Razorbacks lose Knile Davis for the season

Knile Davis

((arkansasonline.com))

Well, that should take some of the starch out of their shirt. The SEC and college football season hasn't even officially started and the University of Arkansas is already without one of their best players.

Star running back Knile Davis went down with an injury at Thursday's practice and had to be carted from the field.

And the University, at least Thursday night refused to discuss what happened. In fact, their media relations people, according to Arkansas Online, cut off any questions about it.

Read more from them RIGHT HERE

Now comes word, finally, from the school, that Davis is done for the season. He apparently damaged his ankle seriously enough, that he'll undergo surgery.

**Update**--Your official update from the school their ownselves RIGHT HERE

This hurts the Razorbacks, a lot. They were expected to be one of the better teams in the SEC and in the country. They still may be, but losing your best running back, who ran for nearly 1,500 yards and 14 TD's hurts. Hurts a lot.

Here's a TV story from Thursday night, before the Arkansas statement from Fox16 in Little Rock:

Mike Anderson may stay at Mizzou...or not

Mike Anderson/Courtesy: cuttingdownnets.com

Well, at least Missouri is trying to keep Mr. Anderson as their coach. They've tentatively agreed to give him a raise and extend his contract. Unlike most people struggling for a 1-percent raise, Anderson would get around $500,000, raising his pay to about $2 million a year.

The contract would also add two years to the five remaining on his contract.

The reason. Mizzou wants Anderson to stick around. He's supposedly been heavily courted by Arkansas, who is among several schools in the market for a new head coach.

Read about the extension from STLToday RIGHT HERE

The Columbia Daily Tribune says that the agreement is imminent and in fact, the two sides have been working on it since before the Arkansas rumors starting floating.

You can read that story RIGHT HERE

We believe that Anderson would be insane to go to Arkansas. Yes, we realize he was an assistant there for many years and has some ties. But why would he give up an arguably more lucrative job for that one?

He's built a very solid program in Missouri and with most of his lineup returning for another season, there is no reason to think they won't be better than this years NCAA tourney team.

If he goes to Arkansas, he already has half the crazed, insanely stupid boosters against him. They would be looking for a way to run him out of town like they have so many others. And quite honestly, the Arkansas people are delusional if they think their job is better.

We think most of what happened here with Anderson was just a ploy to get more money. Not that an agent would ever do that for a client. And you know what. Because the coaches now get paid obscene amounts of money, just like the pros....it worked.

Here's the latest, we think, from our friends at KFSM-TV
 

DEVELOPING: Petrino gets a new deal

Robert Petrino Esq./Courtesy: coacheshotseat.com

 ((ht: knwa.com))

Though it probably should be qualified as "Non-binding". University of Arkansas coach Bobby Petrino is apparently the proud owner of a new, 7-year contract extension.

Petrino, who has led the Razorbacks to a 9-3 record this season and his new extension is expected to give him a significant raise.

The reason behind this, we suspect is to try and keep him around for awhile with the Coaching Carousel hitting full speed. We don't think he'll be a "Serious" contender this time around for jobs like the one at Florida, but the Arkansas folks aren't taking any chances.

Our only word of advice for the Razorback nation. It's not Petrino's nature to stick around anywhere for a long period of time. And just because he says he isn't going anywhere doesn't really mean...well, anything. Just check out his track record. Hopefully for your sakes, he's true to his word and will hang around for awhile. As much as we don't care for the man after the wreckage he abandoned in Atlanta, he's a heck of a coach and if he sticks around, Arkansas should be pretty competitive for that period of time.

Here's our hero back when he got hired, the day after losing a Monday Night Football game as the coach of the Atlanta Falcons: Thanks YouTube

Two Razorbacks Arrested On Drug Charges

((HT: Fox16- Little Rock))

University of Arkansas officials say two football players were arrested on drug possession charges earlier this week.

Zack Higbee, a spokesman for the athletic department, confirmed that the players are 19-year-old David ((Lopez)) Gordon and 20-year-old Hunter Miller.

Both are listed as sophomore defensive backs.

Campus police say the two were arrested Monday evening after an officer noticed the two sitting in a parked car. Police say marijuana smoke drifted out of the car door when opened and a "plastic baggie of green leafy substance" was in plain sight.

