Razorbacks Should Be Able to Play for Title if TCU Can

Horned Frogs showing low recruiting rankings, non-pedigree can be overcome

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Sonny Dyes walked into a situation at TCU similar in many ways to what Lou Holt had at Arkansas in 1977.

Neither one had a bare cupboard.

When Gary Patterson stepped down from the Horned Frogs, he had built a pretty solid program and developed a culture.

Dykes has taken it to a higher level.

Pittman inherited a program that had basically been twisted into a shell of what it once was. Gone were the days of figuring out how to wrangle that extra win over Texas every year to have a shot at a national title.

Now they try to get into any bowl game they can reach.

None of this is directed particularly at Pittman, although there is an alarming number of people hitting the transfer portal this year for whatever reason, and a quick fix may not be in sight.

That is Pittman's responsibility.

But TCU's 51-46 win over Michigan on Saturday in the College Football Playoff semifinal at the Fiesta Bowl shows it can be accomplished. I'll leave it to the nerds who do all that research to find out if they have the lowest recruiting rankings to ever reach the playoffs (it will be close).

Part of it is the foundation Patterson put together over a 20-year stretch. He didn't inherit a whole lot either.

The difference is Pittman probably won't coach the Hogs for 20 years.

Coaches also don't get that long to build something.

These days, one bad year better not be followed by another one.

Before you ask, yeah, I'm fully aware the Hogs play in the SEC and TCU is in the Big 12. That's just another excuse for failure to compete for championships.

No matter what league you're in, coaches have to figure out a way to get the players to compete for a title.

Since joining the league, the Hogs have won two SEC West and no league titles. Yes, they have been in three title games in Atlanta, but the only reason they went in 2002 is because Alabama was on probation.

None of those title games have gone particularly well.

But TCU has made a championship game in today's world. There's now a path for anybody.

You just have to figure out a way and have the commitment from everyone in the organization to do it.

HOGS FEED:

OHIO ST. LEARNED WHAT ARKANSAS ALREADY KNOWS, TEXAS/OU NEED TO LEARN ALSO

RAZORBACK FANS STUN ALLHOGS STAFF WITH MOST CLICKED STORY OF THE YEAR

SAM PITTMAN GETS HISTORIC CHANCE TO REBUILD RAZORBACKS' PROGRAM

TWO MORE HIT THE PORTAL AS RAZORBACKS CARRY TORCH FOR SEC IN BOWL GAMES

RAZORBACK FANS WILL HAVE TO CHEER AGAINST EX-RAZORBACKS AT RELIAQUEST BOWL

OFFICIATING IN LIBERTY BOWL ALMOST COST SAM PITTMAN MUCH MORE THAN A WIN

SAM PITTMAN NEEDS TO DEVELOP KILLER INSTINCT BEFORE NEXT SEASON

WHY ARE ARKANSAS FANS COMPLAINING AFTER A BOWL WIN?

COVERING RAZORBACK FANS' EMOTIONAL CRISIS DURING TWITTER DOWNTIME

PORTA POTTIES INCONVENIENT, BUT NOT CHILD TRAUMATIZING LIKE WAR MEMORIAL USED TO BE

JUSTICE HILL WAS ALWAYS DESTINED TO BE ON COURT WITH MUSSELMAN, RAZORBACKS CHASING SEC TITLE

PEOPLE SPENDING TOO MUCH TIME TALKING ABOUT WHO ISN'T PLAYING IN EITHER ARKANSAS SPORT

STATEMENT BY LIBERTY BOWL LEFT LEGAL WIGGLE ROOM IN REGARD TO FANS

WHAT'S REALLY AT STAKE IN WEDNESDAY'S LIBERTY BOWL GAME AGAINST KANSAS?

DO RAZORBACK FANS REALLY CARE ABOUT HOW LIBERTY BOWL TURNS OUT?

WITH WILL WADE'S RIC FLAIR STYLE PERSONA GONE, PLAYING LSU BASKETBALL JUST NOT AS FUN

RAZORBACKS' NUMBERS BETTER WHEN QUARTERBACK KJ JEFFERSON DOESN'T RUN AS MUCH

• Return to allHogs home page.

• Want to join in on the discussion? Click here to become a member of the allHOGS message board community today!

• Follow allHOGS on Twitter and Facebook.