I'm Still Going with the Hogs Against 'Bama

Wow! There is monster hype coming out the Razorback Nation for the Alabama match up on Saturday!

Alabama is being portrayed as unbeatable and I have to agree they are one of the best teams to come out of the SEC for many, many years. However, Arkansas has a good team, too, and is looking for a signature win against a top national program. This just could be the year.

That's not to say it will be easy. The Razorbacks will need a few breaks and some excellent play on both sides of the football.

I am a member of the crowd who thinks Alabama is perfect and unbeatable. If there is ever a coach to play to Alabama's weaknesses, it is Bobby Petrino. However, to pull off the upset, the Razorbacks must play the entire game and not have a lapse (like at Georgia).

What will help the Hogs big time will be the fans. The atmosphere in Fayetteville must be crazy from the opening snap until the final whistle. Arkansas needs to learn how to defend their home field like other top SEC programs do!

If Arkansas actually shows up for this one, I'm sticking with my prediction before the season, Hogs win 28-21.

Go Hogs!

Hogs Beat Dawgs (without a running game)!

Wow! What a game today in Athens! Arkansas managed to come away with a 31-24 win over Georgia from "between the hedges" after blowing a 14-point lead in the fourth quarter.

Once again, Arkansas had big problems running the ball. Repeat. Arkansas had big problems running the ball. Their running game will have to improve if they are to have any hope of winning the SEC West title.

Thoughts on Hog's 44-3 Opening Win

Arkansas' 44-3 win over OVC opponent Tennessee Tech was impressive if you consider that the Razorbacks put up all of their points in the game in only two quarters.

The Hogs sputtered in the first quarter, allowing Tennessee Tech to take an early 3-0 lead. They seemed to find their stride in the second and third quarters, scoring 44 unanswered points. In the fourth quarter, second and third string players took the field and performed less than stellar. One of the unmemorable performances was second-string quarterback Tyler Wilson.

What did we learn? While a 44-3 showing is good, the Razorbacks still have a ways to go on defense. Tennessee Tech was able to move the ball at times. Lapses by the Arkansas defense have to be sealed up before SEC play begins.

Hogger Picks for 2010

Is the Razorback hype for real? Well, we really won’t know until Week 3 when the Hogs play Georgia. However, there will be things to look for as the season begins today when Arkansas takes on Tennessee Tech of the Ohio Valley Conference.

I like that both Head Coach Bobby Petrino and Defensive Coordinator Willy Robinson are taking the Tennessee Tech game seriously. Last week following practice Robinson was downright irate at a reporter who called Tennessee Tech a “tune-up game.”

Here’s what I’m looking for that I feel will be a good barometer of where the season is heading:

1. Arkansas’ defense literally smothers Tennessee Tech and Louisiana-Monroe in the first two games. 2. Arkansas’ offense is sharp and big time against the two teams and is led by the running game, not the passing game.

If those two aspects are present in Arkansas’ first two games against – admittedly – lesser opponents, we could see some special things from the Hogs in 2010.

With that said, here are my picks for the 2010 season:

Sept. 4 – Tennessee Tech at Arkansas: Hogs control and roll in a 46-10 opening win.

Sept. 11 – Louisiana-Monroe at Arkansas: Hogs roll again, win 52-7.

Sept. 18 – Arkansas at Georgia: Hogs avenge last year’s loss in Fayetteville, win 30-24.

Sept. 25 – Alabama at Arkansas: Hogs actually show up to play ‘Bama, win 28-21.

Oct. 9 – Texas A&M at Arkansas: Hogs in a shootout, win 38-28.

Oct. 16 – Arkansas at Auburn: Hogs avoid upset, win another shootout: 38-30.

Oct. 23 – ‘Ole Miss at Arkansas: Hogs give Nutt what’s coming to him, win 38-20.

Oct. 30 – Vandy at Arkansas: Hogs make Homecoming sweet, win 42-14.

Nov. 6 – Arkansas at South Carolina: Hogs stumble to improved Gamecocks, lose 28-24.

Nov. 13 – UTEP at Arkansas: Hogs unmerciful after first loss, win 65-14.

Nov. 20 – Arkansas at Mississippi State: Arkansas stumbles, loses in OT, 33-30.

Nov. 27 – LSU at Arkansas: Arkansas brings the wood, wins 38-21.

Arkansas ends regular season 10-2.

Arkansas Razorback schedule from www.ArkansasRazorbacks.com:

Sat, Sep 04 Tennessee Tech Fayetteville, Ark. 6 pm (W) 44-3 Sat, Sep 11 Louisiana-Monroe Little Rock, Ark. 6 pm (W) 31-7 Sat, Sep 18 Georgia * at Athens, Ga. Noon (W) 31-24 Sat, Sep 25 Alabama * Fayetteville, Ark. 2:30 pm Sat, Oct 09 Texas A&M at Arlington, Texas TBA Sat, Oct 16 Auburn * at Auburn, Ala. TBA Sat, Oct 23 Ole Miss * Fayetteville, Ark. TBA Sat, Oct 30 Vanderbilt – Homecoming * Fayetteville, Ark. TBA Sat, Nov 06 South Carolina * at Columbia, SC TBA Sat, Nov 13 UTEP Fayetteville, Ark. TBA Sat, Nov 20 Mississippi State * at Starkville, MS TBA Sat, Nov 27 LSU * Little Rock, Ark. TBA

* Conference Games

Hogger is Now Hogger on Blogger

Hogger (http://hogger.wordpress.com) is moving from Wordpress to Blogger, and to celebrate, is changing its name to "Hogger." :-)

Soon, all past Hogger posts will be added to the new Hogger blog.

Enjoy and Go Hogs!

Arkansas Razorbacks: Great Expectations

Nice video for a hopeful season! :-)

Sporting News Likes Hogs’ Chances

The Sporting News is doing a countdown of the top 100 teams prior to the start of the 2010 college football season and picks Arkansas at No. 21.

Here’s an excerpt:

“A good quarterback working under Bobby Petrino’s guidance usually means big things—and lots of points. Ryan Mallett is college football’s most NFL-ready QB, and he’s got big-play targets in Joe Adams, Greg Childs and tight end D.J. Williams.”

Concerns about the Razorbacks’ defense – particularly the secondary – continue until laid to rest on the field.
The article predicts if all goes well the Hogs will finish 10-2 overall and 6-2 in the SEC.

Read it here:
http://www.sportingnews.com/college-football/article/2010-08-12/college-football-countdown-no-21-arkansas-razorbacks

Arkansas Picked to Finish Season 10-2

An article by College Sports Matchups in the Fort Smith City Wire is picking the Razorbacks to finish 10-2 this season and to beat Alabama. Here’s an excerpt:

Playing in the SEC makes winning football games difficult every year, but is this the season that Arkansas breaks out under head coach Bobby Petrino?

Read the entire article here or access via the direct link: http://www.thecitywire.com/?q=node/10559

Where is the Hogs’ Defense?

While there is no question Bobby Petrino’s Arkansas Razorbacks posess a potent offense, the real question prior to the start of the 2010 football season is: Where is the Hogs’ defense?

There is no doubt that Petrino is placing a lot of emphasis on defense, because he knows to compete for an SEC West title defense is essential.

Whether Arkansas’ defense has improved enough to make it a contender in the SEC was written about often during Spring practice.

Today, John Adams of the Knoxville News joins the fray and offers some additional insight in the article, “Adams: Defense could put Arkansas over the top.”

Read it here.