Hogs' Coach Dave Van Horn Playing Bigger Picture
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Apparently, Arkansas coach Dave Van Horn was looking at a rare midweek road game about the way we thought.
"You need to play them because we've got to develop some guys," he said after an 8-4 loss at Missouri State on Tuesday night. "We may lose tonight, but it may help us win on Saturday or hopefully in the tournament down the road.
"We've got to get these guys ready."
In other words, he wanted to win the game against the Bears because coaches want to win every game. Van Horn is more concerned about winning in late May and getting to play in June.
Especially with all the injuries right now.
"We're just trying to get through the next couple of weeks until we get everybody back," he said. "This game can flip on a dime."
That will start this weekend with Texas A&M coming to Fayetteville for a key three-game series and the Hogs need to get back on the right side of things. The series starts Thursday and is scheduled through Saturday, depending on what the weather does (there is some rain in the forecast).
He's putting the loss Tuesday night off as one of those things that really, in the bigger picture, doesn't matter that much.
"We're not hanging our head or not thinking we're any good," he said. "We know we can play. We're just playing with guys that haven't been a part of the combination that got us to 30 wins coming into tonight."
Some people that didn't play against Missouri State will be in the lineup this weekend like Peyton Stovall. That was simply a game to allow him a chance to get some rest.
"We're just taking care of him," Van Horn said.
Others won't be playing like centerfielder Tavian Josenberger (hamstring).
The answer about him playing this weekend was a short and simple "no." Not much to understand about that.
Catcher Parker Rowland should be good to go and we may finally see Brady Tygart on the mound again. But where and when is kinda up in the air. When he was asked about Tygart starting, Van Horn decided to have a little fun.
"Wow, you must be reading our mind," he said. "You must have heard something. It could happen."
But he wasn't giving any clues, which is why he was having fun with it in the first place.
"We'll see," Van Horn said. "He's definitely going to be on the 27-man (roster) probably for the first time."
And that was as far as he was going.
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RARE FEELING ABOUT HOGS NOT FELT IN 40 YEARS SUDDENLY MAKES A RETURN
RAZORBACK RECAP: FOOTBALL EXPLODS ONTO RECRUITING SCENE, BASEBALL TRYING TO FIGHT THROUGH INJURIES
ARKANSAS COULDN'T AVOID CONSEQUENCES OF MOUNTING INJURIES FOREVER
TEVIS METCALF BRINGS WORK ETHIC, DEDICATION, BUT NOT YET 4 STAR RATING TO RAZORBACKS
ARKANSAS WILL NEED WIN SATURDAY TO AVOID GETTING SWEPT BY STRUGGLING GEORGIA TEAM
"WILD" PITCHING, LACK OF KEY HITS COSTS RAZORBACKS IN 6-5 LOSS TO GEORGIA THURSDAY NIGHT
TEXAS, OKLAHOMA COULD LEAP THROUGH LOOPHOLE IN SEC'S SPRING TRANSFER RULE AND CREATE CHAOS
COULD DREW SANDERS MAKE SOME HOG FANS HAPPY AND END UP WITH DALLAS COWBOYS?
WHAT NBA DRAFT LOOKS LIKE FINANCIALLY FOR JORDAN WALSH
BREAKING DOWN FOUR SEC TEAMS THAT STAND IN THE WAY OF A FAYETTEVILLE SUPER REGIONAL
MUSSELMAN HAS WORK CUT OUT WITH LATEST TRANSFER
ARKANSAS KICKER STEPS IN FOR FAILED REALITY TV REUNION SHOW
JEFFERSON PROVIDES PERSPECTIVE ON ADJUSTING TO NEW PLAYERS, COACHES
SAM PITTMAN BREAKS DOWN HOW THIS SPRING COMPARES TO PAST YEARS
FOOTBALL NERDS MAY ENJOY SATURDAY, BUT NOBODY ELSE WILL GET MUCH FROM IT
STAFF, CULTURE CHANGES FOR HOGS MAY STARTING TO PAY OFF
ARKANSAS FANS PAYING ATTENTION TO WRONG PLAYER BASED ON MUSSELMAN'S RECENT PORTAL CONTACTS
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