Tagged: HogManInLA

Arkansas Razorback Football: Hogs Spring Practice Starts on Wednesday


College football fans despair no more, spring football practices are starting across the country over the next couple of weeks as teams prepare for the 2012 campaign. Arkansas Razorback head coach Bobby Petrino will begin molding his players for the 2012 season starting on Wednesday.

After Petrino led No. 5 Arkansas to an improbable 11-2 season in 2011 capped by beating then BCS No. 8 Kansas State 29-16 in the Cotton Bowl, he now faces higher expectations entering 2012. With uncertainty at key positions who will earn important starting positions during spring practice is the focus of the Arkansas coaching staff as well as the Razorback fans?

The known production of the Tyler Wilson, the Hogs’ defensive line, and core returning offensive linemen has the makings of another 11 plus win forArkansas. Filling in the gaps left by graduation could prove to be harder than most Razorback fans expect.

New defensive coordinator Paul Haynes had a crash course with his defensive unit the weeks leading up to the Cotton Bowl after the dismissal of former DC Willy Robinson. If Haynes sticks to the type of schemes ran against KSU the Hogs will spend the spring working on blitzing from the linebacker position and stunts by the defensive line; defensive production that was missing under Robinson.

Haynes will have to replace All-SEC middle linebacker Jerry Franklin and outside linebacker Jerrico Nelson. The only sure bet at starter in 2012 is Alonzo Highsmith Jr. starting at outside linebacker unless moved to the middle by the coaching staff to help stop the run.

Early talk has mid-term junior college transfer defensive end Austin Flynn (6’4”, 250 pounds) getting reps at middle linebacker. The Hogs are deep at defensive end with the return of Tank Wright, Chris Smith, and Trey Flowers.

Returning linebackers Braylon Mitchell and Jarrett Lake will get plenty of opportunities to win a starting job this spring.

The Hogs have three highly recruited linebackers coming to school in the fall to help fill any possible depth issues discovered during the spring- A.J. Turner, Otha Peters, and Vin Ascolese. The difference between immediate playing time in the linebacker rotation, action on special teams and redshirting will depend on the readiness of each newcomer come August.

Both safety spots will be scrutinized after the loss of Tramain Thomas and Elton Ford to graduation.

Canadian export Brett Weir was recruited as a safety in 2011. Will his size put him at safety, linebacker, or on the offensive side of the ball?

Where will Ross Rasner play in 2012? He lined up at outside linebacker last season but has the ability to play safety. Filling the greatest need come August will ultimately determine Rasner’s final position.

Petrino added two safeties to his 2012 recruiting class that could see playing time this year- Will Hines and Defonta Lowe.

On the checklist for a successful spring for the Razorbacks will include finding quality receivers to replace the 2,009 receiving yards totaled by Jarius Wright, Joe Adams, and Greg Childs. Added to the pressure of losing that trio is finding a punt returner to fill Adams’ All-American shoes.

Cobi Hamilton will be counted on as the lead receiver for the Hogs. All he will have to do is replicate what Jarius Wright did when Wright led the SEC in receiving yards (1,117) and receiving touchdowns (12).

Hamiltonhas been known more for his big play ability and yards after the catch than his strict route running and sure-fire hands. The big question that will not be answered until the regular season begins is can Hamilton adjust to life in the SEC as a No. 1 receiver?

He has the size, speed, and ability to do it. Within Petrino’s offense Hamilton could be poised for an All-SEC season next fall.

AfterHamilton, Petrino has so many wide receiver prospects to choose from it is hard to know where to start. Javontee Herndon had the most in-game experience when he added eight catches for 137 yards last year. His 17.1 yards per catch average was tops on the team. Julian Horton and Marquel Wade both earned game time in 2011 as well.

Wade’s speed and field vision could help Hog fans recover from the loss of Adams on special teams. Wide receiver Keante Minor is another speedster that will get a chance to return punts for Petrino.

Quinta Funderburk, Davyon McKinney, Kane Whitehurst, and Maurdecus Humphrey are all capable of earning playing time with their efforts in the spring. New comers Keon Hatcher, Eric Hawkins, Mekale McKay, D’Arthur Cowan, and junior college transfer Demetrius Wilson will add more competition to an already talented squad in August.

McKay 6’6” and Wilson 6’3” have the size and speed to become the next Greg Childs kind of receiver. Childs and former Razorback quarterback Ryan Mallett played jump ball in the corner of the end zone before Childs’ injury in 2010. McKay and Wilson could add that red zone threat missing last year.

The warm feeling of knowing Tyler Wilson is back under center has to allow Petrino a full night’s rest. Also knowing he has three starters returning in the backfield between Ronnie Wingo, Jr., Dennis Johnson, and All-SEC running back Knile Davis should bring a smile to his face while he sleeps.

The only thing that could possibly derail Petrino’s running attack is the growth of true sophomore linemen Mitch Smoothers and Brey Cook. Both players will have to replace graduating seniors Grant Cook and Grant Freeman.

Cook and Smoothers both saw extensive playing time early in the 2011 season. Losing a redshirt on both players may cost the Hogs in the long run but what the team gains from their game experience should pay dividends early in the 2012 season. That experience and a quick start to the Hogs running game could be the difference between a SEC Championship game berth or just another great season for the Razorback football team.

The Hogs will take the field for 14 practices before playing their Red-White game on April 21.

For more sports information on the Razorbacks check out Razorbackers.com!

Official Press Release: HogManInLA’s New Website Razorbackers.com


Fans of Just to Clarify will be happy to know that HogManInLA has teamed up with FanSidedNetwork.com to bring you a new website called Razorbackers.com.

FanSidedNetwork.com is a grouping of all major professional and collegiate sports written by individual team writers like HogManInLA.

Razorbackers.com will represent the Arkansas Razorbacks sports information and news on FanSidedNetwork while adding content to additional SEC sports sections.