Whoopsie...

Kelly Cantrell of the Washington County sheriff's office says the two players were booked on charges of possession of a controlled substance and released later on individual $660 bonds.

Here's how the news broke on Fox 16...
Morgan Adsit got to sit at the desk since there wasn't a whole lot of information at the time of the arrest and release...

TWTW: Florida Survives Arkansas 23-20, God Bless...

((HT: ActionNewsJax/Fox30-CBS47 Steve Wrigley))

Tim Tebow directed a 69-yard drive in the final minutes, setting up Caleb Sturgis' 27-yard field goal with 9 seconds remaining that gave the top-ranked Gators a 23-20 win against Arkansas on Saturday.

On a day when little went right for the Gators, Tebow took over down the stretch.

He threw for 255 yards and a touchdown, ran for 69 more and saved his best plays for when Florida needed him most. He threw for 30 yards and ran for 22 on the final drive.

Three plays stood out: His 12-yard pass to Riley Cooper on third down and consecutive runs that gained 16 yards and got Sturgis well within his comfort zone.

Here's the wrap from Fox30-CBS47 in Jacksonville
Brent Martineau starts your coverage from in front of an indoor monitor

TWTW: Auburn "Misfires" Lead To 21-Point Arkansas Win

((HT: al.com/Goldberg))

Auburn coach Gene Chizik said the Tigers weren't good enough in any phase of the game to beat an SEC team Saturday, and that helps explain how Arkansas beat the Tigers 44-23 Saturday in Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville.

Arkansas rolled up 495 yards, returned three kickoffs for 145 yards and enjoyed a 34-3 lead midway through the third quarter.

``You can't do the things that we did today and win a game against a very, very good team,'' Chizik said. ``We did all the classic things that you can't do, certainly on the road, and certainly in this league.''

Auburn trailed in its first four games and came back and won. The Tigers closed to within 11 points on the Razorbacks after falling way behind, but got no closer. Auburn fell to 5-1 overall and 2-1 in the SEC. Arkansas improved to 3-2 overall and 1-2 in the league.

Here's your post-game from The Chiz, thanks to al.com

Gene Chizik talks about Auburn's loss to Arkansas

Robert Petrino Esq. addresses the Masses

Old School OSG Favorite (not for good reasons) Bobby Petrino, currently the Head Coach at Arkansas was another of the coaches who addressed the assmebled media (1000+) at the Wynfrey Hotel this afternoon.

Petrino, not known for his candor or for that matter his enjoyment of having to speak to the press actually seemed to be very relaxed and much more comfortable than last year. Of course that might have to do with the fact that he didn't have to answer questions about his bizarro departure from the Atlanta Falcons and oddball appearance in Arkansas wearing a pig hat.

Yea!...We are at SEC Media Days

That is right. Your favorite Sports Website is at SEC Media Days in beautiful Hoover, Alabama. While technically, I am here for my day job, I also have the latest and greatest in Internet Video Technology to post video clips on the web (note: sarcasm). The OSG Flip Cam doesn't have a zoom lens on it, so we weren't able to zoom in. Unlike our friends at the 4-Letter Word (ESPN), we don't have an official microphone either.

We are going to try a bit of an experiment here. What will follow is the first of 4 clips. This one will be about a minute and a half of Arkansas Tight End D.J Williams presser from early this afternoon (Wednesday). 3 more of these to follow (we hope).

Beverley: Cheating At Arkansas Not Just Him

((HT: NWA News/Bob Holt))

Patrick Beverley ((pictured, thanks NWA Times/Anthony Reyes)) said he and some of his former Arkansas teammates weren't doing their own class papers when he played for the Razorbacks.

"Someone from Arkansas was doing papers, doing me and some of my teammates' papers," Beverley said in a videotaped interview with DraftExpress.com. "Basically, instead of ratting my team out, I just said it was just me. And I was forced to have a year of ineligibility."

Beverley, the 2007 SEC Freshman of the Year, started two seasons at shooting guard for Arkansas before the UA announced on Aug. 8, 2008, that he wouldn't play in the coming season for undisclosed reasons.

