Josh Bertaccini's Sports Blog

With Season Over for Hogs, the Real Coundown Begins

2012-11-24T17:08:00.002-08:00

A 20-13 loss to LSU yesterday at Razorback Stadium ended the Arkansas football season at 4-8, a mark that fell far short of preseason expectations. In retrospect, hopes for nine or ten wins this year were unrealistic at best, but it's still bittersweet when you see how hard the Hogs competed in their final game of the year, for nothing more than pride with no bowl game on the line.

It's hard to measure the frustration Razorback fans have endured with their football program over the past seven months. Watching Tyler Wilson, Cobi Hamilton, Dennis Johnson and (likely) Knile Davis hit the exit door of their college careers yesterday didn't make it any easier to swallow.

From the very moment that Bobby Petrino's motorcycle went into a curbside ditch near Elkins late last March, the 2012 season became a veritable throwaway. Nobody wanted to hear it back in the spring, or the summer either, for that matter, but dreams of a return to the BCS mix for Arkansas were done. Not that Petrino was the best recruiter, or the best defensive mind, or even the best possible leader of young men. What he was though was a tremendous offensive coach, a scary motivator and a competitive freak.

Jeff Long had no choice but to do what he did once Petrino had put the program and the University at risk with his reckless behavior. Whether or not John L. Smith was the best possible replacement can be debated all you want, but why waste your breath? No one was going to come into Fayetteville and recreate the intimidating mojo that Petrino had just flushed down the drain with him.

So they took their lumps this year, many times over, with the upset to Lousiana-Monroe in Little Rock setting a terrible tone, only to be followed up by massacres at the hands of Alabama and Texas A&M. A loss to Rutgers was painful too, as were defeats to both Mississippi schools, Rutgers and South Carolina.

Wins against lowlights Auburn, Kentucky and Tulsa did little to the ease pain, and neither did the ongoing coaching search talk. Surely 2012 will be remembered as the limbo year for the Razorbacks. It was the inbetween season where every name under the sun came into the mix as a possible candidate, including some who were so unrealistic as to be laughable.

But such was the state of the Razorback football conversation this year. Even as the season already fades in the rear view mirror, the anticipated hiring of a new coach within the next week or two will be the focus of the fans, a point for rebirth and reinspiration. It can't come soon enough.

-JB

Razorbacks Lose RB Knile Davis, Must Find Ways to Persevere

2011-08-12T12:17:00.000-07:00

This was supposed to be the dream season for Razorback football when all the offensive pieces came together at once.

It was going to be the team with so many weapons, offensive mastermind Bobby Petrino wasn't going to know what to do with himself.

It could have been the year when Knile Davis built upon a scary wrecking ball performance from 2010, running all the way to Broadway in 2011, for a red carpet appearance with Johnny Heisman in December.

And then, last night, in slow and terrifying fashion, the news about Davis started trickling across Razorback nation, one bleeding red fan by one, until, to paraphrase Keyser Soze, it became undeniably clear that "just like that---poof---he was gone."

It would be easy for Razorback fans to play the "woe is me" card, and nobody would fault them for doing that. But that's not what hurts the most right now. What hurts the most is knowing that nobody is more heartbroken for Knile Davis than Knile himself. He was heavily invested in this season, and had clearly emerged as the emotional leader of this offense in the spring, staying that way, from all accounts, throughout the summer. Coming off a campaign in which he led the SEC in rushing with 1322 yards, the workhorse junior from Texas was expected to tote another hefty load, setting the pace for an inexperienced, though talented, quarterback in Tyler Wilson.

Considering he'd averaged an incredible 6.2 yards per carry last year, and at 6'1, 240 pounds is built like a bona fide freight train, there'd have been little reason to doubt him.

Until last night's disastrous turn of events at evening practice.

Just seven plays into a full scrimmage, in what was only the eighth day of fall practice, after carrying the football a mere three yards into a "typical player pile-up", according to one assistant coach, Davis went down and didn't get up.

