a week earlier with a 23-15 loss to Ole Miss. Arkansas had won its opener 26-16 over Louisiana-Monroe.
That should have been a couple of big red flags for the Razorbacks, but before the game during warm-ups, a few were heard saying they’d get theirs early so the substitutes could play.
Granted, the Mustangs had not had a winning season since emerging from the NCAA’s death penalty in 1989, but the Hogs were coming off a 4-7 season.
SMU scored first, but in the second quarter Clint Stoerner threw an 11-yard touchdown pass to Anthony Lucas, who appeared to be stopped short before diving into the end zone.
The officials didn’t signal a touchdown, and the Hogs lined up to run another play, which turned out to be a two-point conversion attempt that failed.
Not that it really mattered.
Arkansas tallied 214 total yards — minus-22 rushing — and the Mustangs had 462 yards and added another 24 points to the scoreboard while all the Hogs could muster was a 37-yard field goal late in the third quarter.
Portland State probably isn’t SMU, which finished 6-5 in 1997.
After going 2-10 last season, there is no way Morris and company are taking anyone lightly. This staff and team need wins like they do air.
Last season, the Vikings were outscored in their first two games against Nevada and Oregon 72-19 and 62-14, respectively. They closed the season with a home loss to Eastern Washington 74-23.
They are 7-26 the past three seasons, so Barnum is on the hot seat. Maybe not as hot as USC’s Clay Helton, who is the 5-1 favorite to lose his job, but still hot.
After his news conference, Barnum explained to his players it was a psychological ploy to try to get the Hogs to be over-confident.
If he told them it was a joke, they probably didn’t laugh.
Regardless, teams like Portland State don’t belong on the schedule of the Arkansas Razorbacks, even if the Vikings were a bargain at $550,000.
In fact, UA Athletic Director Hunter Yurachek — who had nothing to do with this schedule — is scheduling games against better competition so something like this doesn’t happen again.
With a forecast of hot temperatures and 25% chance of rain, there is a good chance there won’t be 45,000 fans on hand for the 3 p.m. kickoff.
Those who do come will get to see a lot of Razorbacks play, but probably not until the third quarter.