After playing professionally in the Ukraine last season, Beverley is back in his native Chicago, where DraftExpress.com - a web site devoted to the NBA Draft - interviewed him last week.

During the interview, which can be seen on YouTube, Beverley was asked why he left Arkansas and played overseas, and he offered the explanation of being caught turning in class work done by someone else.

Arkansas officials never have commented on why Beverley was ruled ineligible for his junior season, citing student privacy laws, which include academic information.

But Beverley hadn't previously said exactly what he did, or that he and his teammates turned in papers written by "someone at Arkansas."

In response to media requests regarding Beverley's latest comments, the UA athletic department released a statement that wasn't attributed to a specific person.

"The university conducted a full and thorough review of the matter and took swift action based on all aspects of its findings," the statement said. "While Patrick Beverley is no longer a student-athlete at the University of Arkansas, the university still may not discuss details regarding his departure from the men's basketball program due to student privacy laws.

"The University of Arkansas remains committed to compliance with all university, Southeastern Conference and NCAA rules and regulations."

Freedom of Information Act requests submitted to Arkansas over the previous several months regarding the men's basketball program have not turned up any correspondence between the UA and SEC or NCAA regarding academic fraud or major rules violations.

Beverley offered different explanations for his departure from Arkansas last fall, when he first told FoxSports.com he "violated NCAA rules and what happened went over the coaches' heads" and that his suspension from play "had nothing to do with academics."

Then Beverley told Sporting-NewsToday.com that a situation regarding a class paper was the reason he wouldn't play for the Razorbacks, though he wasn't as specific as in the DraftExpress. com interview.

Beverley, who is working out in Chicago preparing for the June 25 NBA Draft, said he remains "a big fan of college basketball" and also has good memories of Arkansas.

"I definitely enjoyed Arkansas and I definitely enjoyed my two years playing basketball," he said of his time with the Razorbacks.

Beverley said he wouldn't recommend to other players that they leave college to play overseas, but that the experience had been beneficial to him.

"I think it really helped me mature on and off the court," he told DraftExpress.com. "... I think it helped me put those childish things away, helped me be a better man, and helped me do things the right way and be accountable for anything that I do."

For the record, here's the interview with Beverley

Part 2 can be seen by clicking in black...

Arkansas Razorbacks: Your 2008-09 Big 12 Champion

Hey, if the Arkansas Razorbacks do not win the SEC championship or even the SEC West they could lay claim to being the best team in the Big 12 Conference. The Hogs have defeated the top 2 teams in the Big 12. On December 30th Arkansas beat Oklahoma, then ranked #4, 96-88 giving the Sooners their first loss of the year. Then Tuesday night Arkansas defeated #7 Texas 67-61.

Yes Arkansas, now 12-1 on the season, did win those games at Bud Walton Arena but the Razorbacks are doing exactly what you have to do to win 20 games, protect your home court. Most importantly there wasn't much excitement from a team expected to finish at the bottom of the SEC West. But those 2 big wins over Oklahoma and Texas has got the fans high on the Hogs. Talk about a huge confidence boost heading into SEC play.

This has to please the SEC to see Arkansas having this kind of success. One of the big reasons why the Razorbacks were invited into the SEC in 1990 was to counter balance Kentucky's basketball dominance. Those Arkansas/Kentucky games in the 90's were battles and I witnessed a few of those.

This year the SEC West is up for grabs. Tennessee is the class of the SEC this season, but Arkansas may have the talent and the athletes to challenge the mighty Volunteers. The Hogs and Vols meet February 4th in Fayetteville. Has the schedule work out great for Arkansas or what.

All the Razorbacks have to do is protect it's house and special things could happen in my home state. I guess you could say I'm a little biased.

Photo Courtesy: Wesley Hitt/Arkansas

College Basketball: Southeastern Conference

There are 4 quality teams in the SEC, Tennessee, Florida, Kentucky and Vanderbilt. That quartet all come from the SEC Eastern Division. The SEC Western Division is a vast wasteland. Alabama, well Ronald Steele is the key. LSU, Tasmin Mitchell is back but new coach, new system. Andy Kennedy is a gem of a head coach but can't seem to get Ole Miss into the NCAA's. Auburn, not much there. Mississippi State, in full rebuilding mode. Arkansas is rebuilding, retooling and in for a long year.

