Ask Mike: Hogs Are Bowling, Angry Internet Fans & Special Teams Screw Ups

Q. Our first question is from mousetown who wants to know: Were you surprised by the size of the crowd against La. Tech? You said on the Pig Trail pregame show that you thought it might be 45 thousand. On TV it looked like there was more than that.

A. I never predicted the size of the crowd. I said, based on what seemed to be a negative reaction on social media to the notion that Arkansas would have to beat a mid major team to get bowl eligible and the possibility that a lot of fans would stay home because they assumed that Arkansas would win, there could be a low turnout. I used 45 thousand as a possibility and said the difference between that and say, 65 thousand, might be the difference between winning and losing.

No question I was partly influenced by negative comments on social media about the game but also the possibility that like with the basketball team, a lot of fans assumed that Arkansas would win against a mid major opponent so why bother?

The crowd size was actually about halfway between the possibilities I mentioned, maybe 55 thousand. A lot of them left at halftime with Arkansas up 21-0. That could have been an issue since La. Tech scored two TDs in the second half but Arkansas added two more as well. I give the team a lot of credit for going out and winning that game and getting themselves bowl eligible.

Q. Patty Nelson says: Got to love Arkansas fans, win a game and they still want to come on social media and whine. Gosh can you for once encourage these young men?

A. I will tell you what some of my friends keep telling me. Fans who complain on social media are just one part of the fan base. Think about the fans who post positive comments on social media and the one’s who don’t post at all. Finally what about the fans who aren’t on social media at all. Getting mad at those slamming the coaches and players is not the answer. Putting those comments into perspective is the answer. Don’t let it get to you.

Q. Hawgredneck asks: Do we have a shot against Missouri? I like the way our defense has bounced back from the Ole Miss game but the offense is really hit and miss right now.

A. The offense sputtered for one quarter. Over the next three quarters they scored 35 points. Taylen Green looked like he was in a fog to start the game. We’ve seen this over and over. He’s inconsistent. But he came back to throw a pin point touchdown pass to Isaac TeSlaa and he ran for two touchdowns, one on 4th down another one in a goal line situation. Talk about pressure. His QB rating for the game was almost 90. There are fans who think he should be benched but even on social media there are more who defend him that want him off the field.

Green needs to get a whole lot more consistent if he comes back but here’s the bottom line. Bobby Petrino is the one who keep putting him out there and Green has started ever game this season and the only time he’s gone to the bench is when he’s been injured. I don’t think I know more about who should start than Bobby Petrino.

Q. Wayne Keeth says: Change QB…come on Hogs. Wayne Keeth later says: OK don’t…..Go Hogs.

A. This is how a lot fans react during a game. It’s an honest reaction. Green looks really bad. Get him off the field. Petrino keeps bringing him back and suddenly he doesn’t look bad at all. The man who makes the decisions can’t knee jerk react.

Q. TimTeNO wants to know: What exactly is “Arkansas brand football”? I heard it over and over in the player interviews. To me means being excited at the beginning of the season only to be stoked that Track is doing well so we have SOME success by the end of the season.

A. The players are just repeating what the coaches have said to them which probably means, Be focused. Be smart but be physical. Fight to the end of every play. If something bad happens forget it and concentrate on the next play. Be proud of that Hog on your uniform and play like it.

Clearly Arkansas brad football doesn’t mean that to you because you’re a fan, not a player and a frustrated fan as well.

Q: Armon Abbe asks: Do you agree that there’s a different reaction by players going to a lower level bowl game and fans who think there’s too many bowls and a lot of them aren’t worth watching?

A. Absolutely. Players put an entire year of their lives into each season. They want some kind of a reward. Some kind of acknowledgement that something did result from their efforts. This is why I don’t agree with fans who say get rid of all these bowl games. It’s not about you, the fan. It’s about the players and you don’t always look at things the way they do.

Q. Hog fan in j-town says: Another game with OL struggles. Maybe we need a new OL coach. I know there is not going to be a change until the end of the season but I think we need a change in coaching or better players up front.

A. Unless Pittman is gone you’re not going to see a new O-Line coach. As far as the players up front some of those guys who came in out of the portal will hopefully be back. A year in the SEC will make them better for next year. I also think they are going to have more NIL money in December and I would expect to see them try to bring in at least two and maybe three more quality linemen out of the portal.

Q. RazorAlex88 asks: What is up with that special teams unit? Getting pantsed with a fake field goal, fake punt AND another player running into Sategna on a punt return causing him to lose the football. GLAD FOR THE WIN but WHAT ON EARTH is Scott Fountain getting paid for?

A. Sam Pittman mentioned that after the game. Said they’re going to have to address those issues. Fountain has been taking heat since year one under. Sometimes I think he needs to go. Then they don’t have issues for a while and I change my mind. Special teams coaches have a tough job. They’re mostly working with young players who not in the two deep. They make mistakes and it happens to the best coaches. Remember the fake field goal Arkansas used to score on Alabama in Tuscaloosa?