As a reader on Razorbackers.com you can explore other team pages receiving the latest news and information on all of your favorite sports teams through the FanSidedNetwork.com connection.

We hope that all of you will continue to follow the writings, analysis, and deep coverage of Arkansas Razorback sports provided by HogManInLA, a.k.a. Ryan Wright, on Razorbackers.com.

Thanks for your loyal support.

 

HogManInLA

Ryan Wright

 

Follow HogManInLA on Twitter at: http://twitter.com/HogManInLa

Preseason Luck Hype Screws OSU’s Weeden out of Heisman and Trip to New York


Monday night ESPN announced Andrew Luck, Robert Griffin III, Montee Ball, Trent Richardson, and Tyrann Mathieu as the five finalists for the 2011 Heisman Trophy Award.

 

Missing from the Heisman invitee list is not only Case Keenum, the NCAA career leader in career passing yards (18,685) and total career touchdowns thrown (152), but more importantly the best quarterback in college football, Oklahoma State’s Brandon Weeden.

 

A credible argument can be made for four of the five Heisman finalists but not having Brandon Weeden on the list in favor of Stanford’s Andrew Luck is unforgivable. Luck’s invitation is an obvious byproduct of preseason media hype and a lack of objectivity by Heisman voters.

 

The Finalists

 

9-3 Universityof Baylor’s quarterback, Robert Griffin III, leads the nation in quarterback rating (192.3) while posting the second most total yards per game (386.83) to Keenum (394.15).

 

Griffinis No. 6 in the nation in total passing yards (3,998) and No. 4 in passing touchdowns (36).Griffinhas added 644 rushing yards to his offensive output with nine rushing touchdowns.

 

Baylor finished the season with a 2-2 record against ranked opponents losing 59-24 to Oklahoma State and Brandon Weeden October 29.

 

Wisconsin’s Montee Ball leads the nation in total rushing yards (1,759) and rushing touchdowns (32). Ball has 38 total touchdowns on the season placing him one touchdown shy of tying Barry Sanders single season record for total touchdowns set in 1988.

 

The 11-2 Badgers won the Big Ten championship besting Michigan State 42-39.

 

Alabama’s running back Trent Richardson is No. 6 in the nation in total rushing yards (1,583) and No. 5 in total rushing touchdowns (20). The Tide finished the season 11-1 and No. 2 in the nation with a scheduled BCS National Championship Game against No. 1 LSU.

 

Comparing the two running back finalists, Ball averages 135.31 rushing yards per game toRichardson’s 131.92 ranking No. 4 and No. 5 respectively in college football.

 

LSU cornerback Tyrann Mathieu’s selection as a Heisman finalist is not without some controversy. Mathieu was suspended for theAuburngame during the season after testing positive for synthetic marijuana, leading to the question, “Is that how you want the Heisman Trophy represented?”

 

Mathieu is an emotional leader for the top-ranked Tigers. He has 70 total tackles, forced five fumbles, intercepted two passes and scored four touchdowns on the season. Two of his touchdowns have come in LSU’s last two games on punt returns against then No. 3 Arkansas and No. 12 Georgia.

 

Mathieu’s selection may not be wildly popular as his selection may be more of a team nomination than an individual achievement. University of Michigan’s Charles Woodson won the Heisman in 1997 as a cornerback/punt returner, much like Mathieu.

 

Stanford’s Andrew Luck has been invited to his second straight Heisman Trophy presentation by the Downtown Athletic Club. Luck finished second in the 2010 Heisman Trophy voting to Auburn’s Cam Newton.

 

Luck finished the 2011 season No. 24 in total passing yards (3,170), No. 5 in passing touchdowns (35), and No. 25 in passing yards per game (264.17).

 

Statistically speaking, Luck is the fifth best quarterback in the Pac-12 let alone college football. Arizona’s Nick Foles, Arizona State’s Brock Osweiler, USC’s Matt Barkley, and Oregon State’s Brock Mannion all passed for more yards within the Pac-12 than Luck.

 

The only major passing statistic that Luck led the Pac-12 in was completion percentage (70) and quarterback rating (167.5).

 

Matt Barkley led the conference in touchdown passes (39), had fewer interceptions thrown than Luck (7-9), and was sacked fewer times (8-9). Barkley threw for 3,528 total yards to Luck’s 3,170.

 

Luck will have the benefit of playing in one more game this season than Barkley – the Rose Bowl. Unless Luck throws for over 358 yards against Oklahoma State in their bowl game, he will not surpass Barkley in total passing yards for the season – even with one more game played than Barkley.

 

Stanford did not win the Pac-12 North Division or the Pac-12 Conference title. The Cardinal also did not beat a team ranked better than No. 20 at the time of their game during the season.

 

The biggest snub of the 2011 season has to beOklahomaState’s quarterback Brandon Weeden. Weeden finished the regular season No. 3 in passing yards per game (360.67), No. 3 in completions per game (31.58), No. 6 in passing touchdowns (34), and No. 3 in total passing yards on the season (4,328).

 

Even with all of the gaudy numbers Weeden had a 72.6 completion percentage, second best in college football among quarterbacks with 270 or more passing attempts.

 

Weeden led the No. 3 Cowboys to an 11-1 record and their first Big 12 Conference Title. OSU beat all four Top 25 teams they faced.

 

The 2011 Heisman Trophy will be announced December 10, on ESPN. Unfortunately the Fiesta Bowl featuring No. 3 Oklahoma State versus No. 4 Stanford does not happen until January 2.

 

Weeden will get his chance to embarrass the Heisman “Trust” for his snub. He will also get a chance to show the nation that not only is he a better quarterback statistically but also a better quarterback than Luck in head-to-head competition.

 

After the game maybe the Downtown Athletic Club will change the date of their Heisman Award presentation from during the season to after the final game has been played?