Best Team In The SEC: Tennessee Volunteers

Is Bruce Pearl the most marketable head basketball coach in SEC history? He's a rare commodity that can sell the product and deliver the goods above and beyond what was expected. Pearl has made men's basketball matter at a University where football and women's basketball ruled on campus. Chris Lofton, JaJuan Smith and Jordan Howell are gone but Pearl brought in a great recruiting class. Couple that with Tyler Smith and those are ingredients for an SEC title up in Rocky Top and a deep NCAA Tournament Run.

Best Player In The SEC: Tyler Smith - Tennessee

Smith led the Vols in field goal percentage, rebounds and assists and thought about going into the NBA Draft. Smith returns for his junior season as the focal point of the Vols. UT will need Smith to take some of the scoring load with the departure of Chris Lofton. He's been working all summer on his perimeter jumper. Add that to his resume' and Tyler Smith could be getting paid to play next year.

Team That Could Surprise - Ole Miss Rebels

Bruce Pearl may be the media darling among the head coaches in the SEC. Andy Kennedy is the most underrated. In 2 seasons at Oxford he's made Ole Miss a factor in the SEC. The Rebels somehow stumble in mid-season the last 2 years and end up playing in the NIT. This year Ole Miss has the best backcourt in the SEC in Chris Warren and David Huertas. The frontcourt is inexperienced but if Kennedy can get his young bigs to handle the next level, Ole Miss might take the West and make the big dance for the first time in 7 years.

Who Goes Dancing: Tennessee, Florida, Vanderbilt, Kentucky, Ole Miss

Who Plays For Number 66: Alabama, LSU

SEC Notes: Georgia's run during the SEC Tournament last season was one for the ages. It bought Dennis Felton some time. Will Felton be a lame duck coach at the SEC Tournament this year? Darrin Horn turned his Sweet 16 run at Western Kentucky last year into a employment upgrade to South Carolina. The Gamecocks have been were stale as a 3 day old doughnut last season. Horn's job is to freshen things up and get 'Cock fans excited again. Trent Johnson takes over at LSU trying a to reverse a 2 year slide to mediocrity under John Brady.

SEC Predictions

Eastern Division

Tennessee

Florida

Kentucky

Vanderbilt

South Carolina

Georgia

Western Division

Ole Miss

LSU

Alabama

Auburn

Mississippi State

Arkansas

Photo Courtesy: AP

"Houston Bowl" Comes To Fayetteville, Arkansas

There are many great college football games this weekend but the one I personally look forward to will kick off at Reynolds Razorback Stadium Saturday night. Ole Miss at Arkansas may not be on your list but it tops mine.

Saturday, Ole Miss head coach Houston Nutt returns to Arkansas for the first time since he resigned last November as head coach of the Razorbacks. Nutt became a polarizing figure in the Razorback nation the last couple of years. From the Gus Malzahn experience to cell phone gate, blah, blah, blah, no sense rehashing the chain of events that led to Nutt's getting the heck out of dodge (or Fayetteville.) Nutt wasn't interested either when asked about it during his weekly press conference.

"I don’t want to get into all that. How did they know I was leaving or when I was leaving?" Nutt said. "All I know is that we gave a lot of effort and a lot of energy to that program for 10 years every single day from daylight to exhaustion."

There were many in the Razorback nation who wanted to see Nutt throw it a little more, to have a more entertaining offense. I thought it was pretty entertaining watching Darren McFadden and Felix Jones bust some long TD runs. I suspect Nutt knew he didn't have the type of quarterback that could sling it, and Hog fans, judging from this year Nutt might have been correct.

On the flipside, Bobby Petrino came to Arkansas in a storm of controversy that initially created a deeper divide among Razorback Nation. I've got to give Petrino credit, he practiced good P.R., showed a bit of personality and won over those Hog fans who had doubt. Petrino is taking a beat down this year but the track record is there for success.

Petrino is playing down the side story of Saturday's Ole Miss - Arkansas game.

"I understand the build up by the Razorback fans, that’s natural." Patrino said. "Our players understand that it’s our football team against their football team. Let’s take the coaches out of it, let’s take the past out of it and let’s just get ready to go out there and compete, play hard, play the game that we all love."

