Razorbacks' Musselman Still Finding Who He Can Trust

Maybe a little later than normal, but national analyst thinks it's hit-and-miss everywhere

Author:
Andy Hodges
Updated:
Dec 26, 2023 2:10 PM EST
Original:
Dec 26, 2023

In this story:

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — The up-and-down nature of this early part of the season for Arkansas probably shouldn't be that surprising. It seems to be happening everywhere from the sound of Aaron Torres of Fox Sports Radio and the Aaron Torres Podcast while on ESPN Arkansas with Phil Elson and Matt Jones last week.

"This is the gift and the curse of the transfer portal era," Torres said. "Some years it's just all going to come together easily. You look at Kentucky, they've got 11 new players and it's just clicked from day one for whatever reason."

Exactly. It's the world we live in today. Coaches really can't spend a couple of years getting to know the players before getting them on campus and the window is very short for them to prove they belong or sit.

Eric Musselman has figured it out with two straight Elite 8s and a Sweet 16. They may not be so lucky this year. Everyone seems to have that thought in the back of their heads these days. It's not looking particularly good.

If the Razorbacks continue to stumble and suddenly come together to make another big run, maybe fans will settle down. Last year was pushing it, most thought. They didn't hit stride until late January, so maybe Musselman just hasn't figured it out and can have a late lucky run.

It has just become a sport where teams are remembered in April less for what they accomplished, but what was expected in November and whether it finished higher or lower than the final number of wins. It's probably a backward way of looking at it, but that's the way it is.