The immediate aftermath was chilling, with Knile's clearly audible screams the first indicator that something horrible had happened.

The word is Knile suffered a fracture of the lower left tibia, which in layman's terms means he has a broken left leg, and for all intents and purposes, will not play football at all this year.

It was a shot to the gut, for the staff, for the fans, for the team itself. But none more so than for Davis. His lengthy history of broken bones---a right ankle in high school and again as a freshman at Arkansas, a collarbone as a sophomore, now a left ankle---grows even longer.

"I am extremely disappointed for Knile," head coach Bobby Petrino said. "He is a captain who was incredibly focused for the upcoming year. His leadership throughout the offseason was significant in the development of this team. Our athletic trainers and medical staff are the best in the country, and Knile's mental toughness will be an asset to him during the recovery process. I am fully confident in the mindset of our running back group and their ability to perform."

It was highly appropriate that Petrino, now in his 4th year with the Hogs, closed his brief statement with an encouraging glance at Ronnie Wingo, Dennis Johnson and Kody Walker. The talented lightning flashes were set as the alternates to Davis' tempo-setting thunder.

Now they are the main event.

From a touches standpoint, Wingo is likely to be the biggest beneficiary of Knile's absence. The shifty tailback is visibly bigger and broader than a year ago, and will need to be, running through the behemoth lineman filling the trenches of the SEC. He's got the swagger and confidence to have a great season, but there's no way he can withstand the wear and tear of being an every down back all the way through.

Fortunately, he won't have to be, as junior Dennis Johnson returns from his own injury early last season. DJ is a great kickoff returner, but now will get a likely ten plus carries per game too. Surely he's excited about the chance to be even more involved on offense.

Freshman Kody Walker is inexperienced, but looks confident so far in practice. He's got a dart to his step, and Petrino will have no qualms about giving him a shot early now.

The young tackles will have to find their groove in a hurry, to buy time for the offense to make plays down the field.

Obviously the spotlight now shines even brighter on junior quarterback Tyler Wilson, as if there was ever any evading it in the first place. Tyler will have to be sharper earlier with less of a sure thing behind him. He must find his quartet of gamebreaking wideouts---Greg Childs, Joe Adams, Jarius Wright and Cobi Hamilton---whenever the opportunity presents itself.

Another positive spin on a bad situation is the fact the injury happened during fall practice, and not during the course of the season when there is little time to get new personnel into the mix. Make no mistake, Petrino and his staff will use every inch of August to adjust the playbook as much as they can. They will have to get even more creative offensively, and Petrino will probably secretly relish the challenge, as much as one can after watching his stud tailback suffer a devastating injury.

Even with the loss of Davis, the 2011 University of Arkansas football team remains deep and highly talented. It will be harder to close out games without a go-to clock grinder, but I still believe they have a realistic shot of getting to a BCS game for the second straight year.

But the margin for error just got a whole lot smaller. And there's definitely no time to be wasted sitting around bemoaning a dream that could have been. The reality of this season can still be sweet.

You have to believe Petrino will find ways to persevere, and so will the rest of these Razorbacks.

They must take a tragic turn and find a way to make it make them stronger.

That's the nature of life in the SEC. There's no other choice.

-JAB

US Women Fall Short in Cup Final, America Shrugs

2011-07-17T14:32:00.001-07:00

Every four years, America shines a light on a sport that we as a nation don't really care about all that much. They call it football, we call it soccer. It makes little difference: the lack of offensive fireworks has long kept the beautiful game from being anywhere near all that popular in the United States.

Strangely it's a fringe sport that most of us played at some point growing up. In fact, we tend to see it as a good one for getting the kids some exercise while enjoying the outdoors autumn weather. But being competitive on the international level is something the men's team has yet to approach, despite competing for over 60 years. Sure, people get up for it every four years, but it's only for a few weeks, and by the time the last eight teams are left standing, we're already talking about baseball again (not that we ever really stopped).

