Nobody Wants to Listen to Calipari's Answers on What He Wants

Arkansas coach not trying to put together roster like fans have seen, but apparently not what people want to hear

New Arkansas Razorbacks coach John Calipari at introductory press conference on April 10, 2024, at Bud Walton Arena in Fayetteville, Ark. / Craven Whitlow-allHOGS Images

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — New Arkansas coach John Calipari isn't trying to put together a roster like anybody really expects. He's not doing what fans and most of the media expect, but nobody really wants to believe what he keeps telling them.

"I just talk about what I want," Calipari said. "Have you guys not understood that yet? You can ask me whatever you want, I’m going to say what …"

That last part sort of trailed off, probably due to exhaustion from having to answer multiple times a question that he's made clear since April. Calipari's looking for nine guys who can play to his level.

For those who haven't noticed, that's a higher expectation than what's been seen around the Razorbacks for a couple of decades. He's also talked about embracing the players who won in the past and did again.

Ronnie Brewer, who is part of the historic past as a player and because his father was a huge part of when Eddie Sutton started turning things around in the mid-70's, was in the spotlight Monday. Calipari announced he will handle what he described as the mid-south, a region that includes Arkansas, Oklahoma, North Texas, West Tennessee, Missouri up to St. Louis and Mississippi.

"There’s an area that Ronnie can be [effective], but I also want him to be our liaison to all the former players," Calipari said. "Anybody that knows how I’ve done this ... I’ve talked to many of them already. We’re going to do a fantasy camp. I want them all to come back. Be a part of this. I’ve sent some pictures out of some of the guys. Corliss. The picture of him, and I’m saying we’ve got to get this back to where you guys had it. So he’s going to do that."

The more his current players can be around guys who have won big in the past, he's all for that. At Kentucky, he embraced the past.

He's doing the same thing at Arkansas. Before Calipari took the job in April, he talked with Nolan Richardson. Don't be surprised to see him around as much as he wants to be there.

But, it's time to quit worrying about players 10-13 on the roster. There are guys who will be primarily for practice and development, and the change in number of scholarship players isn't a big deal to him.

"Nope. I’m going to have eight or nine, and then I’m going to fill out the roster," Calipari said ... again. "You know what I can do? I can give walk-ons a scholarship now if I choose to. Maybe I use that somewhere else. Maybe I get GAs that can still play and I use it that way. How about I do that?"

Part of doing it the way everybody has gotten accustomed to seeing has changed with (or because of) the new rules in the game, particularly the free agency each year.

"What you don’t want with this transfer portal, every kid is a free agent at the end of the year," Calipari said. "You have eight or nine, maybe one or two stay, but you’re not dealing with 10, 11, 12. Well, you got to do this, you got to start me, you got to do this. No, I’m not coaching a player so that another guy can coach him. I’m not doing that either. I got my eight or nine."

That's the magic number, folks. No matter how many ways the question is phrased, the answer is going to be the same.

When somebody tells you what they are, accept it. That works well with coaches, too. Take Calipari at his word.

HOGS FEED:

• Special rule gives insight into Calipari coaching style for Razorbacks

• Calipari wants Razorback fans to pull back on expectations

• Calipari unveils surprises in exhibition slate, updates schedule progress

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