Arkansas football is a mess, but let's identify the right reasons
Arkansas football is heading in the wrong direction, and everyone knows it. The start to the season has been so ugly that one can't dispute the flawed and fractured nature of the program. Everyone is trying to get at the root of the problem, but in the process of trying to find the right angle from which to criticize the overall operation, some inconsistencies are emerging. Consider this Best of Arkansas Sports article, which begins with a quote about how the defense tried to prepare for Utah's offense but didn't follow through on game night:
"'Obviously you have to be aware of the double passes and whatnot,' linebacker Ben Bogle said last week. 'We’re not stressing about it too much, but we’re definitely aware of it. I feel like we’re preparing in a very good way to make sure no trickery, or we call it voodoo, kind of stuff happens.'
"Perhaps the Razorbacks should have stressed about it a bit more, as the Utes’ first play from scrimmage was a 36-yard gain from a double pass: Dampier to Ficklin to running back Wayshawn Parker. The Arkansas offense already having obvious tells in Week 2 is a massive concern. Of course, this isn’t a completely brand new staff on that side of the ball. Offensive coordinator Tim Cramsey, quarterbacks coach Mitch Stewart, wide receivers coach Larry Smith and offensive line coach Jeff Myers all followed Silverfield from Memphis to Arkansas. There was plenty of tape for Scalley and Co. to study from their days with the Tigers, and Cramsey’s poker face was clearly lacking.
"To try and revive Arkansas’ woeful defense from last year, Silverfield brought in a 58-year-old defensive coordinator who for popularized tite fronts, creeper blitzes and a number of other modern defensive tactics. While Ron Roberts brings a wealth of SEC experience, however, the same can’t said about the staff on the offensive side of the ball. Cramsey produced top-25 scoring offenses in all four of his seasons calling plays at Memphis. But after a quarter of a century in the coaching business, this year is his very first at the Power Four level. The 50-year-old’s previous coordinating stops took him from Florida International to Montana State and everywhere in between, but it was always at the Group of Six level or lower.
"David Bazzel — a former Razorback team captain who founded the Little Rock Touchdown Club and created the Broyles Award — revealed in the depressing wee hours of Sunday morning that some of the top-level assistant coaches from around the country he’s rubbed elbows with have cast doubt on the hires Silverfield made this offseason."
The article is saying how out of its depth the offensive coaching staff is, but the defense wasn't exactly a pillar of strength and dependability. The defensive staff might be more experienced, but it's not as though the defense achieved a better result than the offense. Trying to say that the offensive coaching staff isn't equipped for big-time football (as opposed to the defensive staff) doesn't really make sense when both sides of the ball were outclassed.
Obviously, adjustments and improvements need to be made on this staff, but when you consider what they are working with, don't expect the improvements to be immediate or substantial.
