Coach Marc -- CSU and Arkansas

[GTMarc]

Hi, Since I've posted a few things in the suggestions and main forums about some issues with the game, I thought I might try to show how much fun I'm having with this game by writing a bit about my dynasty - coach's career. I started the game, and I wanted a sort of lower level school in the area I live in these days. I didn't look too far, but quickly settled on Colorado St. The first season as CSU's coach was a massive struggle. We really didn't have the talent to compete in the MWC ... much less with our rival Colorado. We went 3-5 in the MWC and finished 8th out of 9 teams in that league. Overall we were 4-8. We 86th in the Coach's poll, 79th in the Media poll and 100th in the CPU poll. It was in the lead up to the next season that we started to rebuild the program. We went out and got some key transfers to come to Colorado St. OG J.Adams (5/7) (all player ratings are 1-10 scale), P. N.Gibbs (5/8), DE J.Haney (5/6). We also went out and did some good recruiting. Some of those players we were able to redshirt, but we were so short on talent that several key players played as pure freshman that next season. Going into the 2006 season, we knew it was going to be another very tough year. We'd lost some of the seniors that had helped us get even the modest performance we had in 2005. But none of our transfers were elligible this year, and our recruits were either being redshirted for the future or being thrown to the wolves as freshmen playing a lot more than freshmen should. We did our best to warn both the administration and the alumni and the fans that this was going to be a very tough season. We hoped they listened and we wouldn't be fired! And sure enough, it was a very tough year. We went 2-10 overall, and 1-7 and 9th out of 9 in the MWC. We had a few bright points. WR T.OBrien (So-3/6) was 1st Team MWC and WR F.Baker (Sr-5/6) was 2nd Team MWC. Since we had redshirted our QB recruit, J.Evans (1/5), this boded rather well for our passing game in the future. Along our O-Line, C A.Wallace (So-3/7) was 1st Team MWC, and OG C.Hines (Sr-3/6) and OT S.Church (Jr-4/6) were both 3rd Team MWC. The D-Line was anchored by DT R.Richardson (Jr-2/4) was 1st Team MWC and DE L.Blake (Sr-5/8) was 2nd Team MWC. But the brightest of the bright points was FS H.Campbell (Jr-4/6) who was named 1st Team All American! We knew he was great, and he led the MWC in tackles for the year. But we were a bit surprised the rest of the team noticed him on a 2-10 mid-major team. But the really good news as that the Athletic Director showed a little faith in a coach who'd been 6-18 his first two seasons and he didn't fire me! Maybe it was the impassioned speach I gave in his office pleading to let me coach the team in 2007 and see the fruits of my work. For now my transfer were ready to play, my first recruiting class had a year under their belts, and I had another successful recruiting offseason. We brought in one more transfer during the offseason .... OT D.Waller (4/7). And we brought in a second nice recruiting class. 27th FB J.Rodriguez (2/5) 32nd K R.Wheeler (4/7) 38th CB E.Thompson (4/6) 44th SS E.Howard (2/5) 45th QB M.Hammonds (1/6)-RS 57th TE W.Perez (2/6)-RS 57th OLB J.Clay (2/6) 71st OG L.Lewis (3/7) 78th FS J.Nelson (1/4)-RS 91st OG J.Stevenson (2/4)-RS As you can see, we are still plugging freshmen into the lineup with only a handful of redshirts. But all in all, we started 2007 with more hope than in any other season. And we were confidently predicting to both our administration and our alumni and fans that we'd be competitive in the MWC this season. But even in our dreams, we didn't predict the season we ended up having. Knowing the team needed wins and confidence, we scheduled two of the weakest teams we could find to start the season. And sure enough we clicked and looked pretty good in beating both of them. Then came our first test in the MWC, a game against BYU. They totally and completely beat the c#$p out of us. Don't remember the score, but it was ugly early and stayed ugly all day. For some of our fans, that seemed to be the last straw. The local talk radio shows were filled with angry cries that I should be fired immediately. But then it started. Colorado St started a winning streak. We were playing some of the teams towards the bottom of the league, but we were beating them. Knocking them off one after the other until we were 4-1 in the conference and 6-1 overall. Suddenly football was fun again on the campus. And we had first the students, and then the rest of the alumni and fans on our side. But there were still doubts, we hadn't really played a team from the top of the conference since the BYU game. Our last three conference games were against San Diego State, Texas Christian (both other teams with one loss in the MWC) and then a finale against Utah, who was undefeated in the MWC. As a coach, we didn't say it in public, but we'd have been happy with winning one of the two against SDSU and TCU, and a decent showing, non-blowout loss to conference power Utah. Instead, our team was on a roll. We beat first SDSU and then TCU decisively. Neither game was close, our kids went out and simply dominated both games. This set up a showdown with Utah for the conference championhip and a berth in the GDCS playoffs. Heady stuff for a team that had just 3 conference wins in the two seasons before. The campus was something to see that week. Dorms and fraternities all sprouted banners and flags supporting the team. I don't think much studying got done that week, as everyone seemed obsessed with the big game coming on Saturday. And when Saturday dawned and everyone started heading to the stadium for the 1pm kickoff, the electricity was palpable. As coaches, we expected a tough game. Utah was the power in the league, playing in the GDCS playoffs every year, even making it to the second round the year before, ranked in the top-25. So while we were proud and confident in our team by this point, we still expected this one to be tough. An epic battle with us coming out on top at the end of a close game was the best we expected. Instead, we had sideline seats for the most incredible game I'd ever seen. Incredible not because it was a close fight. Incredible because our kids went out and just completely thumped that Utah team. It wasn't close at halftime, and by the fourth quarter we were playing our subs while our starters celebrated our newly one conference championship and playoff berth with the students behind our bench. Truly a day to remember!!!! That was the high point of the season. We played Colorado tough, but we still weren't in their league. This was the season that they established themselves as a power. They were going to be Big 12 champs and a top 5 team the seasons after this. They weren't quite there in this 2007 season, but the base they had built was enough to handle us. And our playoff game was what you'd expect when a MWC team plays a top 5 national power in a first round playoff game. So we finished 10-3, and despite the last two losses, it was a truly miraculous season. The awards after the seaons reflected this. FB J. Rodriguez (Fr-2/5) 3rd team All American QB J.Evans (Fr-2/4) 1st Team MWC and MWC Freshman of the Year C A.Wallace (Jr-5/8) 1st Team MWC OG J.Adkins (Jr-6/8) 1st Team MWC DE J.Haney (Jr-4/6) 1st Team MWC TE J.Blanton (Sr-1/3) 2nd Team MWC K R.Wheeler (Fr-4/7) 2nd Team MWC DT R.Richardson (Sr-2/4) 2nd Team MWC FS H.Campbell (Sr-4/7) 2nd Team MWC OLB K.Whitney (Sr-4/6) 3rd Team MWC And I got named Coach of the Year in the MWC!!!!!! Also, even though I was still kind of a one-hit wonder, job offers started to come in from other schools. Most notable were Arizona St in the Pac10, and Arkansas in the SEC. Both were last place teams, and really at about the same prestige level as Colorado St (mid to high 40s). But both were teams in the major conferences. Thus both were places where if I could be successful, I'd really make my mark on the college football world. Perhaps the smart thing to do was to stay at Colorado St. Continue to build that program up as a football power in the MWC, and wait for some better schools in the big time conferences to come calling in future years. But there was this nagging feeling that I'd just had a miracle season at Colorado St, and that if I stayed that perhaps it just couldn't happen again. So I told the Athletic Director at Arkansas I'd love to be the head coach of his football team.

