FAYETTEVILLE – Arkansas’ chances at a bowl game have pretty much disappeared after a 1-2 start, which included embarrassing losses to Colorado State and North Texas.
Now, it’s all about moving forward in recruiting and getting back to the basics. After all, recruiting is how the Razorbacks found themselves in this situation, and the only way out of it is through recruiting.
Arkansas currently has the No. 21 recruiting class in the country for the 2019 cycle, which is as high as the Hogs have been since 2009.
Holding the class together is head coach Chad Morris’s most important task.
“My message to them (the commitments) is the same message I give to our football team,” Morris said. “Look, we’re in a storm. When you face adversity and you face a storm in your life, the one thing you know for certain is it will eventually pass. I don’t know when, but it will pass if you believe it.
“It’s the same with recruits. Talking to these recruits and having them on campus, it’s hey, look, we’re in a storm. If you’re going to jump ship, you’re going to go through storms in your life. You better understand that every day we wake up, we’re in the process of getting better. It’s something we have an opportunity to offer here at the University of Arkansas. An opportunity to come in here and be a part of a program that’s going to continue to grow and get better.”
If there is a silver lining in Arkansas’ disastrous start, it’s that Morris and his staff can sell early playing time at a number of positions. Sure, every coach in college football is selling the same idea, but Arkansas can sell it and mean it.
Until more help arrives, though, Morris is trying to make the most of what he does have on hand.
“Going back to basics,” Morris said. “What can we do? As I mentioned to the staff, let’s reduce, simplify, give clarity. Let’s find some things that we can do and let’s hang our hat on it as we continue to battle through this storm we’re in.
“I know offensive football. I know what it takes to be successful. I do know what it takes to score points and that’s one of my messages as we go back to basics. Let’s get good at it – if it’s only four things we can do, then let’s just get good at those four things. Maybe we only get ten percent of the offense in this year. Then let’s be very effective with ten percent of that offense.”
The Razorbacks could be in for another rough one this Saturday when they visit No. 9 Auburn for a 6:30 p.m. matchup on the SEC Network. The Tigers will be looking to get back on the right track after coming off a disappointing 22-21 home loss to LSU last Saturday.
Arkansas’ last trip to the Plains went down as one of the program’s worst losses of all time, 56-3.
Morris will be facing off against an old friend in Auburn head coach Gus Malzahn, who helped introduce Morris to the Hurry-Up-No-Huddle offensive philosophy in the early 2000s.
“A guy that is a great friend of mine,” Morris said. “I’ve played against Gus before and have great respect for him and what he’s done and how he’s taken that program and definitely done a fabulous job, as he’s done everywhere he’s ever been. But I look forward to getting our football team better. That’s what I look forward to.”