No. 6 Arkansas takes on No. 7 Kansas State in the Cotton Bowl


For weeks Arkansas fans have wondered who their beloved Hogs would play in the post season. Sunday night Hog fans found out that they will play in the Cotton Bowl versus No. 7 Kansas State January 6, for a school-record 12th time.

 

The 10-2 Wildcats started the season 7-0 with quality wins over unranked Miami and then No. 15 Baylor. KSU lost two back-to-back games against the only other ranked opponents they have played this season, then No. 11 Oklahoma 58-17 and the No. 3 Oklahoma State 52-45.

 

Kansas State finished the season winning their last three games, in closely contested fashion, against Texas A&M, Texas, and Iowa State.

 

KSU is led by junior quarterback Collin Klein. Klein is a non-traditional quarterback that is a run-first option as opposed to a pocket passer.

 

Klein has 11 passing touchdowns on the season with 5 interceptions. He ranks 8th in the Big 12 in total passing yards (1,587) and 8th incompletion percentage (58.5).

 

Klein hurts most teams with his ability to run. Klein leads KSU in rushing yards and ranks fourth in the Big 12 with 1,099 total yards. He leads the Big 12 in rushing touchdowns with 26.

 

The 10-2 Razorbacks ran through their SEC schedule with losses to No. 1 LSU and No. 2 Alabama, both games on the road.Arkansaspicked up quality wins over then No. 14 Texas A&M, No. 15 Auburn, and No. 10 South Carolina.

 

One of the problem areas for the Razorbacks during the 2011 season has been running quarterbacks. Vanderbilt, Ole Miss, South Carolina, and LSU all had quarterbacks with the ability to run. Collin Klein presents a tough match up for the Razorback defense.

 

Kansas State will have to stop Arkansas top rated passing offense. KSU is ranked 74th in total defense allowing 398.75 yards per game. The Wildcats allow 267.33 yards passing per game ranking them 104th in the nation in pass defense.

 

The Razorbacks have the 13th ranked passing offense in the nation racking up 307.75 passing yards per game.

 

The Hogs have had success in the new Cowboys Stadium against Big 12 teams. The Hogs have a 3-0 record against Texas A&M in the Southwest Conference Classic over the past three seasons.

 

The last win for the Hogs in the Cotton Bowl was in 1999, a 27-6 victory over University of Texas. The Razorbacks last appearance in the Cotton Bowl was against Missouri, a game the Hogs lost 38-7.

 

Kansas State’s last appearance in the Cotton Bowl was in 2001 win they beat University of Tennessee35-21. KSU has a 1-1 all-time record in the Cotton Bowl with their lone loss coming to BYU in 1997.

 

The SEC has won the last three Cotton Bowls; 2011 LSU 41, Texas A&M 24, 2010 Ole Miss 21, Oklahoma State 7, Ole Miss 47, Texas Tech 34.

HogManInLA’s College Football Top 25: Week 15


 

  1. LSU 13-0
  2. Alabama 11-1
  3. Oklahoma State 11-1
  4. Arkansas 10-2
  5. Wisconsin 11-2
  6. Oregon 11-2
  7. South Carolina 10-2
  8. Stanford 11-1
  9. USC 10-2
  10. Georgia 10-3
  11. Michigan State 10-3
  12. Boise State 11-1
  13. Virginia Tech 11-2
  14. Kansas State 10-2
  15. Clemson 10-3
  16. Michigan 10-2
  17. Oklahoma 9-3
  18. Baylor 9-3
  19. Southern Mississippi 11-2
  20. TCU 10-2
  21. Arkansas State 10-2
  22. Houston 12-1
  23. Nebraska 9-3
  24. Penn State 9-3
  25. West Virginia 8-3

 

All the hype on Sunday will be about Oklahoma State. Will they or won’t they… that is will they move to No. 2 in the BCS Rankings or will they remain at No. 3?

 

Oklahoma State did impress Saturday night in their home win over Oklahoma, but one has to remember that Alabama lost to the No. 1 team in the nation in their lone defeat not to an unranked team; one could argue that Bama won every facet of the game except the score board against LSU. All Oklahoma State did was beat a two-loss team Saturday.

Ranking the 10 Best Quarterbacks in College Football


How do you like your college football quarterback? Do you like a QB that is rough and rugged, one with a quick release, or a guy with a gun for an arm? Does your leader need to be able to scramble out of the pocket to buy time for his wide receivers to keep the play alive?

How about a player that lines up under center with gaudy offensive numbers or a dual threat speed demon that can eat up chunks of yards with his feet as well as his arm?

Whatever your preference is in a quarterback, this year’s college football class has the talent to make any fan happy.

The following article breaks down each individual quarterback giving the highlights and lowlights of the 10 best college football quarterbacks in the nation with the reasons why they are better than all the rest.

10) Tajh Boyd, Clemson University, Sophomore, 6’1”, 230 lbs

Clemson was slated to be a .500 team by most college football pundits entering 2011 play. Once the season began college football took notice of the upstart Tigers behind the heady play of Tajh Boyd… and he’s only a sophomore.

Boyd led Clemson to eight straight wins to start the season on the way to a 9-3 regular season record. The Tigers play Virginia Tech in the ACC Conference Championship Game for the right to represent the ACC in a BCS Bowl game on Saturday.

The Highlights:

11 straight games with 200 yards or more passing, 28 passing touchdowns and 10 interceptions, with a QB Rating of 143.1 for the season. 17th in the nation in passing yards per game with 278. Boyd leads the ACC in total passing yards with 3,338.

Clemson had quality wins over Auburn, Florida State, and Virginia Tech.

The Lowlights:

Boyd had a horrible game against South Carolina, 11-29, 83 yards passing, 5 sacks, 1 passing touchdown, 1 interception. The Gamecocks rolled over the Tigers 34-13 to end the regular season for both teams.

Boyd was sacked 27 times during the season.

