Alabama Coach Gives Interesting Analogy On How To Handle Arkansas' Hagen Smith

Crimson Tide coach Rob Vaughn ready to attack Razorback "buffalo" in Tuscaloosa series

Feb 23, 2024; Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA; Alabama head coach Rob Vaughn stands on the dugout steps for a game against Valparaiso at Thomas-Sewell Stadium / Gary Cosby Jr.-Tuscaloosa News / USA

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Alabama first-year coach Rob Vaughn knows he has his work cut out for him when Arkansas comes to town for a three-game series. The Razorbacks are 29-3 and No.1 team in the country for the fifth straight week with10 consecutive wins, including back-to-back sweeps of LSU and Ole Miss.

Vaughn, who was hired after former coach Brad Bohannon was fired due to a gambling scandal, has performed well to this point. After being picked fourth in the SEC West in the preseason coaches poll, the Crimson Tide are 22-11 (4-8 SEC) and have been ranked as high as No. 13 in the D1 Baseball National Poll.

Alabama welcomes the Razorbacks while on a four-game losing streak after getting swept by No. 8 Kentucky and dropping a midweek game, 5-4, to South Alabama after giving up three runs in the top of the eighth. Vaughn wants his line-up to go back to what it was doing earlier in the season, getting on base and passing the baton. He used an interesting analogy in Tuesday's postgame press conference on how he plans to attack Hogs' ace Hagen Smith.

If a wolf goes up against a buffalo one-on-one, it’s going to get knocked off its feet and taken care of every single time. If we try to attack Hagen Smith on Friday the way that we have these last four games, it’s not going to go well. He’s going to have some fun with our guys if we do that.

- Rob Vaughn

Vaughn went on to describe in graphic detail in his extended metaphor on how he imagines his line-up having success against the nation's top pitching staff in both ERA (2.56) and opponent's batting average (.188).

"The way wolves hunt is they surround the buffalo," Vaughn said. "One grabs one leg, one grabs the other, one jumps on his back and finally one guy up and grabs him by the throat and brings him down. That’s how they hunt. That’s how they survive. That’s how they eat. That’s how our offense has to work."

Alabama may have the roster to do it. The Tide have two of the Top 20 players among qualified hitters (played in at least 75% of games) in the SEC in on-base percentage (Gage Miller .506 and Ian Petrutz .457).

On the other side of the scorecard, it's no surprise that the Hogs have a massive statistical advantage when comparing the pitching staffs. Alabama's team ERA checks in at 5.17 against Arkansas' national best 2.56. However, Friday night's starter Ben Hess comes off his longest start of the season, 5 1/3 innings against Kentucky. He also allowed just one run in four innings at Baum-Walker last year against Arkansas.

Louisville transfer Greg Farone will oppose Mason Molina on Saturday. Despite taking the loss, he recorded a season-high six strikeouts across five innings and leads the team in ERA on the season at 3.28.

Full Pitching Matchups:
Friday, April 12:
Arkansas – LHP Hagen Smith (6-0, 1.76 ERA)
Alabama – RHP Ben Hess (3-2, 6.03 ERA)

Saturday, April 13:
Arkansas – LHP Mason Molina (3-0, 3.38 ERA)
Alabama – LHP Greg Farone (3-1, 3.28 ERA)

Sunday, April 14:
Arkansas – RHP Brady Tygart (3-0, 2.70 ERA)
Alabama – TBA

The series kicks off in Tuscaloosa, Ala. from Sewell-Thomas Stadium 6 p.m. Thursday. The game will be streamed on SEC Network+.

HOGS FEED:

• Rashod Dubinion returns to the Razorbacks to compete in running back room

• Arkansas fans hurting themselves with Hog call drama; tradition needs adjustment

• Calipari looks to take his players-first philosophy to Arkansas

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