[GTMarc]

Arkansas 2008 Well, at Arkansas I found myself back in almost the same situation I'd been in when I started at Colorado St. This was a team that had gone 3-8 under Thomas Ray as coach the year before. They were 0-8 and 12th out of 12 in the SEC that season. So the talent cupboard was very bare when I took over. In particular, some spots like the D-Line and Safety were virtually bare. The good news was that unlike my first year at Co. St, I'd been hired early enough by Arkansas where I could lure some transfers and then do the recruiting before my first season. So the process could begin a year earlier at Arkansas. And the idea was definitely to try to repeat what had worked at Co St. Get some transfers to come in for early effect, and recruit hard to try to build a pool of talent here that could compete in the SEC. On our staff, we kept Defensive Coordinator Eric Bennett from the previous staff. He likes to play a 4-3, but with the minimal amount of numbers and talent on the D-line, we are going to play a 3-4 this year. We hired a new Offensive Coordinator, Thomas Robinson who'd been with Alabama the year before. He likes a Balanced offense, and that's what we are going to run. We also hired a new Special Teams coach, Floyd Jones. He'd been on Oregon St's staff in 2006, and had spent 2007 in the Peace Corps in Africa. And it looked like we were having some success here. That first offseason, we got 4 transfers to come to Arkansas. QB J.Howard (8/9) (a real blue chipper!) TE G.Magee (4/7) OG K.Pritchard (5/7) ILB J.Miller (4/6) Recruiting also seemed to go as well as you could expect for a last place team coming off a three win season. 13th DT B.Harris (4/8) 35th OT R.Gill (3/8) 35th CB F.Franklin (2/6)-RS 36th K M.Bates (3/6)-RS 49th FS A.Stephensen (2/5) 50th FB S.King (2/6) 53rd WR A.Gilmore (3/6)-RS But as expected, 2008 was a very rough season. We started 1-1, losing an out of conference game to Miami (OH), a regular conference champ and playoff team. The SEC season started on a high note when we beat Vanderbilt, and then played Miss St a tough game we lost right at the end. But after that the schedule turned brutal, and the powers in the SEC blasted us week after week. The regular amount of injuries you'd expect during the year ripped our thin depth chart apart, and we got blown out game after game. In the end we finished 3-9, and 1-7 in the SEC. Another year where Arkansas was 12th out of 12. There were a few bright spots. ILB F.Weber (Sr-6/7) SEC Defensive Player of the Year, 1st Team All-SEC, SEC Season records for Tackles (98) and Solo Tackles (69) OG R.Thompson (So-6/7) 2nd Team All-SEC OT W.Rogers (Jr-6/7) 3rd Team All-SEC WR C.Gifford (So-5/6) SEC Season Record 1081 Rec Yds RB J.Casteel (Sr-6/8) SEC Career Record 649 Rush attempts QB W.Glover (So-4/5) SEC Season Record 496 Pass attempts P S.Moss (Jr-5/7) SEC Season Record 43.7 Avg Net Punt Yds But all in all, this was a year to just survive and try to move through in the process of rebuilding the program. While some of the alumni were grumbling that I wasn't any better than the coach they'd fired, generally everyone seemed to understand I'd inherited a program that had been run into the ground. But it was said in low whispers that I'd better do better next year. Which brings me to 2009. That's the season I'm currently coaching. The expectations from the AD were that we needed to be "competitive" in the SEC this year, win some conference games, and even pull some upsets. We again went after any potential transfers again. And again we had some success here. RB F.Glenn (5/8) OT D.Giles (6/8) DE C.Renfro (5/6) SS D.Pannell (4/7) Those kids are all in school this year, and getting used to our football program. Recruiting went well this year, and we brought in ... 15th ILB P.Fields (5/8) 19th RB A.Seal (5/8)-RS 24th OLB J.Robinson (3/7)-RS 33rd FB N.Lewis (2/6)-RS 33rd CB C.Hubbard (3/6)-RS 35th P S.Willard (4/6)-RS 38th C V.Sneed (3/8)-RS 43rd DT R.Walker (3/7) 50th DE H.Morten (3/6) 51st FS J.Frazier (4/7) 63rd OLB E.Gay (2/7) 70th OG T.Jones (3/6)-RS 94th WR P.Jones (2/6)-RS Since our team has been ranked down around 80th best in the country the last couple of seasons, that we are getting so many recruits that are highly ranked at their positions bodes well for the future. And the fact that we are able to redshirt so many also shows we are building for the future. The exception is on defense, where we were desperate for help at several positions. We kept our staff the same going into this year. I think I've hired some good people, so lets see what they can do. I don't think last year was their fault. We did make one interesting decision. Our Offense Coordinator Thomas Robinson suggested we use the Run n Gun offense this season. The advantage of that is that it would take advantage of our blue chip transfer QB Josh Howard. But I instead decided that I'd hired him to run the Balanced offense, and that's what he supposedly did best, so we stuck with the balanced offense for the year. The season started on a very rough note. We'd scheduled Miami (OH) again this year as the opener. They'd made the playoffs before, and had shown well losing that playoff game to Michigan only in OT. They showed that quality against us in the opener, clobbering us 58-20. The grumbling on the talk shows got louder, as our supporters complained that a SEC team shouldn't be losing to a mid-major like that. The second week, we'd scheduled Wake Forest, as a team in a similar spot to us at the bottom of their league, the ACC. We'd gotten a key win against them late last season, and they seemed like they'd be an early test of where we were this year. Our kids went out and showed they were indeed better this year, as last year's close win turned into this year's 34-20 win by Arkansas. We showed we were plainly better than Wake. I know, doesn't sound like much, but as you climb from the bottome its good to pass such milestones. Next on the schedule was our SEC opener against arch-rival LSU. They were ranked #3 in the country, and last year had been one of the teams that had completely bombarded us. So we approached this year's game with some trepidation. Even though we felt it wasn't fair for everyone to expect us to compete at such a level, we knew another blowout loss would make the calls for my firing even louder. But now, like during that magical year at Co.St., my kids surprised me. They hung tough against LSU. In fact, LSU played a rather mistake filled game, and my kids took advantage of it. The game was close throughout, and we even led for a bit early in the 2nd half. Eventually LSU drove the field on us and took the lead. They led by 8 as we got the ball with about 4 minutes to play. And here's where I was really proud of my team. We got the ball deep in our territory, and we slowly drove down the field. We were on the LSU 15 yard line near the end of the game. We had to go for a fourth and 12, and the pass was broken up and fell incomplete. But we were in this game throughout, and even in a spot to threaten to score and go for 2 at the very in. And we'd done it on the road at a night game in Tiger Stadium ... one of the toughest road games you can play in the country. That seemeed to turn everything around. The kids came to practice the next week with their head's held high. And suddenly Arkansas football had a buzz to it again. We'd lost, but narrowly to one of the top teams in the nation. Suddenly everyone both in our program and around Little Rock had the feeling that we were a solid football team again. Of course, we had to go out on the field the next week and live up to that. We had Mississippi St coming to Little Rock. And wow, did we live up to that!! It was a wild game, back and forth, both offenses moving up and down the field. Miss St supposedly runs an option attack, but they racked up 400 yds passing on my defense. And that was on top of a very efficient running attack. But my guys fought and fought hard. Our offense was almost as unstoppable as theirs. More one-dimensional, as Josh Howard filled the air with footballs. He was 18-35 for 337 yds passing. Miss St racked up 642 yds offense against us. But they made mistakes, and we forced mistakes. They had 6 turnovers in the game that kept us alive. We led 38-21 at halftime, but that offense of Miss St just kept coming. They scored two TDs in the 3rd Qtr to cut the lead to just 38-35. Then the game got brutal. Our kids on defense rose up and stopped them. Until about 2:30 to play when Miss St. drove down the field on us. It looked like they'd get another touchdown and win the game. But our kids made an incredible goal line stand and held them on the 3. They kicked a 21 yd FG to tie the game at 38-38. I'm sure from their coach's point of view, that made sense. They'd outscored us 17-0 in the 2nd half, so I'd imagine they thought an OT was there's to win. Then came one of those plays that gets burned into the memory of all who saw it. We had the ball with 2:32 to play on our own 20 yd line after the kickoff. Our goal was to move the ball up the field and try for a FG to win. So we dumped the ball to Chris Gifford on a little underneath route. Just looking for a few yards and maybe first down to start the drive. But he made a beautiful move to make the defender miss him, stiff-armed away a second would be tackler, then used his speed to just explode down the sideline in front of our bench. As we realized what was happening, our sideline just exploded. I don't remember doing it, but the local tv station showed over and over the film of me running along trying to keep up with him, just windmilling my arms and flinging away my headset as Chris explodes down the sideline for an amazing 80 yard touchdown. We stopped their last ditch attempts to move the ball, and suddenly we had a big SEC victory under out belts. We came crashing to earth the next week. Tennessee just crushed us 56-19 in Knoxville. And with a top-20 ranked Alabama next on our schedule, suddenly everyone was talking about how last year we'd won one, then collapsed. But this wasn't last year's team. With Alabama on our home field, again fought incredibly hard. Another tough back-and-forth game. A brutal first half ends in a 7-7 tie. Suddenly our defense that had been the butt of jokes was showing some teeth. We kicked two FG in the 3rd Qtr, but Alabama answered with a TD for a 14-13 lead. All game long, we saw the same pattern we'd seen before. Our opponents looked to be able to move at will on us. But we kept fighting, and by doing so forced them into mistakes. And we took advantage of those opportunities. Alabama, like Miss ST. before them turned the ball over 6 times in this game. At the ten minute mark of the 4th Qtr, we scored a TD. We went for two to try for the 7 pt lead, but failed, so we led 19-14. With just 3 minutes to go, Alabama drove for a touchdown, and we couldn't stop them. They went for 2, and succeeded for a 22-19 lead. So, just like against Miss St., we needed to try to drive for a FG in the last 2 and a half minutes. Only this time is was just to try to tie and force an OT. Then it happened again. Who says lightening can't strike twice. Again we try to start the drive with a pass underneath to Chris Gifford. And amazingly enough, he does it again. This time he sprints 81 yds down the far sideline for another amazing, game-winning touchdown!!!!!! Suddenly, we are 2-2 in the conference. At the start of the year, our AD said he wanted us competitive. Well, by gawd we are!!! Next on the schedule, Kentucky comes to town. They aren't ranked, but they are 3-1 in the league and come to town leading the East Div. This ain't no pushover. Or at least so we think going into that game. Now my kids really surprise me. They dominate Kentucky. We take their high-powered run n gun offense and we shove it down their throat. My defense which had been considered a joke up until the Alabama game rises up. And unlike even in that game where Alabama could move the ball on us, but we kept forcing turnovers, this time we just stuff KY. They end the day with 259 yds of offense. And most of that and their lone TD came late in the game when we were just playing prevent and protecting a lead. Final score Ark 34- KY 10. Suddenly, we are looking like a force in the SEC. But in a league like this, nothing comes easy. Next on the schedule, undefeated and #1 ranked Auburn. But again, we show we are made of stern stuff. We lead after 1, 10-7. Auburn comes back after us hard, and takes a 27-17 lead to the locker rooms at halftime. But my kids don't know how to quit. We drive down and get a TD early in the 3rd Qtr to make it 27-24. But then Auburn shows why they are the number one team in the nation. They make a key 4th Qtr drive to take a 34-24 lead. And they hold us at bay, and tack on a FG to make it 37-24 at the end. That's where it stands today. I'm incredibly impressed by the kids on my team. They are showing a fight and a heart I had hoped they had, but about which I hadn't been sure. We've gone toe-to-toe with a couple of the best teams in the country. And we've been able to bloody their noses and let them know they were in a fight before finally losing those games. And to the rest of the SEC, suddenly a trip to Little Rock is not the easy win it had been the last few years. In fact its becoming something to be feared. We've got two conference games left. They are against the two last place teams in the divisions, Ole Miss and S.Carolina. Although by some fluke in the polls, Ole Miss is ranked #22. We can't take those games lightly, you can never do that in this league. But we think we can win those games. Then we finish the year with non-conference games against Memphis and Northwestern. Again, opponents not to be taken lightly, but still games we think we can win. Can we really do that? Can an Arkansas team that has been the doormat of the SEC for the last four years really finish the year with four straight wins, go 8-4 for the season, and 5-3 in the SEC? But one thing for sure, 6 wins for a bowl game certainly seems reachable. And right now I'd actually be disappointed if we don't win all four. And how has the atmosphere in Little Rock changed. After the Miami (OH) loss, I saw myself burned in effigy. I looked up in the stands during the Auburn game, and I saw a "Marc for Governor!!!" sign being held aloft. :)

