Ask Mike: Hogs Walking Wounded, NIL/Raffle Tickets, & Arkansas Disses Colorado

Q. Our first question is from our sometimes cranky friend mousetown who wants to know: What’s with all the players who missed the scrimmage with injuries?
All this talk about how physical camp has been and how good it will be for the team won’t matter if we’ve got a bunch of starters in street clothes when the season begins.

A. According to Sam Pittman none of the injuries are serious. Those guys could have played if it was game week. Holding them out was a precaution. But yes, injuries could still happen and up until last season Pittman was extra cautious about full scale blocking and tackling in the preseason. He changed that last year and by all accounts they are even more physical this year. Landon Jackson revealed in a press conference that they had some live drills the first day when they were in full pads. Every day they’ve had certain periods that feature live tacking to the ground except for the quarterbacks.

I believe in that. You can’t fail to prepare for the real thing because you’re scared of injuries. Already some teams have lost key players. Texas’ stud running back is out for the year with an ACL tear. A&M has lost its top running back too. Keep your fingers crossed and hope for the best. That’s all you can do as a fan.

Q. TL Slaten says: You’ve been talking up Jackson, the freshmen QB but according to Pitt Singleton is a solid #2. Does that surprise you?

A. Not really. Malachi Singleton is having a really good camp. Good for him. He’s got a season behind him over K.J. Jackson. I don’t see most of what the coaches see. I think they both have been looking good but if Talen Green has to go to the bench I think it’s good to start with a kid who has a full year behind him game even if he redshirted. According to Pittman Singleton has be very accurate with his passes, is making good decisions and even though he’s a different type of runner than Green he’s gotten the job done when he’s been forced to run.

Q. tophawg19 wants to know: What’s up with Shamar Easter ? He came in very highly rated and now is never mentioned. I see him doing drills but nothing said about progress. I’d hate to see a kid with that much promise transfer. He seems a bit light as far as weight also.

A. First of all tight end is probably the deepest position on the team. There are four of them who are game ready right now. Luke Hasz is an all conference type player. Ty Washington has shown promise since his freshman season. Even though he was able to redshirt he caught a TD pass in the Liberty Bowl win over Kansas. Last year he started three game before an injury ended his season early. Caught 11 passes for 170 yards and two touchdowns in limited action. Tight ends coach Morgan Turner is very high on Washington.

Var’keyes Gumms is a transfer from North Texas where he was a second team freshman All American. Last season at Arkansas he was learning to play at the SEC level. Played in 11 games. Didn’t have big numbers but had had a solid spring and in camp so far. He’s picked up Petrino’s offense well.

Andreas Paaske is a transfer from Eastern Michigan. At 260 he’s the biggest of the tight ends but is a good receiver too.

Turner did comment on Easter last week. He said they are high on him. They’ve seen flashes of what they think he can do. He needs to master the offense better and as you indicated he needs to get bigger. If they didn’t have all this depth there would be more urgency to play him but he’s a redshirt freshmen. There is no indication that he will transfer if he doesn’t move up the depth chart right now.

Q. Oklahawg says: Describe a moment during a past fall camp when you first got a feel that the team might really over-perform predictions? What led to your instincts on that one (and were they correct)?

A. I would say Sam Pittman’s second season, 2021. The 2000 season was a bounce back from those two awful Chad Morris years, especially considering the COVID 10-game SEC only modification with both Alabama and Georgia on the schedule and the horrible refereeing at Auburn that gave the game to the Tigers.

But they needed to get over .500 in 2021. In fall camp, watching KJ Jefferson lead the offense and Grant Morgan on the defensive side I just knew the team was going to take a major step forward and they did with 9 wins including that Outback Bowl win over Penn State.

Q. The_Bionic_Pig asks: Do you believe the coaches will have a “Duel Threat” package for Ja’Quinden Jackson? After all he was the #2 overall recruit out of the state of Texas as a High School Quarterback.

