The Arkansas Board of Trustees is listening to fan outrage
Arkansas football fans are made about the sorry state of the program. They absolutely should be. The Arkansas Board of Trustees might be listening to what fans have to say. 247Sports has the story:
"The University of Arkansas Board of Trustees will be taking a deeper look into Razorbacks athletics, but with more of a focus on the competitiveness of the football program, according to a press release on Friday afternoon. The Board announced they unanimously passed a resolution which directs President Jay B. Silveria to lead a comprehensive review of the competitiveness of Arkansas' entire athletic department, "including steps to improve the resources available to the football program." According to the release, it was proposed by trustee Ashley Caldwell, seconded by trustee Steve Cox and unanimously adopted by the board at the end of Thursday's meeting.
"'Like all passionate Razorback fans, the Board of Trustees is united in the goal to ensure the competitiveness of all Razorback sports and specifically to restore the rich tradition of Razorback football,' said Randy Lawson, in the release. 'We expect this review to be comprehensive, and we trust President Silveria to lead this effort to identify how we can improve our position, including identifying the necessary resources and empowering key people to be successful.'"
There is something simple but very important to mention in light of this news story. It doesn't require an elaborate explanation: This resolution and the subsequent review of the program needs to lead to action. It can't be performative theater with no actual substance behind it.
Translated: This needs to get Hunter Yurachek fired. It needs to lead to the hire of an athletic director who knows how to run a football program. Yurachek plainly does not. Arkansas needs a much more skilled, visionary, creative, bold athletic director who does not hire coaches who have to do their own fundraising. Arkansas needs an athletic director who will make sure Arkansas' budget and player acquisition expenditures are robustly competitive in the SEC. Arkansas needs an athletic director who will not project weakness, who will get stuff done instead of complaining.
Human beings don't like resolutions and declarations of frustration if they don't lead to concrete action and real results. Evaluating the Arkansas athletic program isn't bad, but it won't mean anything good unless there is real follow-through and proof of a willingness to do things differently - and better - compared to now.
Right now? Hunter Yurachek is running this program into the ground. Real change, not just words or review panels, is a necessity for Arkansas football.