[GTMarc]

Arkansas 2008 Well, at Arkansas I found myself back in almost the same situation I'd been in when I started at Colorado St. This was a team that had gone 3-8 under Thomas Ray as coach the year before. They were 0-8 and 12th out of 12 in the SEC that season. So the talent cupboard was very bare when I took over. In particular, some spots like the D-Line and Safety were virtually bare. The good news was that unlike my first year at Co. St, I'd been hired early enough by Arkansas where I could lure some transfers and then do the recruiting before my first season. So the process could begin a year earlier at Arkansas. And the idea was definitely to try to repeat what had worked at Co St. Get some transfers to come in for early effect, and recruit hard to try to build a pool of talent here that could compete in the SEC. On our staff, we kept Defensive Coordinator Eric Bennett from the previous staff. He likes to play a 4-3, but with the minimal amount of numbers and talent on the D-line, we are going to play a 3-4 this year. We hired a new Offensive Coordinator, Thomas Robinson who'd been with Alabama the year before. He likes a Balanced offense, and that's what we are going to run. We also hired a new Special Teams coach, Floyd Jones. He'd been on Oregon St's staff in 2006, and had spent 2007 in the Peace Corps in Africa. And it looked like we were having some success here. That first offseason, we got 4 transfers to come to Arkansas. QB J.Howard (8/9) (a real blue chipper!) TE G.Magee (4/7) OG K.Pritchard (5/7) ILB J.Miller (4/6) Recruiting also seemed to go as well as you could expect for a last place team coming off a three win season. 13th DT B.Harris (4/8) 35th OT R.Gill (3/8) 35th CB F.Franklin (2/6)-RS 36th K M.Bates (3/6)-RS 49th FS A.Stephensen (2/5) 50th FB S.King (2/6) 53rd WR A.Gilmore (3/6)-RS But as expected, 2008 was a very rough season. We started 1-1, losing an out of conference game to Miami (OH), a regular conference champ and playoff team. The SEC season started on a high note when we beat Vanderbilt, and then played Miss St a tough game we lost right at the end. But after that the schedule turned brutal, and the powers in the SEC blasted us week after week. The regular amount of injuries you'd expect during the year ripped our thin depth chart apart, and we got blown out game after game. In the end we finished 3-9, and 1-7 in the SEC. Another year where Arkansas was 12th out of 12. There were a few bright spots. ILB F.Weber (Sr-6/7) SEC Defensive Player of the Year, 1st Team All-SEC, SEC Season records for Tackles (98) and Solo Tackles (69) OG R.Thompson (So-6/7) 2nd Team All-SEC OT W.Rogers (Jr-6/7) 3rd Team All-SEC WR C.Gifford (So-5/6) SEC Season Record 1081 Rec Yds RB J.Casteel (Sr-6/8) SEC Career Record 649 Rush attempts QB W.Glover (So-4/5) SEC Season Record 496 Pass attempts P S.Moss (Jr-5/7) SEC Season Record 43.7 Avg Net Punt Yds But all in all, this was a year to just survive and try to move through in the process of rebuilding the program. While some of the alumni were grumbling that I wasn't any better than the coach they'd fired, generally everyone seemed to understand I'd inherited a program that had been run into the ground. But it was said in low whispers that I'd better do better next year. Which brings me to 2009. That's the season I'm currently coaching. The expectations from the AD were that we needed to be "competitive" in the SEC this year, win some conference games, and even pull some upsets. We again went after any potential transfers again. And again we had some success here. RB F.Glenn (5/8) OT D.Giles (6/8) DE C.Renfro (5/6) SS D.Pannell (4/7) Those kids are all in school this year, and getting used to our football program. Recruiting went well this year, and we brought in ... 15th ILB P.Fields (5/8) 19th RB A.Seal (5/8)-RS 24th OLB J.Robinson (3/7)-RS 33rd FB N.Lewis (2/6)-RS 33rd CB C.Hubbard (3/6)-RS 35th P S.Willard (4/6)-RS 38th C V.Sneed (3/8)-RS 43rd DT R.Walker (3/7) 50th DE H.Morten (3/6) 51st FS J.Frazier (4/7) 63rd OLB E.Gay (2/7) 70th OG T.Jones (3/6)-RS 94th WR P.Jones (2/6)-RS Since our team has been ranked down around 80th best in the country the last couple of seasons, that we are getting so many recruits that are highly ranked at their positions bodes well for the future. And the fact that we are able to redshirt so many also shows we are building for the future. The exception is on defense, where we were desperate for help at several positions. We kept our staff the same going into this year. I think I've hired some good people, so lets see what they can do. I don't think last year was their fault. We did make one interesting decision. Our Offense Coordinator Thomas Robinson suggested we use the Run n Gun offense this season. The advantage of that is that it would take advantage of our blue chip transfer QB Josh Howard. But I instead decided that I'd hired him to run the Balanced offense, and that's what he supposedly did best, so we stuck with the balanced offense for the year. The season started on a very rough note. We'd scheduled Miami (OH) again this year as the opener. They'd made the playoffs before, and had shown well losing that playoff game to Michigan only in OT. They showed that quality against us in the opener, clobbering us 58-20. The grumbling on the talk shows got louder, as our supporters complained that a SEC team shouldn't be losing to a mid-major like that. The second week, we'd scheduled Wake Forest, as a team in a similar spot to us at the bottom of their league, the ACC. We'd gotten a key win against them late last season, and they seemed like they'd be an early test of where we were this year. Our kids went out and showed they were indeed better this year, as last year's close win turned into this year's 34-20 win by Arkansas. We showed we were plainly better than Wake. I know, doesn't sound like much, but as you climb from the bottome its good to pass such milestones. Next on the schedule was our SEC opener against arch-rival LSU. They were ranked #3 in the country, and last year had been one of the teams that had completely bombarded us. So we approached this year's game with some trepidation. Even though we felt it wasn't fair for everyone to expect us to compete at such a level, we knew another blowout loss would make the calls for my firing even louder. But now, like during that magical year at Co.St., my kids surprised me. They hung tough against LSU. In fact, LSU played a rather mistake filled game, and my kids took advantage of it. The game was close throughout, and we even led for a bit early in the 2nd half. Eventually LSU drove the field on us and took the lead. They led by 8 as we got the ball with about 4 minutes to play. And here's where I was really proud of my team. We got the ball deep in our territory, and we slowly drove down the field. We were on the LSU 15 yard line near the end of the game. We had to go for a fourth and 12, and the pass was broken up and fell incomplete. But we were in this game throughout, and even in a spot to threaten to score and go for 2 at the very in. And we'd done it on the road at a night game in Tiger Stadium ... one of the toughest road games you can play in the country. That seemeed to turn everything around. The kids came to practice the next week with their head's held high. And suddenly Arkansas football had a buzz to it