Rebelblackbearlandsharts Game Thread

[Feral]

Sam Pittman is 7-18 in One score games in his time at Arkansas.  That doesn't point to a huge talent gap issue.  That is coaching and mindset.  Loser mindset. Grasping defeat from the jaws of victory. 

And that 7 includes some games where we turned a blowout into a coin flip win (ex. the 2022 Liberty Bowl, Cincinnati, etc).

[Barton Fink]

This is where I disagree with most people. I believe coaches have the responsibility to put players in a position to win games. If that happens, the players determine the outcome.

[Feral]

Looking at our schedule, what games are you saying we can win?

I predicted before the season we'd be 3-1 after Memphis and then go 1-7 the rest of the way (catching someone like Auburn or State) to finish 4–8. Basically a redux of the 2023 season.

After last night I think I'll revise that to 2-6 down the stretch. Our offense can put up points and chunk plays, but our defense is *really* bad. It's been a long time since I've seen a QB carve up our defense like Chambliss did last night.

I'm not sure if it's talent or scheme but we had a lot of guys playing out of position last night (and have all season), and we can't tackle worth a shit.

[Feral]

This is where I disagree with most people. I believe coaches have the responsibility to put players in a position to win games. If that happens, the players determine the outcome.

The end Georgia Tech-Clemson game was a master class in coaching.

Key had the entire ST unit standing beside him ready to run out into the field and kick a quick FG. The broadcast crew said he'd spent a not-insignificant amount of time in practice working on that situation, which isn't even one that occurs often.

[Thin Red Swine]

This is where I disagree with most people. I believe coaches have the responsibility to put players in a position to win games. If that happens, the players determine the outcome.

If we're having this debate again, it's also the responsibility of the coaches to make sure the players have been trained to secure the ball in those situations. Maybe that doesn't happen consistently enough with those teams that are frequently on the wrong end of such outcomes.

[Son of Spam]

In the past, our DBs would be in fairly decent position, but never look back for the ball which would have been an interception. Last night, I don't know where they were. I don't think I have ever seen so many wide open receivers, especially in the end zone. And we let 2 injured QBs beat us. I think the OM defense may be the worse we will see this year. So, the future doesn't look good. And, there will be much better offenses.

[vegashog]

i doubt we see too many much better offenses.

we'll see a bunch of much better defenses.

[buff2.0]

Our offense can put up points and chunk plays, but our defense is *really* bad. It's been a long time since I've seen a QB carve up our defense like Chambliss did last night.

Offense looks like what I expected.  Defense looks far worse.  I think our offense can be in positions to score 27+ against the rest of our schedule.  Yes I am a homer there.  I also think our defense can find new and creative ways to give up 30+ each game.

[animal]

I know we had to be missing some guys on defense. Surely....right? 















Right?

[Piggielicious]

There's no excuse in the NIL age for a coach in his 6th season making over 6 million a year and a DC in his 3rd season making over 1 mill a year to put that kind of a defense out on the field last night. Bobby Petrino needs to be running the show the rest of the year.

[animal]

The first signs of distress were

A. Last week of fall camp we moved a OL (that can't barely move) to DL for "depth" because all the sudden he's really more athletic than he looks. Okay.

B. First game against an FCS our db's were laying off giving them 15 yard cushions like we had to contend with Jerry Rice on one side and Randy Moss on the other with Larry Fitzgerald taking over the slot.

C. Now comes the hallmark of Razorback football. We've managed to make a D2 QB look like the SEC offensive player of the week. He might just get it.

[bigpig]

I think the problem with the defense last night was TWill decided "backup QB = blitz" and Kiffin schemed his WRs to get open with slants and gos and it worked like a charm. Our blitzers were slow. The QB was on point.

The problem was we never adjusted until the very end of the game.

[Loma]

We are four defensive backs and four defensive lineman away from being a very good team.

I was drunk, but I think I have a point.

