Only Quick Fix for Razorbacks to Win Simply Hoping for Help

After losses like Saturday against Ole Miss, nobody wants to blame exactly what problem is for Hogs right now

Arkansas Razorbacks wide receiver Andrew Armstrong (2) runs after a catch in the fourth quarter as Ole Miss Rebels linebacker Tyler Banks (34) defends at Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville, Ark. / Nelson Chenault-Imagn Images

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Bitter Arkansas fans are desperately wanting something or someone to blame after a 63-31 loss to Ole Miss on Saturday. This one's not on the coaches, despite what so many want to see.

While the Razorbacks do have really good players, they simply don't have enough of them. The Rebels had more that were better and weren't assuming anything like they did against Kentucky. Apparently their loss to LSU got them focused.

None of that's the issue. Going through the post-mortem after that beatdown Saturday, the Hogs fans stuck to their traditional mindset. It's been going on since they started playing football over 100 years ago. Considering they finish with one likely win (Louisiana Tech) and two iffy games (Texas and Missouri) all fans can do is hope those two aren't playing with the focus and intensity Ole Miss had.

Arkansas Razorbacks coach Sam Pittman on the sidelines against the Ole Miss Rebels at Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville, Ark. / Nelson Chenault-Imagn Images

First, you blame the head coach, then the quarterback is responsible and, finally, the athletic director. To this day, no one has explained to me how he's responsible for a loss by a football team on Saturday, but it was there under Frank Broyles and now it's Hunter Yurachek's turn for it.

Despite all that, this one falls on the players. Not for a lack of effort. This wasn't a game where they quit at any point, they simply weren't fast enough, big enough or strong enough in numbers to do anything with the Rebels.

It's kind of like the time Bear Bryant grabbed some backup lineman and told him to go block a player the guy on the field wasn't managing to accomplish at all.

"I'll give it my best," the young man said.

"Go back and sit down," Bryant said. "Johnny (no idea if that was the name of the player) is doing his best."

Arkansas Razorbacks' defensive back Jayden Johnson struggles to get a handle on Ole Miss wide receiver Jordan Watkins at Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville, Ark. / Nilsen Roman-Hogs on SI Images

That's probably the way Sam Pittman and defensive coordinator Travis Williams felt as Ole Miss kept hitting pass after pass. They suspected their wide receivers were fast enough to just run past whatever the Hogs could put on the field. That turned out to be completely accurate.

Lost in all the talk about the Rebels finally starting to look exactly the way everyone expected before the season is Arkansas now being mentioned as lucky to be in a bowl game. They'll have either six or seven wins in all probability. It will probably settle out after Thanksgiving against Missouri.

Razorback fans will still be trying to figure out who to blame for the lack of success they started expecting after a win over a Tennessee team that had an off night. LSU started it, then Ole Miss probably kicked into overdrive.

The win over Mississippi State probably showed more about the Bulldogs' problems than what the Hogs had accomplished. Nobody wanted to think about that possbility.

Three Ole Miss Players Named SEC Player of the Week #HottyToddy https://t.co/jcgQIKVv6M

— Ole Miss Rebels On SI (@OleMissOnSI) November 4, 2024

It's the same way Saturday's loss may have shown us more about the Razorbacks than Ole Miss. Some will try to point out the 31 points without realizing Rebels coach Lane Kiffin was still having a fit Monday at his press conference about the backup defenders giving up most of those points.

About the only thing to take from that is Arkansas' offense could score against Ole Miss' second and third team defense. The Rebels' No. 2 offense moved down the field with the same ease the first team did.

About the only solution for the Razorbacks to dig out of this mess is like Steve Spurrier told Bret Bielema back in 2013 when his South Carolina team stomped them in Fayetteville. He had to recruit his way out of it.

Bielema never coul, got a rasied after a .500 season and rode out five years before getting canned by the backup athletics director. Now Pittman has to find a way to get the players. That opens up conversations that will take awhile.

HOGS FEED:

• Kiffin's press conference highlights standard Arkansas is lacking

• What should Hogs' expectations be for Calipari's first season?

• Ole Miss simply had talent to react to Razorbacks' defense

• Hogs stuck in mediocrity with momentum neutralized

• Yurachek's comments about Ole Miss come to fruition about Hogs

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