Instead, it's been the American women who have fared better in Cup play, though the female version of the event has only been held since 1991 (USA having won 2 of the 6 titles). The hype for the Women's World Cup is just about on par with that of the Men's, which is to say, most sports followers in a country filled with them at least keep an eye on it. And a lot of that has to do with the championship run by the Mia Hamm led '99 team, which culminated with America blasting China in penalty kicks and Brandi Chastain ripping her shirt off to cap an exciting female title run on a big media stage for the first time.

The afterglow wasn't so sweet. Soccer has remained in the margins for this country, despite the persistence of incredibly lame Major League Soccer. (Seriously, do you know anyone who has ever gone to a game? Me neither.) And the last two Cup runs by American women weren't so sweet. USA failed to make the final in either, finishing 3rd both times. But this Cup in Germany was supposed to be different. With a new generation of soccer stars leading the way, Hope Solo, Abby Wombach and Megan Rapinoe were supposed to end the drought. And then a funny thing happened: they didn't win.

After a wobbly 2-1 mark out of group play that was marred by a throttling at the hands of Sweden, the US gutted its way through an exciting penalty kick win against Brazil in the quarterfinals. France was too slow to stop the American girls from rolling through the semifinal round, but Japan stood its ground in the Final, dodging US attacks early and often.

Opportunities certainly abounded for the US side in the first half, but a couple of clanked posts and a hard crossbar still equaled no goals at the break. The second half saw 22 year-old star Alex Morgan give the Americans a late regulation lead off a strong finish of a long ball by Rapinoe. But just minutes later, the US defense squandered the advantage on a bad defensive sequence in front of its own goal. In extra time, Morgan hit Abby Wombach for a header goal that looked like it would clinch the game, only to see Japan's Hamare Sawa hit a on a sensational one-timer rocket off a corner kick to tie it up at 2-2 and force a shootout for the crown.

That's when it all got a little hazy for USA coach Pia Sundhage and the Americans. Instead of using her better shooters early on in the kickoff, Sundhage saved them till late. Japan struck early and often, and goalkeeper Ayumi Kaori was lockdown on her saves when it mattered most, while Solo faltered. Cruelly, American scorer Alex Morgan never even got a chance to shoot by the time Japan had clinched the penalties, and the Cup, 3-1.

A great win for the Japanese undoubtedly, particularly when you consider their country was truly devastated by a major earthquake and subsequent nuclear power disaster just a few months ago. Sometimes sports can help the healing process, if only emotionally, and this victory will surely do some of that for Japan.

On the flip, simply a disheartening loss for the Americans, who believed so deeply and were so close to their ultimate goal, only to see it all slip away at the very end. And now women's soccer will disappear from public view for the next four years, because that's just the way it goes around here.

Canada 2015 anyone?

-JAB

Just An Audio Reminder

2009-10-20T15:04:00.000-07:00

For those of you interested in hearing some unedited, in-depth takes from your favorite UCLA Bruins, check out AM 570 KLAC’s website at http://www.am570radio.com/. Go to the “On Demand” drop down menu, click on “UCLA”, and there you shall find some extra audio goodies.

Thanks again for checking out the blog.

Regards,
Josh B.

UCLA Rocked By Cal, .500 Halfway Home

2009-10-20T15:02:00.000-07:00

(first published on KLAC's Bruins Board website --- 10/20/09)

It’s all unraveled so quickly for the Bruins. After Saturday’s 45-26 home loss to a mediocre Cal team, what once was a promising 3-0 start has devolved into a 3-3 mark that reeks of one obvious fact: UCLA is still competing underhanded. Which is to say, head coach Rick Neuheisel has yet to significantly close the talent gap that has plagued Bruins football for years. USC clearly still runs this town.