9) Russell Wilson, University of Wisconsin, Senior, 5’11”, 201 lbs

Wilson, a senior transfer fromNorth CarolinaState, has made an immediate impact for the Badgers. His noticeably seamless ease into the role of the new starting quarterback for Wisconsin has paid dividends as Wisconsin is two Hail Mary plays away from being undefeated and playing for a BCS National Championship.

Wilson’s numbers may not overwhelm but his results do. Sporting a 10-2 record entering the inaugural Big Ten Conference Championship Game, the Badgers have an opportunity to defend a last second loss toMichiganState, this time the game is on a neutral field. Can Wilson lead Wisconsin back to the Rose Bowl for the second year in a row?

The Highlights:

Wilsonhas two 300-yard passing games on the year, has thrown at least one touchdown pass in every game this season with five rushing touchdowns. His passing yards per game ranks him 46th in the nation with 224 per game.

Other thanWilson’s ridiculous 192.9 quarterback rating, his most impressive stat may be the three interceptions he’s thrown in 260 pass attempts against a defense first conference.

The Lowlights:

Wilsonput up more passing yards at North Carolina State during his junior and sophomore campaigns, 3,563 in 2010 and 3,027 in 2009. The trade off for passing yards has been fewer interceptions thrown, a better team record, and the ability to rely on running back Montee Ball.

Ball is second total rushing yards in college football with 1,622 yards and two games left to play.

Wilson’s statistics will not get him an invite toNew York for the Heisman Trophy ceremony but his leadership and play for Wisconsin has been tremendous. He leads FBS in quarterback rating, is fifth in completion percentage, and is second in yards per completions with an average of 10.4 yards per.

If more was asked of Wilson one can only imagine how gaudy his numbers would be.

8) Nick Foles, University o fArizona, Senior, 6’5”, 240 lbs

Foles has NFL ability and gaudy passing statistics to prove it despite having very little overall talent around him. The Wildcats are 4-8 on the season with tough losses at USC and at Oregon State. Without him Arizona might be winless.

Foles is second in the nation in total passing yards with 4,334. Because the Wildcats have played their last game of the season, Foles may drop to fifth or sixth by the end of the postseason.

The Highlights:

2-1 touchdown to interception ratio (28-14), 10 games with over 300-yards passing (two of those games he went over 400-yards), and averaged 32.25 completions per game.

Foles has a completion percentage of 69.1. He is second in college football in total passing attempts and completions with 560 and 387 respectively.

He can play against the “big boys”: In 2011 Foles threw for 398 yards against Oklahoma State, 398 against Oregon, 425 against USC, and 388 against Washington.

The last three years Foles has progressively gotten better. His numbers are amazing especially considering all opposing defensive coordinators know they have to try and stop Foles somehow but never do.

The Lowlights:

Foles takes a lot of sacks – 23 in 2011 and 23 in 2010. How much of this is his fault and how much is the play of the offensive line can be debated. Considering the entire offense rests on his ability to throw the ball, all in all he has played really well.

7) Matt Barkley,UniversityofSouthern California, Junior, 6’2”, 220 lbs

Matt Barkley is a college quarterback candidate who may leave college early for NFL riches. The shame for USC fans is if Barkley returns for the 2012 season the Trojans will more than likely be a Top 10 preseason team.

The Trojans will also have something to play for in 2012 as 2011 is their last season under NCAA post season sanctions stemming from Reggie Bush’s NCAA violations.

Even without much motivation or overall team goals to shoot for, Barkley has led the Trojans to a 10-2 season and what would have been a PAC-12 South Division Title.

The Highlights:

Barkley has a 39-7 TD-INT ratio, six games of 300-yards or more passing, and has only been sacked 8 times. He has a passing touchdown in every game this season with two games of six passing touchdowns against Colorado and UCLA.

The Lowlights:

Barkley puts up great numbers but has games when he underachieves against better competition. Against Arizona State he finished 21-33 for 227 yards passing, againstCaliforniahe went 19-35 for 195 yards, and 24-35 against Notre Dame for 224 yards.

Truth be told, Barkley could use one more year of seasoning in college football.

6) Case Keenum, University of Houston, Senior, 6’2”, 210 lbs

Keenum may be a product of the offensive system he is in, regardless, he delivers.

The Cougars are 12-0 entering Conference USA’s Conference Title Game against No. 24 Southern Mississippi. IfHoustonbeats Southern Mississippi on Saturday, Houston will play in their first BCS Bowl.

The Highlights:

Keenum leads college football in just about every major passing category including total passing yards (4,726), passing touchdowns (43), completion percentage with a minimum of 300 attempts (73.2), and has only thrown 3 picks this season (14-1 TD-INT ratio).

His 393.83 passing yards per game leads FBS despite having fewer total passing attempts than 6 of the Top 10 quarterbacks in college football. Put in other terms, he’s more efficient than his counterparts.

Every Houston game during the 2011 season has finished with Keenum throwing for more than 300 yards; six of those games Keenum threw for more than 400 yards with one of those games going for 534.

If he throws one touchdown pass against Southern Miss he will tie his previous single season highs of 44 set in 2009 and 2008.

The Lowlights:

Keenum threw for more yards in 2009 (5,671) and 2008 (5,020).

Conference USA does not get the respect of the other power conferences; one could debate the level of play between the Big East and Conference USA. College football fans will always wonder how well Keenum would have performed playing against power conference teams every week.

UCLA was the lone BCS program Keenum faced in 2011; his first game back from a season ending knee injury in 2010 that occurred against UCLA. He finished the game 30-40 for 310 yards passing with 2 touchdowns and zero interceptions.

If Keenum puts up video game passing numbers inHouston’s bowl game his spot on the Top Quarterback list would jump dramatically. He will finally have an opportunity to prove himself against top tier competition.

