A variety of sporting events worth mentioning took place in the Natural State and beyond last week.
First up – John Calipari, rolled out the inaugural version of his Razorbacks basketball team on Wednesday, hosting Troy University and soundly defeating the Trojans after finally catching fire from behind the 3-point arc in the second half. Prior to those 20 minutes of ball, the Hogs were shooting abysmally from out in the suburbs, going 9-31 in the previous two losses to old SWC foes – TCU and Baylor.
Big Z, the 7’2” sophomore Croatian sensation, led the long-range attack by hitting 6-7 treys, while blocking shots and snatching up rebounds on the reg. This kid is also unafraid to do the dirt, recklessly diving for loose balls and mixing it up on the floor with much smaller players. As I mentioned last week, in order to compete at the highest level in college hoops, teams must shoot the 3ball often and sink around 40% of them.
Then, speaking of former conference opponents, the University of Texas football team took to Reynolds Razorback Stadium Saturday morn, rekindling the 130-year rivalry against the Hogs, which had been idle since 2021. As one of the two final additions to the mighty, mighty SEC, along with the University of Oklahoma, this 3rd-ranked Longhorn team was flying high and looking to put the brakes on a two-game-losing streak to Arkansas.
Sixteen years had elapsed since burnt orange beat cardinal red, and the home team was hungry for another upset. The last highly ranked and heavily favored football team sporting orange and white that visited the Hill came out on the short end of a particularly brutal affair, when the Hogs upended Tennessee 17-14 last month.
Once again, the Razorback defense was the star of the show, as it continued finding ways to foil the Longhorns and their high-octane offense, holding them to mere field goals, time after time. Defensive Coordinator TWill has certainly earned his keep this season by keeping most teams outta the end zone more times than not. The only column they failed to fill up on Saturday was turnovers, and that goose egg has been the deciding factor in all five losses this season.
QB Taylen Green turned in another average-at-best performance and has continued to unimpress. As fleet of foot as he was advertised to be, it often seems like his cleats are stuck in wet concrete when he flees yet-another-collapsing pocket, which he does on a way-too-regular basis. Quality QBs must, at times, hang in there and deliver the ball to the playmakers, despite the avalanche of 300-lb. bodies constantly closing in around them. And as far as being an accurate passer is concerned, well, he ain’t.
As has been the losing formula all year – Green threw an early interception and was sporadically effective the rest of the game as the Hogs’ signal caller, mainly due to a knee injury suffered in the upset over Tennessee. When 100% healthy, he is dangerous but not so much when dinged up.
Next up for the Hogs – Louisiana Tech comes to Nam for a late-season, non-conference matchup. Thankfully, the team is one win shy of qualifying for a postseason bowl game. But why the U of A would schedule a cupcake in late November is beyond me. Where was this team during Homecoming, when LSU and the officials were mercilessly punishing the Razorbacks?
Hopefully, Malachi Singleton will get some reps next weekend and create a much-needed QB controversy up on the hill.
And finally, Mike Tyson and Jake Paul could’ve danced all Friday night in their ridiculously over-hyped and over-financed boxing exhibition. They ripped off a chapter from pro wrasslin’s playbook, as the two warriors talked loads of smack before the match and completely underperformed once the bell rang. At least they kept the blood/catsup to a minimum.
Until next week.
Wooooo…