Q. Terry Weatherford says: I guess the little whiney cash from Ole Miss can sit down and shut up.

A. It’s possible that he’s referring to Layne Kiffin but more likely it’s Jaxon Dart who ran his mouth to the Razorback defense after Ole Miss’s 6th touchdown against them. I agree. Could not have been a more fitting outcome for a player who doesn’t know who to win with class. Some may be thinking, a lot of players pop off during a game. To that I say this is about how a player reacts when their team is blowing another team out. It’s also about how a team’s QB reacts as opposed to his teammates. As Joe Ferguson once told me, a QB is the leader. He represents the entire team. He has to set an example. If he sets a bad example every one of his teammates can justify doing the same thing.

Q. The Hawk Hawkins says: I’ve heard you say the Aggies are always going to “Aggie out.” After watching them lose to Auburn and the way they lost, I get what you mean.

A. I honestly feel a little bad for them. After they beat LSU in Death Valley Aggie fans were all over social media. We’re finally gonna do it. We’re gonna play for an SEC title. We’re gonna win it and we’re going to the plays off. With Mike Elko we finally have a coach that thinks like we do. It was all coming together and yet, here were are again. But, they’re not out yet. Beat Texas and they’re back in the picture.

Q. EddyLynn asks: Do you think an SEC team with three losses still makes the playoffs? Some are saying that Ole Miss and A&M are still not out of it.

A. I think the Aggies have a better shot than Ole Miss. Mississippi State is the only team the Rebel Black Bear Landsharks from the ‘Sip have left to play. I don’t think a win in that game is going to impress the playoff committee. But what if A&M beats Texas? That would impress. Get to the conference championship game and win it? The Aggies would be in.

Q. WV Hogfan wants to know: With the expanded playoff is here a need to play the conference championship games since the loser could face elimination from making the playoffs?

A. That could be an issue but I have to believe that in most seasons any team that plays in the SEC championship game is going to get it. Why do they continue to play this game now that there are no divisions? I still think it’s important to name an SEC Champion and of course it generates both live gate and TV revenue that is shared by every team in the conference.

Q. racinghog has a solution for that, he says: Lets be real, the conferences are not going to give up that revenue. So would it be feasible for the conferences to go to the committee and ask that the playoff teams be announced before these games?

A. They could try but I doubt that the playoff people would go along with it. Why would they want to be stuck with a team that just got beat by 30 and maybe has two losses? You can’t have it both ways. If you want the money play a championship game and the two teams in it take their chances with making the playoffs. Most of the time both will get in anyway.

Q. PennHog says: The SEC seems to be devouring itself. Lower level teams have more talent with the portal but doesn’t that mean that top level teams have less depth?

A. Yes. It’s a combination of both. I also think that when players are getting the kind of money that is being thrown at them losing a game doesn’t affect them the way it would have before NIL and the portal. But this new found top to bottom parity is probably going away. When revenue sharing starts next spring where there is a cap on how much each school can spend on players and where NIL money is going to be reduced through the fair market value concept we’ve talked about, the traditional reasons why high school players go to certain high profile teams like Alabama and Texas will become more of a factor in recruiting. Portal transfer will be affected for the same reasons. I also think we will see cheating return with the NCAA trying to catch and punish the cheaters.

Q. Marty Byrde’s proxy asks: What do you think about more uniformity in scheduling? Each power conference plays two of it’s non conference games against two teams from another conference. A better sampling of how strong conferences are vs. each other.

A. We’re probably headed in that direction though not for the reason you mentioned. The TV people don’t want Alabama vs. South Alabama, Tennessee vs Tennessee Tech. Those games don’t draw big viewing numbers. A smaller audience affects what they are able to charge for TV spots. So we’ll get Alabama vs Michigan and Tennessee vs Ohio State.

Q: HotlantaHog wants to know: What’s your early assessment of the outlook for the Hogs basketball team? NCAA bound? Sweet 16? Bubble?

A. Too early to tell. Injuries are a big problem right now. Johnell Davis needs to start hitting threes and Jonas Aidoo need to get on the floor and start playing. I do think Arkansas will get in but the Hogs need to have a full roster to have a chance to advance to the round of 32 and beyond.

Q. KYHOG says: From what I saw on TV it looked like a much better crowd for the Arkansas Little Rock game than those other three home games. What was different about that game?

A. First, with a Friday game fans don’t have to get up the next morning and go to work. It was also the night before a Hog football game so fans from other parts of the state came up and watched a football and basketball game on the same trip to NW Arkansas. Finally, with an 8 p.m. start, NW Arkansas fans didn’t have to rush home from work and head for the game. They had time to go out and eat Friday night, which a lot of them do anyway, and still get to the game on time.