5) Landry Jones,UniversityofOklahoma, Junior, 6’4”, 229 lbs

Will he stay or will he go? Entering the 2011 season Jones and company were preseason No. 1. The Sooners 9-2 team record may not have turned out the way he wanted but few could argue the success that Jones has had under center. The big question for Jones is will he stay on campus for one more year or pass up his senior year for NFL riches?

The Highlights:

Jones has eight games with 300 or more yards passing, ranks third in FBS in passing yards per game with 368, and averages 28 completions per game.

The Lowlights:

One can question the toughness of Big 12 defenses and the offensive numbers put up within conference play. Five of the top 20 passing quarterbacks in college football sling it around the Big 12; Seth Doege (Texas Tech), Brandon Weeden (OSU), Jones, Ryan Tannehill (Texas A&M), and Robert Griffin III (Baylor).

Are Big 12 quarterbacks that good or is pass defense an afterthought in that conference?

Texas is the only Big 12 team ranked in the Top 25 in total team defense.

In OU’s biggest non-conference game against Florida State, Jones finished 18-27 passing for 199 yards with 1 touchdown and 2 interceptions.

4) Tyler Wilson, University of Arkansas, Junior, 6’3”, 220 lbs

Tyler Wilson is a first year starter playing behind an average offensive line. All stats can be skewed but college football fans have to wonder how much betterWilson’s numbers could be if his offensive line gave him time to throw. He has been sacked 23 times in 2011. Who knows how many times he’s been knocked to the turf?

The Highlights:

Wilsonleads the SEC in total passing yards, completion percentage among QBs with 300 or more attempts (63.1), and yards per game (285.17). His overall numbers place him among college football’s elite especially considering he has faced three of the four top total defenses in the nation (Alabama, LSU, and South Carolina) and six of the top 25 pass defense teams in the nation (No. 1 Alabama, No. 2 South Carolina, No. 6 LSU, No. 12 Tennessee, No. 23 Ole Miss, and No. 25 Mississippi State).

Wilsonis 11th in FBS in total passing yards with 3,422 with an opportunity to move back in the top 10 during post season play.

InArkansas’ biggest non-conference game of the year,Wilsonthrew for a school record 510 yards against Texas A&M. Against South Carolina Wilson threw for 299 yards with two passing touchdowns.

The Lowlights:

Wilson’s two worst games came againstAlabamaand LSU when he finished with 185 and 207 yards passing respectively. He threw two touchdowns against Bama and one against LSU. He also threw one pick in both games as well.

3) Geno Smith, West Virginia University, Junior, 6’3”, 214 lbs

The 8-3 Mountaineers have been riding the electric arm of Smith’s all season long. Even in WVU’s three losses to LSU, Syracuse, and Louisville Smith has played well. He finished the game against LSU with 463 yards passing, 338 against Syracuse, and 410 against Louisville.

Smith has one more regular season game againstSouth Floridaremaining to add to his passing totals before their bowl game. Because the Big East only has eight conference members and not the twelve mandated for a conference title game, Smith will not get that extra game to pad his 2011 stats.

The Highlights:

Smith’s 5-1 touchdown to interception ratio (25-5) has been tremendous. He’s ninth in FBS in total offense per game with 332.91 yards per game, has seven games of 300 or more passing yards, and is fifth in the nation with 340 passing yards per game.

3,741 total passing yards has Smith ranked sixth in the nation.

The Lowlights:

Smith takes too many sacks (25) and his 65 percent completion rate ranks him 28th best in the nation.

Smith already puts up great numbers. One could argue that he should put up even better numbers in a weak Big East conference, but that is splitting hairs.

2) Robert Griffin III, Baylor University

An advertisement for Baylor football should read, “Baylor football is… Robert Griffin.” RG3 is the ultimate all around college football quarterback and arguably one of the best players in college football.

In Baylor’s three losses to Kansas State, Texas A&M, and Oklahoma State RG3 put up 346 passing yards against KSU, 430 against A&M, and 425 on OSU. The big statistic against those three teams is each team held Griffin to his three lowest rushing totals of the season, 6, 15, and 27 rushing yards respectively.

The Highlights:

Griffinhas thrown for 300 or more yards in eight games this season, over 400 yards in four of those games. His 34-5 TD-INT ratio, 72.6 completion percentage, 334.46 passing yards per game proves he is a complete quarterback.

College football passer rankings: 6th in passing yards per game (334), 2nd in total offense per game (390), and 2nd in quarterback rating (191.1).

The Lowlights:

It’s hard to poke too many holes inGriffin’s game but his 22 sacks on the season is a start.

He had season low totals last weekend against Texas Tech after being knocked out of the game with a concussion. He still finished the game with a passing touchdown, as he has every game this year.

1)Brandon Weeden, Oklahoma State University, Senior, 6’4”, 218 lbs

The only knock on Weeden as a college football quarterback is his age; he’s 28. No wait, that will be the knock on him going into the NFL. As college quarterbacks go, Weeden is great.

Weeden has led the Cowboys to a 10-1 record with a chance for a BCS Bowl berth. Even in Oklahoma State’s lone loss to Iowa State Weeden was great when he threw for 476 yards. His three interceptions against the Cyclones… were not so great.

The Highlights:

Eight games of 300 or more yards passing, three of those games he was over 400, one of those was over 500.

College football passer rankings: 2nd in passing yards per game (374), third in total passing yards (4,111) but should move into second barring injury after this weekend’s game against Oklahoma, fifth in touchdown passes thrown with 34, and eighth in quarterback rating (162.2).

The Lowlights:

Not too many holes to poke here. His 12 interceptions and 11 sacks could be improved upon. He has improved on his completion percentage from 2010, 67 to 73 percent.

Weeden was held to 218 passing yards against the Longhorns in Austin, the only defensive minded team he has faced all season.

Weeden may not be the best all around quarterback in the Big 12 with Robert Griffin lurking behind him. But should he have a great game against OU will Heisman voters realize how much better Weeden is than Andrew Luck?