again. We'd lost, but narrowly to one of the top teams in the nation. Suddenly everyone both in our program and around Little Rock had the feeling that we were a solid football team again. Of course, we had to go out on the field the next week and live up to that. We had Mississippi St coming to Little Rock. And wow, did we live up to that!! It was a wild game, back and forth, both offenses moving up and down the field. Miss St supposedly runs an option attack, but they racked up 400 yds passing on my defense. And that was on top of a very efficient running attack. But my guys fought and fought hard. Our offense was almost as unstoppable as theirs. More one-dimensional, as Josh Howard filled the air with footballs. He was 18-35 for 337 yds passing. Miss St racked up 642 yds offense against us. But they made mistakes, and we forced mistakes. They had 6 turnovers in the game that kept us alive. We led 38-21 at halftime, but that offense of Miss St just kept coming. They scored two TDs in the 3rd Qtr to cut the lead to just 38-35. Then the game got brutal. Our kids on defense rose up and stopped them. Until about 2:30 to play when Miss St. drove down the field on us. It looked like they'd get another touchdown and win the game. But our kids made an incredible goal line stand and held them on the 3. They kicked a 21 yd FG to tie the game at 38-38. I'm sure from their coach's point of view, that made sense. They'd outscored us 17-0 in the 2nd half, so I'd imagine they thought an OT was there's to win. Then came one of those plays that gets burned into the memory of all who saw it. We had the ball with 2:32 to play on our own 20 yd line after the kickoff. Our goal was to move the ball up the field and try for a FG to win. So we dumped the ball to Chris Gifford on a little underneath route. Just looking for a few yards and maybe first down to start the drive. But he made a beautiful move to make the defender miss him, stiff-armed away a second would be tackler, then used his speed to just explode down the sideline in front of our bench. As we realized what was happening, our sideline just exploded. I don't remember doing it, but the local tv station showed over and over the film of me running along trying to keep up with him, just windmilling my arms and flinging away my headset as Chris explodes down the sideline for an amazing 80 yard touchdown. We stopped their last ditch attempts to move the ball, and suddenly we had a big SEC victory under out belts. We came crashing to earth the next week. Tennessee just crushed us 56-19 in Knoxville. And with a top-20 ranked Alabama next on our schedule, suddenly everyone was talking about how last year we'd won one, then collapsed. But this wasn't last year's team. With Alabama on our home field, again fought incredibly hard. Another tough back-and-forth game. A brutal first half ends in a 7-7 tie. Suddenly our defense that had been the butt of jokes was showing some teeth. We kicked two FG in the 3rd Qtr, but Alabama answered with a TD for a 14-13 lead. All game long, we saw the same pattern we'd seen before. Our opponents looked to be able to move at will on us. But we kept fighting, and by doing so forced them into mistakes. And we took advantage of those opportunities. Alabama, like Miss ST. before them turned the ball over 6 times in this game. At the ten minute mark of the 4th Qtr, we scored a TD. We went for two to try for the 7 pt lead, but failed, so we led 19-14. With just 3 minutes to go, Alabama drove for a touchdown, and we couldn't stop them. They went for 2, and succeeded for a 22-19 lead. So, just like against Miss St., we needed to try to drive for a FG in the last 2 and a half minutes. Only this time is was just to try to tie and force an OT. Then it happened again. Who says lightening can't strike twice. Again we try to start the drive with a pass underneath to Chris Gifford. And amazingly enough, he does it again. This time he sprints 81 yds down the far sideline for another amazing, game-winning touchdown!!!!!! Suddenly, we are 2-2 in the conference. At the start of the year, our AD said he wanted us competitive. Well, by gawd we are!!! Next on the schedule, Kentucky comes to town. They aren't ranked, but they are 3-1 in the league and come to town leading the East Div. This ain't no pushover. Or at least so we think going into that game. Now my kids really surprise me. They dominate Kentucky. We take their high-powered run n gun offense and we shove it down their throat. My defense which had been considered a joke up until the Alabama game rises up. And unlike even in that game where Alabama could move the ball on us, but we kept forcing turnovers, this time we just stuff KY. They end the day with 259 yds of offense. And most of that and their lone TD came late in the game when we were just playing prevent and protecting a lead. Final score Ark 34- KY 10. Suddenly, we are looking like a force in the SEC. But in a league like this, nothing comes easy. Next on the schedule, undefeated and #1 ranked Auburn. But again, we show we are made of stern stuff. We lead after 1, 10-7. Auburn comes back after us hard, and takes a 27-17 lead to the locker rooms at halftime. But my kids don't know how to quit. We drive down and get a TD early in the 3rd Qtr to make it 27-24. But then Auburn shows why they are the number one team in the nation. They make a key 4th Qtr drive to take a 34-24 lead. And they hold us at bay, and tack on a FG to make it 37-24 at the end. That's where it stands today. I'm incredibly impressed by the kids on my team. They are showing a fight and a heart I had hoped they had, but about which I hadn't been sure. We've gone toe-to-toe with a couple of the best teams in the country. And we've been able to bloody their noses and let them know they were in a fight before finally losing those games. And to the rest of the SEC, suddenly a trip to Little Rock is not the easy win it had been the last few years. In fact its becoming something to be feared. We've got two conference games left. They are against the two last place teams in the divisions, Ole Miss and S.Carolina. Although by some fluke in the polls, Ole Miss is ranked #22. We can't take those games lightly, you can never do that in this league. But we think we can win those games. Then we finish the year with non-conference games against Memphis and Northwestern. Again, opponents not to be taken lightly, but still games we think we can win. Can we really do that? Can an Arkansas team that has been the doormat of the SEC for the last four years really finish the year with four straight wins, go 8-4 for the season, and 5-3 in the SEC? But one thing for sure, 6 wins for a bowl game certainly seems reachable. And right now I'd actually be disappointed if we don't win all four. And how has the atmosphere in Little Rock changed. After the Miami (OH) loss, I saw myself burned in effigy. I looked up in the stands during the Auburn game, and I saw a "Marc for Governor!!!" sign being held aloft. :)

[Ramfan77]

How'd you go 2-10 and 9th in MWC with CSU? SHAME ON YOU! :mad: :mad: :mad: I've never gone 2-10 with CSU (I can always beat UNLV and Wyoming--and you should have been able to as well.) Well, at least you turned them around--but then left. Fort Collins in the best place on earth--why would you want to go to Arkansas :confused: ? Well anyway, keep the diary going.