A. He talked about it when he first came in last spring. Of course he was open to the possibility but Jackson didn’t say anything to indicate that it had been discussed with him by the coaches. So far we haven’t see anything to indicate he will throw the ball but if it’s in the offense we won’t likely see it in practice. I think it will happen and when it does it will be a big surprise.

Q. teamOTIS wants to know: What do you think about the new iPads coaches and players will use to watch and review individual plays? Also, how would you utilize the iPads as a coach?

A. I think it’s a bigger game changer than letting the QB and one defensive player be connected so they can hear instructions from the coaches between plays. To have the ability to look at each play, between plays, for mistakes and positives, will change the way the game is coached from the sideline. It will require an entirely new skillset. How well does a coordinator or position coach use that video as a tool? I predict that some staffs will be better at it that others. It might make the difference in some games.

As a head coach I would have started training my staff last summer. Put video from last season on the I-pad and sit down, taking the role of a player and have that coach explain to me what I did right or what I did wrong and made corrections if necessary.

I would have both coordinators approach me as the head coach and use video to explain how we need to change our game plan based what the video those I-pads show.

I predict this will be huge for those coaches who know how to use this technology effectively.

Q. WVHogfan asks: Do we have players taking the leadership role to hold players accountable for their actions on and off the field? I believe we didn’t have this leadership last year.

A. Last season was all about dissention on the team. When you have players not buying in, things start to come apart. I don’t see one or two players doing what you suggest. From what I’ve heard it will be several. But the main strategy is to bind the players together in a one-for-all and all-for-one approach. A lot of the issues that caused the problems last year are gone. Sam Pittman has traded an offensive coordinator that the players didn’t like for one that they can’t stop talking about.

There’s a much more equitable NIL balance on the team and the relationship between Taylen Green and the other players is night and day different from what they had with K.J. Jefferson.

Q. Axle wants to know: Where are we on the naming rights for DWR stadium? Any thoughts on possible replacements?

A. None that I’ve heard of. I don’t expect to see a new name on the stadium until the athletic department gets ready to make some more renovations and improvements to the football stadium. I think there are other project ahead of that one. Like Bud Walton Arena.
I would not hazard a guess on the name change. It might be an out of state corporation or something local.

Q. Hogdogger asks: So what is wrong throwing the horns down sign? I couldn’t believe this was as issue. Are the fans being insensitive? Texans need to toughen up if that is even possible.

A. There will be no issues with fans throwing the Horns down sign. It all about how players use it on the field. If a ref views the way it’s done as a form of taunting there will be a flag. If not there won’t be a penalty.

Sam Pittman has said he will have a simple rule for his players. Don’t do it. At all.

But as a fan you can relax. Flash that sign as much as you want from the stands.

Q. austin.hogfan wants to know: Has someone collected all the Olympic 2024 medals won by those related to Arkansas, whether from the university, born here, etc.? I know some go back to their home country to represent but still like to include those as well.

A. Not sure what you’re asking. If it’s putting those gold medals on display in a trophy case it would be up to each athlete to agree. The gold medal belong to them. They won it.

If something like this happens, which would be cool to see, the media will tell you about because it would be big news.

This is the best Olympics ever for the Razorbacks. I think there were seven gold medals won by current, former Hogs or the pro team that is in Fayetteville. The track program has been getting the attention it deserves these past two weeks.

Q. Eddylynn says: This developing story about an online raffle to generate NIL money for the Razorbacks is confusing. Supposedly it’s a great idea but some mysterious person at the university is blocking it but nobody seems to know who it is or why? What’s up with that?

A. Basically the marketing director of Saracen Casinos is offering to operate a 50/50 raffle before football and other Arkansas sports events where the holder of the winning raffle ticket gets half the money with Arkansas Edge collecting the other half. He says it could generate several million dollars annually in NIL money. However, since the raffle would be online some state regulations governing sports betting would have to be modified. Apparently there is opposition to this coming from somewhere but he seems confidence it will go though.