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Razorback Fans Have Heard Big Projections in Memphis Before

Going all the way back to Joe Ferguson, Hogs' fans have gotten high hopes about the future at Liberty Bowl

Andy Hodges

Arkansas coach Sam Pittman points to his players and Razorback fans with his cane as he is presented with the AutoZone Liberty Bowl trophy after the Hogs defeated Texas Tech 36-26 in Memphis, Tenn.
Arkansas coach Sam Pittman points to his players and Razorback fans with his cane as he is presented with the AutoZone Liberty Bowl trophy after the Hogs defeated Texas Tech 36-26 in Memphis, Tenn. / Chris Day/The Commercial Appeal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
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FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Longtime Arkansas fans should remember not to read a whole lot into a performance at the AutoZone Liberty Bowl. And when I say "long" you can take that back about 53 years.

Go all the way back to 1971 when the Razorbacks lost a controversial 14-13 game to Tennessee. in the first time the bowl game was played at night. It was on the first Monday night after the NFL regular season ended. It was also the last time the bowl game used officials from one of the conferences with a team playing in the game.

That was the source of the controversy. SEC official Preston Watts had a pair of calls that went against the Hogs. Especially one in the fourth quarter.

After the game Arkansas quarterback Joe Ferguson tearfully accepted the MVP of the game (yes, a player on the losing team won because the ballots were cast before the game ended) and promised folks the 1972 season would be different. That led to the Razorbacks being picked near the top of the polls.

With the season opener against eventual national champion USC in War Memorial Stadium, the Hogs were kicked sideways and Ferguson had his nose broken in a 31-10 loss. It didn't seem that close.

That season of high expectations ended with Ferguson, Mike Reppond and some other high-profile seniors sitting on the bench in Lubbock, Texas, as Scott Bull started and salvaged a 6-5 season. No, Taylen Green didn't make any promises after Friday night's win, but Hogs coach Sam Pittman had enough good things to raise at least some hope for next season.

"The bottom line is that we've got a good football team with the one that we had tonight," Pittman said later. "A lot of times people will ask you, 'Are you ready to play in a bowl game?' Hell, yeah. We're going into a bowl game. It's exciting. It's hard to get to and they're awful hard to win. Fortunately, we were able to win tonight. Texas Tech's got a really good football team, a really good coach."

Notice he didn't say a thing about that having any impact on the 2025 season. Pittman knows better than most even though the transfer portal window this time closed Saturday night there's still a 10-day window coming in April That's bitten the Razorbacks before (anybody else remember Michael Woods after the spring game in 2021?).

Razorbacks wide receiver Mike Woods after making a catch during spring in 2021 just weeks before transferring to Oklahoma
Arkansas Razorbacks wide receiver Mike Woods after making a catch during spring practice in 2021 just weeks before transferring to play at Oklahoma after the Red White game. / Andy Hodges-Hogs on SI Images

Let's not forget the Red Raiders were missing a lot of the players that got them there, including their starting quarterback. Take Green out of the starting lineup Friday night and things probably look a whole lot different.

That doesn't diminish anything. Particularly Dazmin James, who hopefully didn't play his best game in his first appearance. He caught a pass crossing the field and out-ran everybody for a 94-yard touchdown. It made you wonder why they kept that sort of speed on the bench all year.

"Wasn't that something?" Pittman said. "I didn't know [Dazmin] was very fast (laughs). You know, he kept acting like he was, but I think he went 22.3 on his catapult and he went 10.3 or something in high school looking left and right in 100 meters. Won at the state championship. He's just a wonderful kid too, but he's really fast."

You wonder how hard it was to keep somebody that fast off the field. With The Great Playcaller back running the offense, you'd think Bobby Petrino could draw up at least one or two plays to take advantage of that speed. Just put him out wide and run across the field or run fly patterns and the results could open up a lot of things aside from 94-yard scoring runs.

It was the media's first time to talk with James. If he hasn't mastered anything else, the speedy wide receiver has the art of talking in a big circle down to a championship level.

"You’ll definitely see more," he said. "It’s just the beginning. First game. I just had an opportunity. I got my opportunity and I ran with it. Thanks to all my coaches. We’ve been practicing, just repetition, going over a lot of plays. Just getting it down. Formations and everything since like the portal and everything."

Back in 1971 it was the quarterback making big promises. Now we have a freshman wide receiver playing for the first time with some big projections for the following season after a Liberty Bowl game.

Razorback fans are just hoping this works out better.

HOGS FEED:

• Juncaj's bowl performance could bring good omens for Razorbacks

• Is Top 25 status just more disappointment for Razorbacks?

• Hogs fans wanted Cam Little, don't realize that's what they got

• Hogs' hidden gems have breakout in Liberty Bowl

• Razorbacks use hot start to down Texas Tech

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Andy Hodges
ANDY HODGES

Sports columnist, writer, former radio host and television host who has been expressing an opinion on sports in the media for over four decades. He has been at numerous media stops in Arkansas, Texas and Mississippi.

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