Honorable Mentions

Ryan Alpine, Arkansas State

11th in total offense in FBS, averages 262 passing yards per game

 

Dan Persa, Northwestern

After returning from an injury, he leads FBS in completion percentage

 

Andrew Luck, Stanford

Luck is a media darling but statistically the fifth best QB in the PAC-12

 

Kellen Moore, Boise State

Average numbers in a non-BCS power conference, 290 passing yards per game

 

Zac Dysert, Miami of Ohio

Averages a FBS 11th best 293 passing yards per game

 

Brock Osweiler, Arizona State

Averages 303 passing yards per game, TD-INT ratio is poor (2-1)

HogManInLA’s Heisman Watch List: Week 14 Heisman Top Five-ish


 

Even though Robert Griffin III only got to play in the first half due to concussion like symptoms, he still finished Saturday’s game with three total touchdowns in a non-defensive game against Texas Tech winning 66-42… and Big 12 fans don’t understand why their high scoring offenses lose in BCS Bowl Games?

 

Trent Richardson put on another running back clinic againstAuburn. The only hole to poke in his game was zero rushing touchdowns. Not very Heisman like, but again, that’s poking holes against a guy that rushed for over 200 yards.

 

Montee Ball continued his assault on college football’s single season rushing records. Wisconsin will play Michigan State in the Big 10 Conference Championship, another opportunity to gain on Trent Richardson who not get to add another game’s worth of stats in the SEC Championship Game this year.

 

If Brandon Weeden has a shot to win the Heisman Trophy and gain new voters, this weekend’s game against Oklahoma will be his chance. The Bedlam Series not only could decide the BCS National Championship teams, assuming OSU can win big over OU, but also the Heisman Trophy winner. Weeden has two concerns coming out of the Big 12, 1) will Heisman voters split votes between Weeden and Justin Blackmon and 2) will Heisman voters split votes between Weeden and Landry Jones?

 

All talk may be for not if Heisman voters are still stuck on Andrew Luck. Despite the fact that Luck’s total numbers are pedestrian and he only has one quality win on his resume, somehow he is still a frontrunner according to media pundits?

 

Brandon Weeden (OklahomaState) Bye

 

Robert Griffin (Baylor) vs. Texas Tech

7-11 for 106 yards passing, 1 touchdown, 0 interceptions

14 rushes for 62 yards, 2 touchdowns

 

Trent Richardson (Alabama) vs. Auburn

27 rushes for 203 yards, 0 rushing touchdowns

1 catch for 5 yards, 1 receiving touchdown

 

Montee Ball (Wisconsin) vs. Illinois

25 rushes for 156 yards, 4 rushing touchdowns

2 catches for 0 yards, 1 receiving touchdown

*Ball is five touchdowns shy of Barry Sanders 1988 single season rushing touchdown record of 39.

 

Case Keenum (Houston) vs. SMU

33-46 for 457 yards passing, 5 touchdowns, 0 interceptions

 

Justin Blackmon (Oklahoma State) Bye

 

HogManInLA’s College Football Top 25: Week 14


 

  1. LSU 12-0
  2. Alabama 11-1
  3. Oklahoma State 10-1
  4. Arkansas 10-2
  5. Wisconsin 10-2
  6. Michigan State 10-2
  7. Georgia 10-2
  8. Virginia Tech 11-1
  9. South Carolina 10-2
  10. Houston 12-0
  11. Stanford 11-1
  12. USC 10-2
  13. Oklahoma 9-2
  14. Boise State 10-1
  15. Oregon 10-2
  16. Kansas State 9-2
  17. Michigan10-2
  18. Baylor 8-3
  19. TCU 9-2
  20. Arkansas State 9-2
  21. Nebraska 9-3
  22. Penn State 9-3
  23. West Virginia 8-3
  24. Clemson 9-3
  25. Southern Mississippi 10-2

 

A Win for No.3 Arkansas over No.1 LSU would have an Immeasurable Impact for Razorback Nation


Arkansas fans know the mantra well, “there’s always next year.” Well Razorback fans, next year has finally arrived. If Arkansas beats No. 1 LSU on Friday they should be a lock for the BCS National Championship Game, a position unfamiliar to Razorback Nation in a long time.

The Razorbacks have not won a national championship in football since 1964 and have been long suffering fans every since. The potential impact of anArkansaswin over LSU would not only help the team, the university, and the conference but it would also award the loyal Arkansas Razorback fans as well.

Following the national championship team of 1964, in 1965 No. 2 Arkansas finished the season undefeated with a chance to win the national championship. The 10-0 Hogs were in line to win it all after No. 1 Michigan State lost to UCLA 14-12 in the Rose Bowl.

All the Hogs had to do is beat LSU in the Cotton Bowl. The Razorbacks would lose 14-7 and that would be the last time they would finish within a game of being college football’s national champions. There is an air of familiarity for Friday’s game against that same Tiger program.

If the Hogs win, they’re in. The impact of a win for the University of Arkansas would be immeasurable at this point. Immediate thoughts would include a jump in university enrollment, jersey and Razorback paraphernalia sales would spike, an increase in monetary donations and endowments to the school would follow, bigger recruiting doors would open across the board for all Arkansas athletic programs, and a year’s worth of publicity by the national media for the Hogs would ensue.

More importantly what would a win over LSU mean to the Razorback Nation?

Feeling like the bride’s maid but never the bride, the Razorback fans have been loyal through the ups and downs of head coaches Jack Crowe, Joe Kines, Danny Ford, Houston Nutt, Reggie Herring (for one game), and Bobby Petrino and their players. A victory would give the Hogs a chance to differentiate them from the rest of the SEC and lay claim to SEC elite status. This moment in time is something Razorback fans have been wanting since joining the SEC in 1992, a chance for legitimate SEC bragging rights.

