Winless SEC Start Not What Hogs' Fans Envisioned Hiring Calipari
BATON ROUGE, La. — When Arkansas decided to sign first-year coach John Calipari to a $7 million base salary and reportedly around $5 million in NIL funds for a roster, expectations skyrocketed. Fast forward nine months later and that investment has shown little to no return through the first 17 games.
The Razorbacks went on the road to face an LSU squad dealing with a similar reality, avoid that dreaded 0-4 start to conference play. Like its previous three games, Arkansas was able to build a comfortable lead in the first half only to squander it in seconds, ultimately losing 78-74 to the Tigers at the Maravich Assembly Center.
While Arkansas typically protects the rim defensively, that honor flipped toward LSU after almost doubling Arkansas in blocks 11-6 but also winning the rebounding margin 39-37.
Untimely turnovers, bad shot selection, missing point blank shots (11-of-28 on lay-ups), defensive lapses in pick-and-roll situations and on fast breaks will not only drive Calipari nuts, but fans into a spitting rage on social media and call-in radio shows across the state.
Two former McDonald's All-American, three 5-star true freshman, transfer guard considered No. 1 portal prospect this offseason, one transfer center who was tabbed All-SEC last season and an athletic x-factor stretch forward from Kentucky probably take up a major chunk of NIL dollars budgeted for this team.
While watching games around the country, it's apparent Arkansas lacks a deadly knockdown shooter capable of ripping nets consistently. Davis was the only transfer with a proven college background as a shooter, drilling nearly 42% of his three point attempts last year, but his production has fallen of drastically.
Hindsight is 20/20, but Calipari might prioritize a few more shooters during the offseason instead of backing himself into a corner with a nine-man rotation which lacks any type of offensive fortitude. Arkansas will have to live through this trial and come to the realization and return to the drawing board next year.
Calipari isn't in this position much as his first college team at UMass was 0-5 in A-10 play way back in 1989. That's the worst stretch in his college career, respectfully, but what's going on at Arkansas is an anomaly.
Razorbacks' fans heard the talk, not just from state reporters but talking heads nationally, how this roster was equipped and ready to make at least a Sweet 16 NCAA Tournament run this season. This fanbase was fed lines about how Arkansas was set to become a basketball school once again.
Nowadays, national reporters who praised Arkansas' hiring of Calipari and his roster management during the offseason are backtracking miles. The Razorbacks are college basketball's most disappointing team of the season and January isn't halfway over.
Unless some sort of light makes this team go, 'aha', there's no chance of a recovery unless a 2008 Georgia type run in the SEC Tournament ensures an automatic bid to the dance. It's painfully obvious which teams are bottom dwellers of what seems to be a basketball super-league and Arkansas is among them.
Auburn is set to be the team to beat in SEC play while tied with Ole Miss for first place. Then, it's a free for all between Missouri, Alabama, Tennessee, Georgia, Florida, Kentucky to earn the valuable double bye at this year's SEC Tournament.
Arkansas, a team that seemed to have its pieces in place in December to make a memorable conference run, is an utter failure right now. Without much time to patch it, the Razorbacks could have a nightmare instead.