On my last post, I emphasized a lot about the FPI (Football Power Index) and how it is used to predict outcomes. When we were matched up against Alabama, the FPI had Alabama by 31.5. That meant that Alabama beat us by an average of 31.5 points in 10,000 simulations from the FPI computer program. This past week we just played Mississippi State. The FPI had Mississippi State by 7.5 this time. With that margin, I thought to myself, "Ok! We might have a chance to get an SEC win!" That did not happen.
To Mississippi State, we lost 54-24. By 30 points people! Just by watching our performance in the 1st Quarter, I already knew that this was going to be another bad game and another sad week for Hog fans. Even if the game was really terrible to watch (for Hog fans), there was a glimmer of light for the future of the football program. That glimmer of light was QB #13 named K.J. Jefferson. Just watch the video below for his first drive of the football season.
Link below:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j6CVBdjHRQk&t=113s
If you're a Hog fan, you must be thinking, "Why hasn't he started all season!?" Just watch it again. He helped the offense score a touchdown in 4 plays for 75 yards on the drive. He carried the ball twice for 26 yards with the touchdown and threw a good pass for 32 yards. The rest of the yards on the drive was by Rakeem Boyd who has been the best player on the Razorbacks all year. But wasn't that drive great? The offense just seemed to run more smoothly when he was at Quarterback. And it just doesn't seem that way because of just him at QB. It was also the type of offense that they were running.
Notice for each play, the QB was either going to fake hand it to the running back or keep it for himself on the run plays. It was only on the pass play that it was a direct snap to the QB and he didn't fake it to the running back. But this type of offense that they were running is called the Read Option. The Read Option means that the QB gets the ball and he has a moment where he gives the ball to the running back like how he was doing in the video. If the QB sees a running lane for him that fits best, he keeps it and he runs with the ball. If the QB sees that his running lane is not very open, he continues to give it to the running back and then the RB stays running with the ball. Did you notice how effective running that offense was on that drive.
As long as I can remember watching the Hogs, I cannot remember a time that we had a dual-threat QB (QB that can throw and run the ball effectively). Back in the early 2000s, the Razorbacks had Matt Jones for QB. He was very mobile and could throw the ball well. But, he was before my memories of Razorback QBs. We had Casey Dick, Ryan Mallet, Tyler Wilson, Brandon Allen, Austin Allen, Ty Storey, and now with a inconsistent decision about either Ben Hicks or Nick Starkel (I call him Nick Stinkel). With Casey Dick, I remembered that he wasn't that great, but it was because all the focus was on Darren McFadden, Felix Jones, and Peyton Hillis making the Hog Calls go. Ryan Mallet had probably the best arm out of all of these QBs. He had the best talent to be in the NFL. He had some chances and some sparks but he didn't quite make it in the NFL. Tyler Wilson was a very good passer and could sometimes be mobile if he had to be. It was just a shame to see him shine so well in 2011 and then falter so badly in 2012 because of coach changes from Bobby Petrino to this guy :(
Link below:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m-nQLd6z9OU
I'll talk more about this guy in a later post that I'll do about the current era of Razorback football which I call "The Great Hog Depression" or "Woo Pig Ewwie."
Going back to the Razorback QBs, Brandon Allen had his downs and some great moments. His great moments were some of the best QB moments that I've ever seen from a Hog QB. He had a skid of games were he threw 6 touchdowns and then 7 touchdowns! He broke some Hog QB passing records here. As for his brother, Austin Allen, he started the 2016 season with promise, but then he started to be inconsistent and I really hate inconsistency. Ty Storey is..... well he's just not that good. He's the starting QB now for Western Kentucky who is the next opponent on Arkansas' schedule. If we lose, have mercy on Chad Morris because that would start a riot. And finally Ben Hicks and Nick Starkel are just not working for this offense!
After seeing that drive by K.J. Jefferson, I immediately wanted to riot because it seems like the coach was holding back his best QB this whole season. Ben Hicks and Nick Starkel's performances have been so bad. There was some moments of hope, but it has been bad. After watching this whole season, it seems like as if in practice they train the team into the K.J. Jefferson Read Option type of offense but then go into the Ben/Nick offense into the game in which the team is not comfortable playing in since they don't practice that offense. Do you hear what I am saying? This offense looked more comfortable and in rhythm with K.J. Jefferson at QB and running the Read Option offense. It is like the coaching staff thinks that they shouldn't be showing in the game what they really practice for because their performance looks like they don't practice it enough.
In the past, Arkansas has had huge success with pocket passers and pass heavy offenses like with Ryan Mallet and Tyler Wilson. That was even the case a lot with Brandon Allen and Austin Allen. But with what I am seeing so far, having the pocket passer is not the way to go for now because our pocket passers are not good. Go with K.J. please! I should've known that this season wouldn't hold up to much when when this happened:
(copy and paste to url to see)
This video shows the team dancing and the coaches as well after beating Colorado State 55-34. A Mountain West Conference opponent. They hogs the next week then lost to San Jose State 31-24. Now listen. I don't like Bill Belichick and the Patriots a lot, but I've got to respect his reaction to getting his 300th win.
Link below:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T7chW7Mv4is
You see how many times that he smiles? How many times he danced around? I don't see any of that. He seems to win a lot of games because he is still hungry and not satisfied. Of course he could might find joy in winning, but it seems that he just isn't satisfied yet. This is how the coaching staff and the players need to be like! Of course you should smile, but don't give me any of this 'club dub' stuff after beating a Mountain West Conference opponent! Where did that get you to? A lost to San Jose State and a losing streak ever since.
I always remembered how my coaches in high school would react to winning games. We would play music and hug each other and celebrate you know. But the coaches were always all business about any opponent. Even if we knew we would slaughter that opponent, we always knew that we need to be serious and stay hungry. I don't like Bill Belichick much, but you got to respect him for that. It's probably why he wins so many games.
Just to conclude, we do seem to have some good players. Our coaches just need to figure it out and let them shine. There is always a chance for good future Hog fans. Just put on a happy face.
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