You bet Ole Miss and especially Arkansas (myself included) circled this date on their calendar. He didn't circle the date but Nutt thought about it.

"I don’t know an exact number, but off and on." Nutt said. "There have been several times when you think about what it’s going to be like when you’re coming from the opposite side, coming from the other dressing room. Now, you’re halfway through the season, you’re locked into Ole Miss, you’re locked into the players you have here and I’ve gotten very close to them. I’m looking forward to it, but I can’t give you an exact number of how many times. It’s definitely crossed my mind."

If anything, Saturday's Ole Miss - Arkansas game ramps up this rivalry.

"There will be a lot of people at the ball game, and it was probably an instant rival as soon as most of our staff came over here since there was so much talk about it." Nutt said.

What kind of reception will Houston Nutt get at the game? My guess it will be a mixture of polite applause and a cold reception. There still many wounds that haven't healed among the Hog fan base.

I can tell you this, Ole Miss will play hard, Arkansas will play hard. Nutt's Arkansas recruits will play hard. It should be an intense football game Saturday in the Ozarks.

You can read more from Wally Hall’s column in Friday’s Arkansas Democrat – Gazette.

More analysis from the Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal.

Houston Nutt Photo Courtesy: Getty Images

Bobby Petrino Photo Courtesy: Wesley Hitt/Arkansas

Auburn's Tough Week Capped Off With Loss

You think you have had a tough week, think about Auburn Head Coach Tommy Tuberville. Auburn's offense stinks so Tuberville canned offensive coordinator Tony Franklin Wednesday to shake things up. Well all the Auburn offense did on Saturday was gain only 185 yards of total offense against Arkansas on Saturday and the Razorbacks upset the 20th ranked Tigers 25-22.

''It's been a tough week. I put our guys in a tough situation. I thought they fought hard, real hard. We didn't have a lot obviously on offense." Auburn head coach Tommy Tuberville said. Seems like to me Tuberville is stating the obvious.

Auburn's quarterbacks Kodi Burns and Chris Todd really struggled. Burns threw for 119 yards and Todd 18 yards. They combined for 3 interceptions. Auburn couldn't run the ball against the worst run defense in the SEC. The Tigers only rushed for 98 yards.

The Auburn defense had a rough day to. Arkansas racked up 428 yards of total offense with Razorback running back Michael Smith having a career day at Jordan-Hare Stadium rushing for176 yards and a touchdown. No doubt Tiger fans had thoughts of Fred Talley, the Arkansas running back who twice ran wild at Auburn earlier this decade. Hog fans hope Smith isn't a one game wonder like Talley was.

Auburn has next week off, Tiger fans collectively are saying "Thank God." One thing is sure, it's gut check time down on the Alabama plains.

"Again, we are going to find out the character of our team." Tuberville said. "We are going to have to dig deep. We are going to have to dig hard. We are not playing very well right now. We are not coaching very well. Things keep snowballing on us. We need a little time to adjust and time to get people well and healthy."

Editors Note: Sorry that my joy of Arkansas finally getting a big win comes at the expense of Auburn. I had no confidence in the Razorbacks taking advantage of Auburn's situation after being blown out by Alabama, Texas & Florida but they came through. This win was huge for a program that's rebuilding.

Photos Courtesy: Associated Press

A Pirate's Life In College Football

It’s official, East Carolina is the new sexy team to crash the BCS party. The Pirates looked damn good in crushing West Virginia 24-3. Add this win and the one last week over Virginia Tech and ECU has beaten 2 elite BCS schools.

West Virginia came into the game ranked 8th and with East Carolina’s win over the Mountaineers, it’s the highest ranked team ECU has beaten.

East Carolina head coach Skip Holtz was at a loss for words, well sort of.

“I don’t think you can put it into words. I am so proud of these players the way they have come out and competed the last few weeks. We played two elite programs and I am just proud of the way our team has grown. They are playing with desire, passion and togetherness. It is so fun right now to stand on that sideline and watch our defense play as good as it is. Every facet of our team from the offense to special teams was fantastic tonight. The players really believe in themselves right now.”