[Ramfan77]

How'd you go 2-10 and 9th in MWC with CSU? SHAME ON YOU! :mad: :mad: :mad: I've never gone 2-10 with CSU (I can always beat UNLV and Wyoming--and you should have been able to as well.) Well, at least you turned them around--but then left. Fort Collins in the best place on earth--why would you want to go to Arkansas :confused: ? Well anyway, keep the diary going.

[tc66tc]

Good read, only one thing, the University of Arkansas is located in Fayetteville, which is located in the northwestern corner of the state. The Hogs play at Reynolds Razorback Stadium up there for 3-4 home games a year. Then they will play 1 or 2 games a year in Little Rock at War Memorial Stadium. Back before Reynolds Stadium was renovated and all the Skyboxes and and extra seats were added (around 99-01) the Hogs split there home games 3 in LR and 3 in Fayetteville. War Memorial is no where near the stadium that Reynolds is. Its just more centraly located and back in the day it was used to draw the state to the team since LR is in the center of the state. Again good read. Hope you keep it up. Tc

[tc66tc]

Good read, only one thing, the University of Arkansas is located in Fayetteville, which is located in the northwestern corner of the state. The Hogs play at Reynolds Razorback Stadium up there for 3-4 home games a year. Then they will play 1 or 2 games a year in Little Rock at War Memorial Stadium. Back before Reynolds Stadium was renovated and all the Skyboxes and and extra seats were added (around 99-01) the Hogs split there home games 3 in LR and 3 in Fayetteville. War Memorial is no where near the stadium that Reynolds is. Its just more centraly located and back in the day it was used to draw the state to the team since LR is in the center of the state. Again good read. Hope you keep it up. Tc

[Jestor]

[QUOTE=Ramfan77;151372] (I can always beat Wyoming--and you should have been able to as well.)[/QUOTE] :mad:

[Jestor]

[QUOTE=Ramfan77;151372] (I can always beat Wyoming--and you should have been able to as well.)[/QUOTE] :mad:

[GTMarc]

LOL!!! Well, I'd have to admit that just on locations, I don't think I'd ever leave Colorado to go to Arkansas. I've lived in Denver for three years now, and love it out here!!!! But obviously I'm a career obsessed individual as a coach. And a job in the SEC was just too big an opportunity to pass up. :) Its a big stage, do well there and you do get noticed. To me, the random CSU team I got to start with was really talent-challenged. And the way the flow of the game goes, you have to wait a year before you can start to change it. In my second year, what talent I'd had the first year had been seniors. So I lost them. My transfers were all inelligible. I had a decent recruit class, but I wanted to redshirt them where I could. Even then I starting several pure freshmen that second year. And if you are starting pure freshmen, then its pretty much a given you've got zero depth. It was an interesting year. If Arlie wasn't saying he's just added in-season player development, I'd swear from that year that it was there. You could almost feel that team grow during the season. By the end of the year, every game was close ... but we just kept losing them. Don't think I can check it, but I think Wyoming caught us very early in that year. Seems like we lost a close game to them before the team started to come together. Like I said, at the end of the second year, I was wondering what the "fire the coach" subroutines in the game were like. :) I was very much a expecting an email from the AD. I'd gone into a rather football proud place and gone 4-8 and 2-10. And lost to Wyoming. :( I knew going into the 3rd season that the talent pool had turned around. I had my transfers, I had my red-shirt freshmen, I had the freshmen with a year's experience under their belt. I had a second recruiting class, although more of those red-shirted. So I just hoping the game would let me get there. But that team I got off the random start was rough.

[GTMarc]

LOL!!! Well, I'd have to admit that just on locations, I don't think I'd ever leave Colorado to go to Arkansas. I've lived in Denver for three years now, and love it out here!!!! But obviously I'm a career obsessed individual as a coach. And a job in the SEC was just too big an opportunity to pass up. :) Its a big stage, do well there and you do get noticed. To me, the random CSU team I got to start with was really talent-challenged. And the way the flow of the game goes, you have to wait a year before you can start to change it. In my second year, what talent I'd had the first year had been seniors. So I lost them. My transfers were all inelligible. I had a decent recruit class, but I wanted to redshirt them where I could. Even then I starting several pure freshmen that second year. And if you are starting pure freshmen, then its pretty much a given you've got zero depth. It was an interesting year. If Arlie wasn't saying he's just added in-season player development, I'd swear from that year that it was there. You could almost feel that team grow during the season. By the end of the year, every game was close ... but we just kept losing them. Don't think I can check it, but I think Wyoming caught us very early in that year. Seems like we lost a close game to them before the team started to come together. Like I said, at the end of the second year, I was wondering what the "fire the coach" subroutines in the game were like. :) I was very much a expecting an email from the AD. I'd gone into a rather football proud place and gone 4-8 and 2-10. And lost to Wyoming. :( I knew going into the 3rd season that the talent pool had turned around. I had my transfers, I had my red-shirt freshmen, I had the freshmen with a year's experience under their belt. I had a second recruiting class, although more of those red-shirted. So I just hoping the game would let me get there. But that team I got off the random start was rough.

[GTMarc]