The Hogs have yet to win a SEC Conference Championship. Four times the Razorbacks have won or shared the SEC West Divisional Title representing the West in three of those years, 1995, 2002, and 2006; 1998 Arkansas did not play in the SEC Championship Game. All three SEC Title games ended in a loss further punctuating the differences between the Razorback program and their SEC East counterparts in Florida and Georgia.

Despite having the SEC Coach of the Year in 2001 and 2006, and the National Coach of the Year in 1998 with former head coach Houston Nutt, Nutt could never take Arkansas to the next level in the SEC. Nutt’s closest shot was in 2006, a year that ended with three straight losses to Top 10 teams (LSU, Florida, and Wisconsin) and a final record of 10-4. That downfall began with a 31-26 loss to the Tigers.

A win this year against LSU would also putArkansas’ overall record in the SEC above .500. The Razorbacks are 77-77 in conference games since 1992 with a record of 136-100-2 overall. This would be just another step along the way for the Hogs to join the SEC elite while defeating one of their biggest rivals and college football nemesis.

With bragging rights, a possible SEC Conference Championship Game berth, and a possible BCS National Championship Game berth on the line, this is what Razorback fans have been praying for. This opportunity is what the University of Arkansas hired Bobby Petrino for. This is what Bobby Petrino has done for Razorback fans in four short seasons.

The SEC has won five straight BCS National Championships, three of those won by SEC West rivals LSU in 2007, Alabama in 2009, and Auburn in 2010. This is Arkansas’ opportunity to add to the SEC streak and SEC West run for three straight.

Good luck to the Arkansas Razorback players and staff, you have the support of Razorback Nation behind you. We are ready to shake the feeling of being “snake bitten” year after year and ready to join college football’s elite.

10 Reasons Why No. 3 Arkansas will Beat No.1 LSU


The previous 2011 “game of the century” between No. 1 LSU and No. 2 Alabama will be a forgotten afterthought Friday night when No. 3 Arkansas travels to Death Valleyto take on No. 1 LSU. In a season full of upsets, the Razorbacks look to add one more team to the list.

Arkansasvs. LSU has quietly become one of the best SEC rivalry games and one of the best throughout college football. Since 2005 Arkansas and LSU have split their series 3-3. 21 total points separates the winning team from the losing team with Arkansas having the largest winning margin, winning by 8 points in 2010 in Little Rock, Arkansas. That’s a 3.5 average margin of victory between the two schools.

This year’s winner not only receives the Golden Boot Trophy but should end up in the BCS National Title Game. Thankfully CBS put this game back on the schedule the Friday after Thanksgiving before a college football hungry crowd.

The following article details how and why the Hogs will beat the Tigers.

 

 

Bobby Petrino versus Les Miles

 

Arkansas head coach Bobby Petrino has defeated Les Miles two out of the three times they have faced each other as head coaches in the SEC. In 2010 No. 12 Arkansas beat No. 6 LSU 31-23, 2009 No. 17 LSU beat unranked Arkansas 33-30 in overtime, and in 2008 Arkansas beat LSU 31-30.

Les Miles may have a BCS National Championship Trophy on his mantle but after Friday’s Razorback win over the Tigers so will Petrino.

 

Arkansas’ Improved Defense

 

In 2010 the Razorbacks finished the season ranked 36th in total defense. The Razorbacks’ defensive play started out poorly in 2011.Arkansasgave up 397 total yards of offense to Alabama in week four and 628 total yards to Texas A&M in week five.

Since their early season troubles the Hogs have slowly started to dominate their opponents on defense. The Hogs’ defense is currently ranked 44th in total defense.

The turnaround in play is due to the return of healthy players on defense. The Hogs were without both starting defensive ends Jake Bequette and Tank Wright and both starting cornerbacks Darius Winston and Isaac Madison for several games during the heart of their midseason schedule.

With the starters returning to action,Arkansasdefensive coordinator Willy Robinson has been able to develop more depth on the team but more importantly start calling stunts and blitzes again. The base 4-3 defense the Hogs had to run was putting very little pressure on the opposing quarterbacks.

 

Arkansas’ Improved Running Game

 

Breaking in three new starters along any college football team’s offensive line will take time before the players gel. The amount of time for the entire line to gel may take longer when two true freshmen, a junior college transfer, two sophomores, and two seniors are learning to play together for the first time.

Offensive line coach Chris Klenakis has progressively done a solid job of getting these guys ready to play week after week. Early season run blocking woes have subsided with the return of running backs Dennis Johnson and Broderick Green from injury.

Johnson, a junior, missed all of 2010 with a bowel injury and started the 2011 season with a hamstring injury. Johnson was slow to get back to full health but by the seventh game of the season he had a season high 15 rushing attempts for 160 yards. Over the past five games Johnson has averaged 98.6 rushing yards per game.

Johnson is only 44 total rushing yards behind LSU’s leading rusher Spencer Ware and 19 rushing yards behind LSU’s second leading rusher Michael Ford on the year.

Senior running back Broderick Green was thought to be lost for the entire 2011 season after tearing his ACL in spring practices. Green returned for the Texas A&M game to provide depth and power running for the Hogs on short yardage and goal line plays. Green has five rushing touchdowns in the six games he has played in this year.

 

Fearing the LSU Defense?

 

LSU was among the top defensive teams in the nation during the 2010 season finishing 12th in total defense. 2011 has been an even better statistical year for LSU’s second ranked defense in total yards allowed per game. But is LSU’s defense really better than last year’s?

The loss of lock-down cornerback Patrick Peterson was thought to be difficult to replace along with his abilities as a kickoff and punt returner. Middle linebacker Kelvin Sheppard was a beast for LSU in 2010 totaling 116 tackles. Who has replaced these leaders on defense?

LSU’s leading tacklers are safeties Brandon Taylor and Eric Reid with 61 and 58 tackles respectively. It’s not unusual for a safety to lead a defense in tackles but it is preferred that your linebackers make stops before the running back gets to “the defense’s next level”.