Next week East Carolina opens Conference USA play against Tulane. The Pirates have one more BCS team on its schedule, October 11th against Virginia at Charlottesville. Right now you have to like East Carolina’s chances of running the table and going to the BCS.

Fear Not Buckeye Fans

So Ohio State Struggled against Ohio U. So what, The Buckeyes had an off day but were able to win, just not by a 5 touchdown margin. Just get over that game. Ohio State will be up for USC next week and put on a good show. The Buckeyes will be motivated for that one you can bet.

Not So High On Hogs

OK Arkansas Razorback fans, and yes I bleed Razorback red, I’m not so encouraged that Arkansas is off to a 2-0 start. 1st down by 10 to WESTERN ILLINOIS with 8 minutes left in the 4th quarter and rallying to win then just getting by Louisiana-Monroe 28-27. Both times Arkansas QB Casey Dick led the 4th quarter comeback. I don’t think Dick is the second coming of John Elway or Joe Montana with that skill but he did save Arkansas’ bacon.

The Hogs go to Austin, Texas next week to take on the Texas Longhorns and then they host Alabama. Both have the potential to be good ole fashioned whoopin’s. I might have to lay low after those games.

East Carolina/West Virginia Photos Courtesy: AP

Arkansas/UL-Monroe Photo Courtesy: Wesley Hitt/Arkansas

The SEC, West this time

SEC West Preview

The Southeastern Conference as usual will be one of the, if not the best football conference in America this season. From top to bottom, this conference plays some of the best football in the land. Just look at the past several National Champions, and you can see just what we're talking about.

This week, I will look at the Western Division, next week, I'll take a look at the top heavy SEC East.

Auburn

Offense- This year brings a different look on the plains. Well, not just different, dramatically different. The Tigers bring in Spread Offense guru Tony Franklin to change what was already a pretty good team.

Gone is long-time starter QB Brandon Cox and in comes QB Kody Burns. Burns took some snaps late last season, including quite a few in the Tigers 23-20 victory in last seasons Chick-Fil A Bowl over a tough Clemson squad.

Other returnees include Senior Running Back Brad Lester and a whole host of offensive lineman. The key to this unit, this year will be how fast they pick up and cohesively run the new offense.

Defense- The defense is also sporting a new coordinator. Gone is longtime Coach Will Muschamp and in his place comes Paul Rhoades, the former Defensive Coordinator at Pitt.

As always, this defense is full of standouts, such as Defensive Lineman Sen'derick Marks. It's a veteran unit that will again be only as good as the adjustment to a new coordinator makes them.

Outlook- The Tigers, I feel will be the team to beat in the SEC West. Though they certainly will have a hard time getting to Atlanta, I think they will be successful. Tommy Tuberville is a smart coach who knows what needs to be done to survive the usual viscous schedule. Look for the Tigers to be a 10-2 team and be playing in Atlanta come the beginning of September. (Prediction 1st in the West, 10-2 overall)

LSU Tigers-

Offfense- This part of the Bayou Bengals looks to be the biggest question mark. Gone is Ryan Perriloux, who had he learned how to behave, would have been the starter on a team that may have contended for another national title. The probable starter now, Harvard transfer Andrew Hatch, though true freshman Jordan Jefferson is certainly waiting in the wings.

Also gone from this team, Jacob Hester and wide receiver Early Doucet, both huge contributors on the National Championship team. The cupboard in Baton Rouge is hardly bare. Running Back Keiland Williams is back, along with receivers Brandon LaFell and Demetrius Byrd.

Defense- The D in de tiger stadium will be just fine. Coach Les Miles still has a gumbo bucket full of defenders on whom to count on this season to carry the team. Gone of course is Glenn Dorsey, along with Safety Craig Steltz and Linebacker Ali Highsmith. Returning for the Tigers is Dorsey's counterpart, Ricky Jean-Francois and Linebacker Darry Beckwith.

Outlook- As always, this will be a very good team. At this point, there are enough question marks to wonder if this will be a great team. A lot of there success hinges on the battle at Quarterback. So goes the QB, so go the Tigers (Prediction- 2nd in the West, 9-3 overall)

Mississippi State Bulldogs-

Offense- Few teams grew more over the course of the 2007 season than Sylvester Croom's Bulldogs. All of a sudden this became a very dangerous team. Now Sophomore Quarterback Wesley Carroll seemed to figure things out last year as the season drew on. With a full year under his belt and the extra big Running Back Anthony Dixon to hand off to, this looks to be a year where Miss. State will not be able to surprise anybody.