[Papa Pigeritus]

In the past, our DBs would be in fairly decent position, but never look back for the ball which would have been an interception. Last night, I don't know where they were. I don't think I have ever seen so many wide open receivers, especially in the end zone. And we let 2 injured QBs beat us. I think the OM defense may be the worse we will see this year. So, the future doesn't look good. And, there will be much better offenses.

Good point. They'd be in great position, but just wouldn't turn around and look for the ball. Now they are not even in the same frame.

Do we even have many PI penalties this year? It's hard to have pass interference when you're five feet from the guy.

[Hogfan58]

The first signs of distress were

A. Last week of fall camp we moved a OL (that can't barely move) to DL for "depth" because all the sudden he's really more athletic than he looks. Okay.

B. First game against an FCS our db's were laying off giving them 15 yard cushions like we had to contend with Jerry Rice on one side and Randy Moss on the other with Larry Fitzgerald taking over the slot.

C. Now comes the hallmark of Razorback football. We've managed to make a D2 QB look like the SEC offensive player of the week. He might just get it.

(C) In every SEC game, and ND, every QB will look and play like the player of the week against our defense.

[HOGSRUNWILD]

We are a very, VERY poorly coached defense. 

[Natty_Ice]

We are a very, VERY poorly coached defense. 

doesn't matter, coach can rap

[HOGSRUNWILD]

doesn't matter, coach can rap

True...

When you have dudes that just can't keep up and get beat in man because they just aren't fast enough of get pushed around because they aren't big enough, that is a talent issue.  That isn't really happening to us. 

When you have dudes that have no idea where to go and who to cover, that is a coaching issue or the player is simply mentally retarded.  I assume the players aren't mentally retarded so, that is a coaching issue.  We aren't spending enough time on film and practice to recognize what is happening in real time and reacting to it instinctively as second nature.  We are completely and totally lost.  It isn't even lost in "space".  We have 4 dudes in the endzone and they ran 1 dude across their face and not one person picked him up.  He ran past the last man, who let him go, and he had about 1/4 of the endzone all to himself.  The last man never even contemplated picking him up, knowing full well that nobody else was out there. 

You can train some REALLY dumb dudes to react to pretty complex situations as second nature with enough drills and repetition.  I was an officer in the Navy and trained a LOT of really, REALLY dumb dudes.  I mean, REALLY dumb dudes.  You train and drill until it isn't thinking, it is second nature.  Second nature is FAST, thinking and figuring out is based on intelligence and is slow.  Training and drilling is hard fucking work and I think at least part of our staff isn't cut out for the hard work that is required to cut it in the SEC.  This isn't a 9-5 job or even a 10 hour a day job.  You need to eat, sleep, live it and demand everyone around you do the same.  We likely have one dude on staff with that mentality and I'm not even sure he has that fully now, but you know it is still there inside. 

[Texzilla]

Agreed. The template for Arkansas success was made by Wilson Mathews and JFB decades ago.  1. Recruit smart but coachable players (Jimmy Johnson and Loyd Philips being prototypes). 2.  Speed to the ball overcomes size.  3.  Stamina.  JFB knew if you're in shape, you're going to have them by the balls in the 4th quarter.  4.  Hard work.  Endless highly coached drill and scrimmage make defensive play instructive.  5. Team.  Individual mistakes cost the team. Know your job and work together in all things. We are slow, but also make terrible angles in pursuit.  No stamina.  This team going back to Bert has been out of shape and lazy.  No hard work by coaches or these pro players. Sam doesn't believe in it. The

So what of that do we have today.  Players make the same dumb mistakes game after game. They aren't really coached under Sam.  They are slow. They showed they were out of shape against ole miss.  Coaches nor players work hard like is required in the sec.  They don't play as a team.

Sam is an abomination who has built the program in his image.  Ol col beer and nachos devines this lousy team. 

[FNG]

https://www.fayvillains.com/2025/09/14/box-score-breakdown-ole-miss-41-arkansas-35/