A selection of comments from the message boards at WholeHogSports.com:
Fans react to the Razorbacks’ 31-27 loss to Texas A&M
Hogmodo: Difference between us and A&M is not as much as I expected. … It was our defensive line’s best game this year, but they had some very big, very good athletes in the D-line that we just don’t have. We got good play at quarterback considering our O-line struggles so there is not much talent difference there. Our running backs matched theirs in talent. We are just 2-3 O-linemen away from matching them offensively. On defense, they are better … at almost every position, but the margin is not huge at the starting positions. It is huge in terms of depth.
dfarris: Agreed. The Razorbacks are at a size disadvantage at just about every position on both lines of … compared to the teams atop the SEC. …Hopefully, the staff will address this under size issue in recruiting and in the off-season with our current underclassmen through nutrition and weight training.
daboar: I suspect the “under size” issue is only part of the story. Look at Air Force. Their athletes are truly undersized versus nearly every team they play. But, as an example, they manhandled SJS (who beat the snot out of our Hogs). … In sum, I think it’s too easy to blame the level of talent. The team needs leaders and they need to play and coach all out.
Prospects for the remainder of the season:
youdaman: QB at Kentucky is not very good, Mississippi State is nowhere near the team they have been on defense and the freshman quarterback is very spotty. If we can continue to improve I think we can win both of those.
generalhog: If we do, it’ll make that Mizzou game extremely interesting for us.
MattJones: I agree about Kentucky because it is the next game for both teams. I’ll wait to see what Arkansas and Mississippi State look like in late October. … If Arkansas plays in Lexington with the same intensity it played with … in Arlington, then it has a good chance to win. It’s an important game for both teams. Both are going to be looking for their first SEC victory.
neastarkie: I think both are winnable games, although Matt is absolutely right that many things can change before we play Miss St.
jhawg: Kentucky and Mississippi State are both certainly teams which a team like Arkansas could beat, but the Bulldogs still are more talented than we are in most positions … State is really physical and we are not. I see that game as our chance for Morris to finally get on the board. It should be a battle of the have-nots.
Jacksonreid: MSU … comes into our game after a road trip to Knoxville (UT down but SEC road trips not easy), host LSU, and then a road trip to College Station prior to our game. Both teams likely beat up and bruised.
eaglehog5: We can beat both of those teams, as long as they don’t find an Elway for the day.
Razorback fans who never forget:
LDHog: Refs in the Tennessee-Georgia game are horrible. Or blind. Or paid off by the Vols.
adgebg: Wouldn’t be the first time for the Vols.
razorwill: Was Preston Watts officiating?
eaglehog5: Good’un, Will!
neastarkie: Preston Watts, the poster boy for terrible officials. It’s been 48 years and I still hate Tennessee because of him and that (Arkansas’ controversial 14-13 loss to Tennessee in the 1971 Liberty Bowl).
Posters review the comments of former Ohio State and Florida head coach Urban Meyer at the Little Rock Touchdown Club:
neastarkie: He recounted a funny story about Lou Holtz. Meyer coached one year under Holtz at Notre Dame before taking the Bowling Green job. He said he didn’t really want it for a number of reasons. He called Holtz to tell him he wasn’t going to take the BG job. Holtz raked him over the coals for that. Meyer told Holtz it just wasn’t a good job. Holtz said, “Of course it’s not a good job. If it were, they wouldn’t be offering it to you.” Meyer took the job.
jhawg: When it came time for questions from the audience, did anyone ask Coach Meyer why in the world would any parent name their kid Urban? He must have been a city boy.
neastarkie: I wanted to ask if his kids were called Sub-Urbans.
Predictions for Saturday’s game at Kentucky:
bakedhog19741: Arkansas 24 KY 21
bobghawg: Hogs 17-14
lovemyhawgsforever: Defense still struggles and offensive line will not be able to hold their blocks or create holes for RBs. Kentucky at home will give them a boost. Cats 32, Hogs 17.
sdhog: I don’t think UK’s defense is near as good as the Aggie’s but… I don’t think we’ll be as motivated and it’s on the road. Our defense is a crap-shoot so you never know what you’re going to get. I think we prevail… barely. Hogs 31, Cats 28.
coloradohog: I don’t see it until they show they are going to play four quarters of solid football. O-line will not show up as per usual and the defense cannot handle their O-line (heck, it could not handle the bottom of The Mountain West). AR 24, KY 45.
razorwill: They have QB problems. Their offensive line was supposedly their strength going into the year. Their secondary was replacing a bunch so that was supposedly their weakness. Was not impressed watching their last game at all. That being said they are a 7-point favorite. I think we cover. But until they prove me wrong, Kentucky 24, Hogs 23.
jrjdent: Cats 31, Hogs 21.Still very little to believe in. Won’t predict an SEC win until we win one.
generalhog: Low scoring. 10-9 Arkansas.
daboar: I’d be stunned if one of these teams does not get at least 3 TDs.
neastarkie: I have no idea. On one hand, I think we’ve got to get over the hump sometime, KY isn’t that good and we’ve shown improvement. On the other hand, we haven’t shown we can win an SEC game in nearly two seasons. I’ll go out on a limb and let my Razorback colored glasses skew things for me … Ark 32, UK 28.
holdenhogfield: Hogs 28, Cats 24. I have no idea at all, but I have fond memories of this score.
hogbacker: Ky 17, Hogs 14. These words come to my mind “ we’re close.”
LDHog: Hogs 31, KY. 14.
white25: Ark 23, Ky 22. Bummer. Can’t storm the field.
georgiahawg: Not sure this team is ready to win an away game in the SEC at night but Kentucky has QB issues and we are due a breakthrough game. AR 20, KY 17. Forty-seven-yard field goal with less than a minute to go seals the win.
jacksonreid: Kentucky 31, Arkansas 20.
razormac: If Chad Morris and company is going to get any traction this year, it starts on Saturday. I think they can do it with help of some big plays, hogs 31-28.
lilhawg: I can find no specific reason why I think the Hogs will win except we will field the better QB. A nail-biter and heart-wrencher: Hogs 27-24.
moark777: Kentucky can’t win a high scoring game.Their offense is pathetic. Arkansas is the better team and should win this one. Arkansas 28, Kentucky 10