Defense- On defense, Senior Derick Pegues and Linebacker Jamar Chaney headline a blue collar, hard hitting unit. This group much like the Offense was grossly underrated last season and thus the Bulldogs shocked quite a few teams. This was a young unit last season, look for them to improve even more this year

Outlook- I like this team. I like where Coach Croom has them going. Beating Auburn and Alabama last season did wonders for this groups confidence. Look for them to do well this year and again reach a bowl game. (Prediction 8-4, 3rd in the SEC West)

Alabama Crimson Tide-

Offense- This should be a good starting unit, the only question will be depth. Quarterback John Parker Wilson is in his 3rd year as a starter, should be a good SEC quarterback. He has the arm, but hasn't had the success that many thought he would. Running Back Terry Grant provides Wilson with a great run option and all the folks in Tuscaloosa have been raving about incoming Freshman Julio Jones at Wide Receiver. If Jones is half as good as the hype than this offense should not have too much to worry about

Defense- The D is another story. This group has been hit hard with offseason legal problems. That combined with the lack of depth mean one thing. This could be trouble.

Outlook- I'm not sure anyone really knows what to expect from this team, this season. Any team coached by Nick Saban will probably be good, but we don't know how good. The probation and loss of scholorships the past few years has really begun to hurt the Tide. It will take everything Saban has to coax a Bowl Game out of this bunch. (Prediciton 7-5, 4th in the SEC West)

Ole Miss Rebels-

Offense- This team also is a very intriguing one for 2008. In comes Texas transfer Jevan Snead and out goes the chaos that has passed for the QB position in Oxford. Snead has the ability to put up big numbers and open up a lot of options for a team that has been offensive in many ways for the past several years.

Defense- The "D" may be a bit shakier this year for incoming coach Houston Nutt, but that won't last for long. With defenders like Jamarca Sanford holding things down, the hope is that these guys will keep the Rebels in ballgames.

Outlook- This is another up and coming team in the SEC. With Coach Nutt, they may not be great "this" season, but as he puts his players in place, they will only get better in the seasons to come. (Prediction 6-6, 5th in the SEC West)

Arkansas Razorbacks-

Offense- No team in the SEC was hurt more by graduation than this bunch. Gone is All-World Darren McFadden, Felix Jones and Peyton Hillis and Marcus Monk. Returning however is Casey Dick at QB and new Coach Bobby Petrino has to find someone who can make plays for Dick and the Razorbacks to be successful

Defense- On defense this team will be OK, but not spectacular. Defense has never been a strong point on a Bobby Petrino team and don't expect this group to change that. The good thing they have going for them is they are young and will get better as the season goes.

Outlook- Don't expect much from these guys in 2008. Everything for them was geared for 2007 and it didn't work out the way they hoped. With a new coach comes a lot of rebuilding, if Petrino sticks around (big "IF"), they will get better, but don't expect anything for the next 2 years. (Prediction 3-9, last in the SEC West)

Overall- The teams here are all for the most part young and will improve. I don't feel any of them will walk away the winner in Atlanta in December, but during the 2008 season, you don't want any part of the top 3 teams in the West.

Thanks, Coach Mc...

John McDonnell is entering the bell lap of his remarkable career as Head Coach of the Arkansas Razorback Track and Field team. McDonnell was Frank Broyles first hire we he became Athletic Director at Arkansas. Broyles told me a month ago how he hired John McDonnell as Head Track and Field Coach at Arkansas. In the mid 1970’s while still coaching the football team, Broyles saw a young coach leading the cross country team on a run. An hour later, McDonnell was still leading the team and right then Broyles decided to hire him to coach the track team. And as they say, the rest is history.

All he has accomplished in 36 years in Fayetteville is win 42 National Championships which includes 11 NCAA cross country titles, 19 NCAA Indoor Track and Field and 12 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships. By far more McDonnell has won more national championships than any other coach in the history of college athletics. He also lead the Hogs to 5 national triple crowns which is winning NCAA titles in cross country, indoor and outdoor track in the same academic year.