Junior cornerback Morris Claiborne has continued to play well in Peterson’s absence. Claiborne led the Tigers in interceptions in 2010 with five and has four this year.

No one has replaced Peterson’s special teams play on punt returns. Tyrann Mathieu leads the Tigers with 186 return yards with no punt returns for a touchdown.

Another note about LSU’s defense is the skewed statistics they have tallied this season. In games against Kentucky, Florida, Tennessee, and Ole Miss the Tigers were facing either the worse offensive units in the SEC or a backup quarterback.

Also, last year was a stellar year for offensive players in the SEC. There’s an impressive list of offensive SEC players that are gone to the NFL or injured this season. The list includes: Ryan Mallett, Cam Newton, Darvin Adams, Marcus Lattimore, Greg McElroy, Mark Ingram, Julio Jones, Mike Hartline, Derrick Locke, Knile Davis, Randall Cobb, and A.J. Green. Without these players in the SEC it seems easier for teams to rack up stronger defensive numbers than in 2010.

 

Arkansas has Better Playmakers on Offense than LSU

 

Arkansas quarterback Tyler Wilson leads the SEC in passing yards with 3,215 total yards. Jarrett Lee is 7th in the SEC with 1,306 total passing yards.

Arkansas’ senior receiver Jarius Wright is tied for the lead the SEC in receiving yards with 1,002 yards despite missing one game this season. LSU’s leading receiver is Ruben Randle with 755 yards.

Arkansas’ second leading receiver is Joe Adams with 595 total receiving yards. LSU’s second leading receiver is Odell Beckham with 410 total yards, 47 total receiving yards behind Arkansas’ tight end Chris Gragg and 31 total receiving yards behind the Hogs’ third leading wide receiver Cobi Hamilton.

LSU’s Spencer Ware has 650 total rushing yards to Dennis Johnson’s 606. Johnson has a 6.7 yard per carry average to Ware’s 4.1. Ware has also carried the ball 160 times; Johnson only has 91 rushing attempts on the season.

 

Overconfidence of LSU

 

LSU’s team confidence seems to be at an all time high, and rightfully so. They are the unanimous No. 1 team in the nation with quality wins over Oregon and Alabama.

LSU is battle tested after playing six ranked teams with two of those teams being Top 10 teams at the time of the game, but so are the Razorbacks.

Arkansas has played four ranked teams this season with two of those teams being in the Top 10. Mississippi State was ranked at the time LSU played the Bulldogs. The Bulldogs were not rank at the time Arkansas played them.

Three of the ranked teams LSU beat are no longer ranked.

 

Win One for Garrett Uekman

AfterArkansastook care of Mississippi State Saturday inLittle Rock44-17, the team was shocked to find out that their teammate Garrett Uekman had passed away Sunday. The sudden death of the 19-year-old redshirt freshman tight end will undoubtedly have a dramatic affect on the team entering the LSU game.

Not that the Razorbacks need extra motivation for their game against the Tigers with a possible BCS National Title Game berth on the line, but the opportunity to rally around a fallen player can prove to be an emotional and powerful tool for any team looking for a motivational edge.

 

LSU’s Defense versus Passing Offenses

 

LSU has not faced a passing offense likeArkansas’ this season. How well do the Tigers’ defense respond to offensive minded teams?

Oregon’s offense outgained LSU’s 335 to 273. The Ducks also ran 12 more plays than the Tigers, had a 4.1 yard per play average to the Tiger’s 3.9. Darron Thomas threw for 240 yards with 1 touchdown and 1 interception against LSU.

West Virginia’s quarterback Geno Smith threw for 463 yards against the mighty Tiger defense. Smith finished the game 38 of 65 with 2 touchdowns and 2 picks. The Mountaineers outgained LSU 533 to 366.

Oregon and West Virginia both lost the turnover battle against the Tigers. The Ducks fumbled three times losing all three times while the Mountaineers also fumbled three times losing the ball twice. LSU interceptedOregononce and WVU twice.

LSU did not throw an interception against either team.

Even “run first” Alabama not only outgained LSU’s passing attack, throwing for 199 yard to LSU’s 91 total passing yards but more importantly had success against their secondary.

One can argue that LSU’s bend but don’t break defense works. One can also argue that LSU has been lucky and, to their benefit, opportunistic at the right time.

Arkansas has the 10th best passing offense in college football with pass catching ability at wide receiver, tight end, and running back. Arkansas has a talent level and overall team speed that LSU has not faced in 2011. In 2010 Arkansas gave this same LSU defense trouble as the Hogs finished with 320 yards passing with three touchdowns.

 

The Hogs’ 5-2 Defense is ready to stop the Tiger’s Rushing Attack

Many fans may forget that the Hogs experimented with a 5-2 defense against early season foes and in fall practices. The thought was the Razorbacks could stop Alabama’s rushing attack with a 5-2 defensive front. The 5-2 defense was not put into use against the Tide as both of Arkansas’ starting defensive ends did not play a full game against Bama.

The Razorbacks have their starters back and depth along the defensive front. Look for the Hogs to use the 5-2 defense against the Tigers to slow down their running game making LSU one-dimensional. The Hogs would love for Jordan Jefferson or Jarrett Lee to try to beat them with their arm.

Arkansas has been slow to stop the opposition’s quarterbacks from running at times during the season. Using a 5-2 defense will help keep Jefferson contained and limit running opportunities throughout the game as well.

 

The Razorbacks are Overdue!

The last Arkansas Razorback National Championship in football came in 1964. The Hogs have been a couple of games away a time or two in the past but have not been this close to playing for the national championship since 2006.

The SEC has won five straight BCS National Championships with three of those wins coming from their SEC West counterparts: Florida in 2007, LSU in 2008, Florida in 2009, Alabama in 2010, and Auburn in 2011. Arkansas would like to add the sixth straight title to the SEC’s run.