Arkansas 2009 - end of season What a ride the rest of the Arkansas season was. Nothing came easy, but it was a lot of fun. The game against Ole Miss was a heck of a fight between two 5-4 SEC teams. Both teams desperately wanted that win, and it showed on every play in this game. Ole Miss came at us with a RB named Ramsey who ran for 98 yards against us. They mixed in a nice passing attack for some balance, and gained about 350 yards on us on the day. We got about a 350 yards offense too. But Ole Miss just stuffed our running game all day long. We got 50 yards total from our running plays all day. So we got our 350 total yards by throwing the ball. They moved the ball on us early, but we always stopped their drives. So for the first quarter and the beginning of the second qtr the teams traded field goals. It was 6-3 Ole Miss when we mounted a drive that led to a Howard to Griffin 25 yd TD pass. Another Ole Miss FG, and it was 10-9 Arkansas at the half. Late in the 3rd Qtr, Ole Miss struck with Ramsey catching a 12 yd TD pass. They added a two point conversion and a FG to lead us going into the 4th Qtr 20-10. We struck back quick, and less than a minute into the 4th Qtr Howard it Rose on a 35 yd TD pass to cut the deficit to 20-17. Ole Miss got another FG with 9:00 to play to lead 23-17. With 6:30 to play, Scott Moss buries a punt out of bounds on the Miss 3yd line. Three running plays later, they punt from their own 8 yd line. Their punter booms a 48 yd punt and we return it to our own 48. And here's where I'm so proud of my team. No miraculous 80 yd plays this time. Just a steady, methodical, perfectly executed drive that leads to a 8 yd pass to Magee our TE for a game winning TD. Our defense stuffs their try to come back, and we win 24-23. The South Carolina game was tough. But as a coach, I never felt that one was in doubt. Not that I wasn't nervous, but I thought we had control of that game. Or at least our defense had control. SC had a good running attack. But their passing attack wasn't very threatening. So we stuff their run, and dared them to throw over us. They really couldn't. We won 22-17. So there we were, 7-4 overall, 5-3 and second place in the SEC West. Wow. Not bad for a year where we were picked to finish 12th in the conference! But it didn't get any easier. We scheduled Memphis to try to start up a local rivalry. But no one told me they had a Heisman Trophy candidate QB. Uh-Oh! What a game that turned out to be. Both teams just up and down the field driving on each other all day long. They gained 545 yds total offense on us, we answered back with 395 yds of our own. But that total yard number leaves something out. Return yds. We had 433 yds on returns and 3 TDs. Late in the first qtr, Memphis hits us for their 2nd TD drive of the game and leads us 14-3. Franklin takes the ensuing kickoff, and busts it down the sideline for 97 yds and a TD. Halfway through the second qtr, Franklin breaks a 90 yd punt return to tie the game at 17. A minute later, Memphis is already within striking distance of another TD when LB Tracy Sanchez intercepts a pass and brings it 99 yds the other way for another TD. We added a offensive TD drive of our own just before halftime to lead 31-17. The teams traded long TD passes in the 3rd Qtr. And midway through the 4th, Memphis drove for a TD that made it 38-33 Arkansas with six to play. But we held off their offense somehow, and added a late TD of our own for the final score of 45-33. Holy Cow! Ok, if that game doesn't start a rivalry, I don't know what will!!! So now we finish our season against Northwestern, a 4-6 team in the Big 10. Maybe now we'll get a breather. Nope. Northwestern turned out to be a big strong tough team with a good running game. They came at us early and hard and 20 minutes in they had a 10-0 lead and their fans were rocking the place. We punted them deep, and then a blitz caught them for a safety. At that point, that was a big two points. And at this point, I took a chance. Josh Howard was 4 for 16 passing with 2 interceptions. Just nothing look right, and he was just missing a lot of passes it seemed like. So I benched Josh for the series after the free kick, and brought in last year's starter, William Glover. And he sure made his coach look smart. Glover came into the game and immediately connected on a couple of passes. You could feel the entire mood of the start to change. He took us down the field for a TD and a two pt conversion and a tie game. We added a FG just before the half for a 13-10 game. The third quarter was just a slug-fest on a chilly midwestern day. These two teams were just pounding on each other. Lots of good football, especially if you like hard-hitting defenses. But no scoring in the the third. We'd had a drive late in the third where we moved the ball. But we got down into their territory, and missed a 45 yd FG. Early in the fourth qtr, we drove on them again, and this time we hit the FG for a 16-10 lead. Just maybe this tough game was starting to go our way. Nope, it wasn't going to be that easy. Northwestern game back at us fast, now by throwing the ball. They moved the ball quickly to mid-field, then connected on a 42 yd TD pass to grab a 17-16 lead. But again, this team is gutsy and full of heart. The notion of having to go drive for a touchdown against a tough physical defense on a cold windy midwestern day didn't bother this team a bit. Glover rallied the hundle around him, and then executed a methodical drive to go get the game winning TD. In the end, he hits 3rd WR Bradley with an 11 yd TD pass. We get the two-pt conversion, and hold on for a 24-17 win. Wow! Four tough games to close out the year. Four wins to go to 8-4. Then I got a surprise. I knew we were going to a bowl game, there wasn't much doubt about that. But to find out that our invitation is to go play the Outback Bowl on New Year's Day, Holy Cow! Its funny, you get so deep into a season, you don't really realize just how much your team did acheive until you come up for air at the end of it. After all, we were SECOND in the SEC West. That puts us right in there with Florida and Georgia as the SEC teams playing in top bowl games outside the playoffs. Through all the amazing plays and drives that made up this year, I just hadn't realized how high we had climbed. Hey, the view's pretty nice from up here.

[GTMarc]

Arkansas 2009 - end of season What a ride the rest of the Arkansas season was. Nothing came easy, but it was a lot of fun. The game against Ole Miss was a heck of a fight between two 5-4 SEC teams. Both teams desperately wanted that win, and it showed on every play in this game. Ole Miss came at us with a RB named Ramsey who ran for 98 yards against us. They mixed in a nice passing attack for some balance, and gained about 350 yards on us on the day. We got about a 350 yards offense too. But Ole Miss just stuffed our running game all day long. We got 50 yards total from our running plays all day. So we got our 350 total yards by throwing the ball. They moved the ball on us early, but we always stopped their drives. So for the first quarter and the beginning of the second qtr the teams traded field goals. It was 6-3 Ole Miss when we mounted a drive that led to a Howard to Griffin 25 yd TD pass. Another Ole Miss FG, and it was 10-9 Arkansas at the half. Late in the 3rd Qtr, Ole Miss struck with Ramsey catching a 12 yd TD pass. They added a two point conversion and a FG to lead us going into the 4th Qtr 20-10. We struck back quick, and less than a minute into the 4th Qtr Howard it Rose on a 35 yd TD pass to cut the deficit to 20-17. Ole Miss got another FG with 9:00 to play to lead 23-17. With 6:30 to play, Scott Moss buries a punt out of bounds on the Miss 3yd line. Three running plays later, they punt from their own 8 yd line. Their punter booms a 48 yd punt and we return it to our own 48. And here's where I'm so proud of my team. No miraculous 80 yd plays this time. Just a steady, methodical, perfectly executed drive that leads to a 8 yd pass to Magee our TE for a game winning TD. Our defense stuffs their try to come back, and we win 24-23. The South Carolina game was tough. But as a coach, I never felt that one was in doubt. Not that I wasn't nervous, but I thought we had control of that game. Or at least our defense had control. SC had a good running attack. But their passing attack wasn't very threatening. So we stuff their run, and dared them to throw over us. They really couldn't. We won 22-17. So there we were, 7-4 overall, 5-3 and second place in the SEC West. Wow. Not bad for a year where we were picked to finish 12th in the conference! But it didn't get any easier. We scheduled Memphis to try to start up a local rivalry. But no one told me they had a Heisman Trophy candidate QB. Uh-Oh! What a game that turned out to be. Both teams just up and down the field driving on each other all day long. They gained 545 yds total offense on us, we answered back with 395 yds of our own. But that total yard number leaves something out. Return yds. We had 433 yds on returns and 3 TDs. Late in the first qtr, Memphis hits us for their 2nd TD drive of the game and leads us 14-3. Franklin takes the ensuing kickoff, and busts it down the sideline for 97 yds and a TD. Halfway through the second qtr, Franklin breaks a 90 yd punt return to tie the game at 17. A minute later, Memphis is already within striking distance of another TD when LB Tracy Sanchez intercepts a pass and brings it 99 yds the other way for another TD. We added a offensive TD drive of our own just before halftime to lead 31-17. The teams traded long TD passes in the 3rd Qtr. And midway through the 4th, Memphis drove for a TD that made it 38-33 Arkansas with six to play. But we held off their offense somehow, and added a late TD of our own for the final score of 45-33. Holy Cow! Ok, if that game doesn't start a rivalry, I don't know what will!!! So now we finish our season against Northwestern, a 4-6 team in the Big 10. Maybe now we'll get a breather. Nope. Northwestern turned out to be a big strong tough team with a good running game. They came at us early and hard and 20 minutes in they had a 10-0 lead and their fans were rocking the place. We punted them deep, and then a blitz caught them for a safety. At that point, that was a big two points. And at this point, I took a chance. Josh Howard was 4 for 16 passing with 2 interceptions. Just nothing look right, and he was just missing a lot of passes it seemed like. So I benched Josh for the series after the free kick, and brought in last year's starter, William Glover. And he sure made his coach look smart. Glover came into the game and immediately connected on a couple of passes. You could feel the entire mood of the start to change. He took us down the field for a TD and a two pt conversion and a tie game. We added a FG just before the half for a 13-10 game. The third quarter was just a slug-fest on a chilly midwestern day. These two teams were just pounding on each other. Lots of good football, especially if you like hard-hitting defenses. But no scoring in the the third. We'd had a drive late in the third where we moved the ball. But we got down into their territory, and missed a 45 yd FG. Early in the fourth qtr, we drove on them again, and this time we hit the FG for a 16-10 lead. Just maybe this tough game was starting to go our way. Nope, it wasn't going to be that easy. Northwestern game back at us fast, now by throwing the ball. They moved the ball quickly to mid-field, then connected on a 42 yd TD pass to grab a 17-16 lead. But again, this team is gutsy and full of heart. The notion of having to go drive for a touchdown against a tough physical defense on a cold windy midwestern day didn't bother this team a bit. Glover rallied the hundle around him, and then executed a methodical drive to go get the game winning TD. In the end, he hits 3rd WR Bradley with an 11 yd TD pass. We get the two-pt conversion, and hold on for a 24-17 win. Wow! Four tough games to close out the year. Four wins to go to 8-4. Then I got a surprise. I knew we were going to a bowl game, there wasn't much doubt about that. But to find out that our invitation is to go play the Outback Bowl on New Year's Day, Holy Cow! Its funny, you get so deep into a season, you don't really realize just how much your team did acheive until you come up for air at the end of it. After all, we were SECOND in the SEC West. That puts us right in there with Florida and Georgia as the SEC teams playing in top bowl games outside the playoffs. Through all the amazing plays and drives that made up this year, I just hadn't realized how high we had climbed. Hey, the view's pretty nice from up here.