I remember a story former Arkansas head basketball coach Nolan Richardson shared 10 years ago talking about McDonnell. You see Richardson and McDonnell were neighbors in Bud Walton Arena; there offices were next to each other. Richardson told the story of how he returned from Charlotte, N.C. after winning the NCAA Championship feeling pretty good about what he accomplished until he walked by McDonnell’s office and saw all the national championship trophies he had collected and at that time in was in the 30’s. Suddenly, he didn’t feel so good because Richardson knew he could never catch up.

You want some more mind boggling numbers. John McDonnell has won 84 conference championships but here’s an accomplishment that to me is off the charts. The last time Arkansas did not win a conference championship in cross country was 1972. McDonnell won 17 Southwest Conference and 17 Southeastern Conference championships in cross country. That’s 34 in a row during his long tenure coaching the Hogs.

While McDonnell’s teams have routinely outrun their opponents, McDonnell knows he can’t outrun father time. He will turn 70 in July and knew it was time to move on. He made his decision this past winter and made it official in April. McDonnell still has work to do. Arkansas should compete for a NCAA in outdoor track & field this June in Eugene, Oregon. Should the Hogs stand on top of the podium it will be McDonnell’s 43rd National Championship. After that McDonnell will hang up the whistle and trade his track shoes for a pair of boots. McDonnell’s days will be spent on his 2,500 cattle ranch in Eastern Oklahoma.

John Wooden and Paul “Bear” Bryant dominated their high profile sports of men’s basketball and football. There are others who are above their peers; Pat Summitt and Anson Dorrance come to mind. Who’s the greatest coach ever in college athletics? I believe John McDonnell’s body of work at Arkansas gives him that distention. Enjoy your retirement Coach Mc. There will never be another one like you.

That's it, I'm spent.

--John Wilkerson

Parental Disillusionment

Anyone who coaches youth sports as I have in the past will always come across those over-zealous parents whose illusions of their child’s athletic ability is totally unrealistic. It’s created such a mess that there are rules on parent behavior during little league games. Perhaps the NCAA should look into that as well because Arkansas Head Football Coach Houston Nutt is involved in his own version of Little League Parents Gone Bad.

You see Arkansas heralded recruits from Springdale, Mitch Mustain, Ben Cleveland and Damian Williams, were not happy with the way the offense has been run this season. Never mind their head coach from High School, Gus Malzahn, is the offensive coordinator. And forget the fact that the trio started as true freshman and contributed to a team that finished 10 and 3, won the SEC West and went to the SEC Championship Game. So the parents of the Springdale trio met with The Grand Pooh–Bah, Arkansas’ 81-year-old Athletic Director Frank Broyles complaining that the pass happy spread offense wasn’t implemented this year and will it be in the future. Broyles told the “concerned” parents the Nutt was in charge and the matter should be taken up with the head coach. That obviously didn’t satisfy Damian Williams, who asked and received his release and is transferring to another school.

The bottom line in all this is jealousy. Darren McFadden is arguably the best player in college football and is the Heisman front-runner for 2007. Felix Jones is probably the second best running back in the SEC behind D–Mac and right now Casey Dick is a better quarterback that Mitch Mustain. When you have that kind of talent you don’t ignore it. But the Springdale Kids thought after winning the 5A State Title in Arkansas last year that they would next conquer the SEC. The Hogs almost did but not they way they expected so they went to mommy and daddy to make it better.

QB Mitch Mustain (courtesy Sporting News)

The one player that has been humbled in this is Mitch Mustain. A book will be released authored by a long time prep writer in Springdale chronicling the Bulldogs’ 2005 season. In that book Mustain is quoted about his dislike of the Hogs offense and Coach Nutt. This lead to a players-only meeting in which Sam Olajubutu, Arkansas’s tough as nails linebacker, confronted Mustain over his comments. Reportedly, Mustain took it and apologized to Coach Nutt as well.

Even Gus Malzahn recognized when you have McFadden and Jones you don’t throw the ball all the time.

I just hope the Hogs kiss and make up and take care of Wisconsin New Years Day.

That’s It, I’m Spent.

--John Wilkerson