[GTMarc]

Arkansas 2009 - Outback Bowl So, we find ourselves in Miami for the Outback Bowl. Arkansas versus #12 ranked Ohio State out of the Big 10. And apparently most of the world is asking why the heck would you match up these two teams! Ohio State is a 14 point favorite for this game. When I look through the depth charts, it looks like this shouldn't even be a contest. Just from the color coded player ratings you see. At Arkansas, we proudly start on "green" player on each side of the ball. Thompson our OG and Howard our SLB are Green. Everyone else is yellow, and there's a scattering of orange. Ohio State, is almost all Green. Except of course for the Blue chippers. I think there might be one Yellow player on each side of the ball. On paper, this game looks like a bad mismatch. But I spent a week telling everyone, our players, our fans, the media, wondering snow bird tourist who just happened to walk by, everyone that the heart and character of our football team doesn't print out on paper. And my kids took that message out on the field and played one heck of a football game. BTW, Howards my QB. The media in Fayetteville tried to stir up a QB controversy, but there's no doubt Howard's my starter. Early on, it looked this game might just be the predicted blowout. We get the ball first, and go four and out and punt. Ohio St gets the ball, and starts just ripping a drive down the field. The move quickly down to our 35 yd line. But then our character shows and we make another one of those timely big plays we just seem to make. Our ILB Goodwin delivers a massive hit on their RB and the ball pops up and Howard pounces on it. Then our offense comes running out on to the field whooping and yelling after that play, and suddenly they find their rythym. We make a nice drive down the field and Howard hits Bradley for a 6 yd TD. Arkansas 7, Ohio St 0 ... hello national TV audience. We are Arkansas, and our games are usually pretty entertaining ... you might want to stick around and watch. But of course, Ohio St is no slouch. Midway through the second qtr, we pin them back on their own 4 yd line with a punt. Punt they come out of there and mount a long 96 yd TD drive capped by a 4 yd run by Evans, and its all tied at 7-7. We make a mistake and kick the opening kickoff of the second half out of bounds. Ohio State starts out on their own 40 and quickly drives down inside out 10. But our DL makes two big plays and gets a sack and forces a holding penalty, and OSU ends up taking a 35 yd FG for a 10-7 lead. From an Arkansas point of view, this game got pretty dark during this time. This is when it started to creep into your mind that "Wow, those guys are really good". They must have gotten their rears lit during halftime, because they game out full-throttle on both sides of the ball. Our offense was getting just stuffed, and their offense got the ball back and drove right back down the field for a touchdown and a 17-7 lead. Both teams move the ball a bit, and end up trying long field goals. Both miss. The game goes into the fourth quarter still 17-7. A battle for field position pins OSU deep inside their five yard line for a couple of possesions, but Arkansas isn't able to capitalize on the advantage. With 10:30 to play, OSU repeats their feat of the first half of driving from the shadows of their goal posts deep into Arkansas territory. The big play was a 48 yd streak pass from QB White to TE Sharp, compounded by a roughing the passer penalty on our DE Kelley who got their just too late. Suddenly OSU was out of their end and out our 22, leading 17-7 and threatening to put this game out of reach. OSU has a 3rd and 7 from our 19 yd line when they decide to go for the death blow. White throws the ball up towards their SE on the goal line, and LB Jason Howard hustles back from his short zone position to pick off the slightly underthrown passes. He immediately accelerates up the sidelines and makes it all the way out to mid-field before he's tackled. Yet another Arkansas player with heart making just the big play that's needed to get us back in the football game. We attack and move down the field and Josh Howard hits Bradley for a 15 yd TD pass. Its now OSU 17 - Arkansas 14. OSU gets the ball, drives to midfield and punts. The punt goes into the endzone, and we start on our 20 yd line with 2:39 to play. No time outs left, we used them all while stopping OSU. I'll just put in the pbp and let you read from here ..... Arkansas ball, Q4, 1-10-ARK20 (02:39) 14-17 Offense: Medium Pass, Set: Trips, Play: TR-SE-rollout-post Defense: Stop Pass, Set: Dime, Play: Dime-pass-Man-B5-L QB J. Howard runs right tackle for 4 yards (SS E. Crosby, SS R. Adams). Arkansas ball, Q4, 2-6-ARK24 (02:24) 14-17 Offense: Medium Pass, Set: Trips, Play: TR-FL-slant-SE-post Defense: Normal, Set: 4-3, Play: 43-norm-MZ-B5,6 QB J. Howard throws an incomplete pass to WR A. Gilmore. Arkansas ball, Q4, 3-6-ARK24 (02:08) 14-17 Offense: Medium Pass, Set: Trips, Play: TR-WR3-corner-FL-curl Defense: Stop Run, Set: Nickel, Play: Nickel-run-Man-B5,6- QB J. Howard completes a 13 yard post to WR A. Bradley (FS H. Mcgrath, CB D. Dillard). CB A. Valencia missed a tackle. Arkansas ball, Q4, 1-10-ARK37 (01:42) 14-17 Offense: Medium Pass, Set: SingleBack, Play: SB-SE-outs Defense: Stop Pass, Set: Dime, Play: Dime-pass-DZ-B6 QB J. Howard completes a 18 yard post to WR A. Bradley (OLB M. Reynolds, CB D. Dillard). J. Howard with the great pass. OG R. Thompson earned a pancake on the play. CB A. Valencia missed a tackle. Arkansas ball, Q4, 1-10-OHST45 (01:50) 14-17 Offense: Short Pass, Set: Trips, Play: TR-SE-screen Defense: Stop Pass, Set: Dime, Play: Dime-pass-DZ QB J. Howard completes a 18 yard screen to WR C. Gifford (FS H. Mcgrath). ILB A. Hansen was out of position on the play. Arkansas ball, Q4, 1-10-OHST27 (01:28) 14-17 Offense: Short Pass, Set: Trips, Play: TR-WR3-flat-FL-in Defense: Normal, Set: 4-3, Play: 43-norm-MZ-B5,6 QB J. Howard throws an incomplete pass to WR A. Gilmore (OLB M. Reynolds). OLB M. Reynolds broke up the pass. Arkansas ball, Q4, 2-10-OHST27 (01:22) 14-17 Offense: Inside Run, Set: Trips, Play: TR-HB-draw-LG Defense: Stop Pass, Set: 4-3, Play: 43-pass-DZ RB T. Rose runs left guard for 0 yards (OLB F. Brock). Arkansas ball, Q4, 2-10-OHST27 (01:22) 14-17 Offense: Inside Run, Set: Trips, Play: TR-HB-draw-LG Defense: Stop Pass, Set: 4-3, Play: 43-pass-DZ OT Rupert Gill (ARK) was injured on the play (Knee). It doesn't look like he will return. Arkansas ball, Q4, 3-10-OHST27 (01:05) 14-17 Offense: Medium Pass, Set: SingleBack, Play: SB-WR3-playact-post Defense: Stop Pass, Set: Dime, Play: Dime-pass-MZ QB J. Howard throws an incomplete pass to WR A. Gilmore. Arkansas ball, Q4, 4-10-OHST27 (00:58) 14-17 Mark Bates misses the 45 yard field goal. It will be Ohio State ball at the OHST 27 Illegal Substitution against Arkansas. The Penalty is for 5 yards. The penalty will be declined. We got down to try a 45 yd FG to put the game in overtime. It missed. OSU runs out the clock and takes an Outback Bowl trophy home with them. But as usual, this Arkansas team had defied expectations. Picked 12th of 12 in the SEC, they go 8-4 and make it to a New Year's Day bowl game. Then, picked to lose by 14 or more, they put up one heck of a fight and come within just a few feet of hitting a late FG to put the game into OT.

[GTMarc]

Arkansas 2009 - Outback Bowl So, we find ourselves in Miami for the Outback Bowl. Arkansas versus #12 ranked Ohio State out of the Big 10. And apparently most of the world is asking why the heck would you match up these two teams! Ohio State is a 14 point favorite for this game. When I look through the depth charts, it looks like this shouldn't even be a contest. Just from the color coded player ratings you see. At Arkansas, we proudly start on "green" player on each side of the ball. Thompson our OG and Howard our SLB are Green. Everyone else is yellow, and there's a scattering of orange. Ohio State, is almost all Green. Except of course for the Blue chippers. I think there might be one Yellow player on each side of the ball. On paper, this game looks like a bad mismatch. But I spent a week telling everyone, our players, our fans, the media, wondering snow bird tourist who just happened to walk by, everyone that the heart and character of our football team doesn't print out on paper. And my kids took that message out on the field and played one heck of a football game. BTW, Howards my QB. The media in Fayetteville tried to stir up a QB controversy, but there's no doubt Howard's my starter. Early on, it looked this game might just be the predicted blowout. We get the ball first, and go four and out and punt. Ohio St gets the ball, and starts just ripping a drive down the field. The move quickly down to our 35 yd line. But then our character shows and we make another one of those timely big plays we just seem to make. Our ILB Goodwin delivers a massive hit on their RB and the ball pops up and Howard pounces on it. Then our offense comes running out on to the field whooping and yelling after that play, and suddenly they find their rythym. We make a nice drive down the field and Howard hits Bradley for a 6 yd TD. Arkansas 7, Ohio St 0 ... hello national TV audience. We are Arkansas, and our games are usually pretty entertaining ... you might want to stick around and watch. But of course, Ohio St is no slouch. Midway through the second qtr, we pin them back on their own 4 yd line with a punt. Punt they come out of there and mount a long 96 yd TD drive capped by a 4 yd run by Evans, and its all tied at 7-7. We make a mistake and kick the opening kickoff of the second half out of bounds. Ohio State starts out on their own 40 and quickly drives down inside out 10. But our DL makes two big plays and gets a sack and forces a holding penalty, and OSU ends up taking a 35 yd FG for a 10-7 lead. From an Arkansas point of view, this game got pretty dark during this time. This is when it started to creep into your mind that "Wow, those guys are really good". They must have gotten their rears lit during halftime, because they game out full-throttle on both sides of the ball. Our offense was getting just stuffed, and their offense got the ball back and drove right back down the field for a touchdown and a 17-7 lead. Both teams move the ball a bit, and end up trying long field goals. Both miss. The game goes into the fourth quarter still 17-7. A battle for field position pins OSU deep inside their five yard line for a couple of possesions, but Arkansas isn't able to capitalize on the advantage. With 10:30 to play, OSU repeats their feat of the first half of driving from the shadows of their goal posts deep into Arkansas territory. The big play was a 48 yd streak pass from QB White to TE Sharp, compounded by a roughing the passer penalty on our DE Kelley who got their just too late. Suddenly OSU was out of their end and out our 22, leading 17-7 and threatening to put this game out of reach. OSU has a 3rd and 7 from our 19 yd line when they decide to go for the death blow. White throws the ball up towards their SE on the goal line, and LB Jason Howard hustles back from his short zone position to pick off the slightly underthrown passes. He immediately accelerates up the sidelines and makes it all the way out to mid-field before he's tackled. Yet another Arkansas player with heart making just the big play that's needed to get us back in the football game. We attack and move down the field and Josh Howard hits Bradley for a 15 yd TD pass. Its now OSU 17 - Arkansas 14. OSU gets the ball, drives to midfield and punts. The punt goes into the endzone, and we start on our 20 yd line with 2:39 to play. No time outs left, we used them all while stopping OSU. I'll just put in the pbp and let you read from here ..... Arkansas ball, Q4, 1-10-ARK20 (02:39) 14-17 Offense: Medium Pass, Set: Trips, Play: TR-SE-rollout-post Defense: Stop Pass, Set: Dime, Play: Dime-pass-Man-B5-L QB J. Howard runs right tackle for 4 yards (SS E. Crosby, SS R. Adams). Arkansas ball, Q4, 2-6-ARK24 (02:24) 14-17 Offense: Medium Pass, Set: Trips, Play: TR-FL-slant-SE-post Defense: Normal, Set: 4-3, Play: 43-norm-MZ-B5,6 QB J. Howard throws an incomplete pass to WR A. Gilmore. Arkansas ball, Q4, 3-6-ARK24 (02:08) 14-17 Offense: Medium Pass, Set: Trips, Play: TR-WR3-corner-FL-curl Defense: Stop Run, Set: Nickel, Play: Nickel-run-Man-B5,6- QB J. Howard completes a 13 yard post to WR A. Bradley (FS H. Mcgrath, CB D. Dillard). CB A. Valencia missed a tackle. Arkansas ball, Q4, 1-10-ARK37 (01:42) 14-17 Offense: Medium Pass, Set: SingleBack, Play: SB-SE-outs Defense: Stop Pass, Set: Dime, Play: Dime-pass-DZ-B6 QB J. Howard completes a 18 yard post to WR A. Bradley (OLB M. Reynolds, CB D. Dillard). J. Howard with the great pass. OG R. Thompson earned a pancake on the play. CB A. Valencia missed a tackle. Arkansas ball, Q4, 1-10-OHST45 (01:50) 14-17 Offense: Short Pass, Set: Trips, Play: TR-SE-screen Defense: Stop Pass, Set: Dime, Play: Dime-pass-DZ QB J. Howard completes a 18 yard screen to WR C. Gifford (FS H. Mcgrath). ILB A. Hansen was out of position on the play. Arkansas ball, Q4, 1-10-OHST27 (01:28) 14-17 Offense: Short Pass, Set: Trips, Play: TR-WR3-flat-FL-in Defense: Normal, Set: 4-3, Play: 43-norm-MZ-B5,6 QB J. Howard throws an incomplete pass to WR A. Gilmore (OLB M. Reynolds). OLB M. Reynolds broke up the pass. Arkansas ball, Q4, 2-10-OHST27 (01:22) 14-17 Offense: Inside Run, Set: Trips, Play: TR-HB-draw-LG Defense: Stop Pass, Set: 4-3, Play: 43-pass-DZ RB T. Rose runs left guard for 0 yards (OLB F. Brock). Arkansas ball, Q4, 2-10-OHST27 (01:22) 14-17 Offense: Inside Run, Set: Trips, Play: TR-HB-draw-LG Defense: Stop Pass, Set: 4-3, Play: 43-pass-DZ OT Rupert Gill (ARK) was injured on the play (Knee). It doesn't look like he will return. Arkansas ball, Q4, 3-10-OHST27 (01:05) 14-17 Offense: Medium Pass, Set: SingleBack, Play: SB-WR3-playact-post Defense: Stop Pass, Set: Dime, Play: Dime-pass-MZ QB J. Howard throws an incomplete pass to WR A. Gilmore. Arkansas ball, Q4, 4-10-OHST27 (00:58) 14-17 Mark Bates misses the 45 yard field goal. It will be Ohio State ball at the OHST 27 Illegal Substitution against Arkansas. The Penalty is for 5 yards. The penalty will be declined. We got down to try a 45 yd FG to put the game in overtime. It missed. OSU runs out the clock and takes an Outback Bowl trophy home with them. But as usual, this Arkansas team had defied expectations. Picked 12th of 12 in the SEC, they go 8-4 and make it to a New Year's Day bowl game. Then, picked to lose by 14 or more, they put up one heck of a fight and come within just a few feet of hitting a late FG to put the game into OT.

[sflcat]

Piiiiiiig Sooooooey! :)

[sflcat]

Piiiiiiig Sooooooey! :)

[Bootone]

Nice job... enjoyed the thread

[Bootone]

Nice job... enjoyed the thread