None of this is meant as any kind of a bash. It’s not even meant as a complaint about the Neuheisel Era. Too little has transpired in too short a span of time to fairly judge this coaching regime yet. But concerned Bruin fans are talking, and it’s not just about the troubles at quarterback. The whispers are growing louder. Senior linebacker Reggie Carter knows that. He also knows the 2009 season is getting late fast.

“In a lot of ways, it’s all about momentum,” Carter told me after the Cal game on Saturday. “I mean, if you ask me to point out something specific, like whether we’re missing tackles or assignments or something fundamentally wrong, I’d be the first to say, ’Hey guys, we need to go and fix this. Or we need to go work on that.’ But the truth is I just don’t see it. I mean, our offense is young, but that’s no excuse . . . We’ve got to find a way to make this better.”

The pain in Carter’s voice was tangible. He’s a player who’s always worn his emotions right out there on his sleeves for everybody to see. He genuinely cares about leaving some kind of legacy, however small, for the next class of Bruins to build on. It’s just not happening right now.

“I’m feeling more comfortable and I want to say that we’re getting there, but I know that’s not good enough,” freshman quarterback Kevin Prince said in the locker room on Saturday. This after throwing for a career-high 310 yards and looking drastically improved from an abysmal performance against Oregon a week earlier. “The coaches, the fans, all my teammates, they deserve better and I’m just going to keep doing my best to give it to them.”

Prince is going to get better as time goes on. Remember, this is a guy who hadn’t even played in a competitive football game since his junior year in high school. Physically, he’s got the tools to deliver. And there’s no doubt that freshman Jonathan Franklin is the real deal. His 74 yard lightning flash against the Bears proved that. A little undersized, he runs smoothly and downhill most of the time. When he’s not banged up, he can hold his own with just about any running back in the conference. But the wide receiving corps longs for someone to step up and be the go-to guy. Everyone just keeps wondering when and where that’s going to happen.

“I’m not going to sit here and give you all a bunch of excuses, that’s just not going to happen,” Neuheisel stated from the post-game podium last weekend. “We’re a young team and we’re trying to get better, and it’s really tough to see how well we were playing in the first quarter of the season, at three and oh, then watch the second quarter of the year, at oh and three, and now we’re kind of back where we started. Now it’s up to us to fight through this and find a way to close out the second half of the schedule as strongly as we can. I still believe in this team, and I know that the guys in that locker room do too.”

A defense that played so magnificently early on this year has sprung some leaks against the run. That 93 yard touchdown for Jahvid Best was both beautiful for Best and utterly atrocious for the UCLA ‘D’. Silly penalties have emerged as a nagging problem too, as exemplified by Datone Jones’ pointless personal foul after a third and long stop that gave Cal a first down early in Saturday’s fourth quarter. Those kinds of plays can be devastating to a defense’s mental momentum, and it’s hard to tell which player is going to step up and grab it back. (Could UCLA use another pick from Rahim Moore right now or what?)

Red zone woes have plagued this team too. Nothing against kicker Kai Forbath—he’s probably the best and most reliable player on the team—but you don’t want to see his number called every time the Bruins get deep into enemy territory. Four field goals in four red zone trips just leaves you with an empty feeling inside. Kind of like you forgot to eat your dinner.

“All we can do is focus on the next game, the next practice,” Carter summed up. “We’ve just got to do everything we need to in order to go and beat Arizona next weekend. We do that, and things will change for us in a hurry. I know it.”

No easy task in beating the #23 Wildcats on the road. They’re playing really well while UCLA is oh for the conference slate, though it's clear that this team still hasn’t played its best game. Unfortunately for Blue & Gold fans, it’s running out of time to do so and save yet another Bruins’ season from being bowless.

Hopefully, it all changes on Saturday in Tucson, for everyone’s sake.

-JAB

Cal Brings Issues, Talented Best to Rose

2009-10-17T09:33:00.000-07:00

(first published on KLAC's Bruins Board --- 10/15/09)

It's a matchup of two reeling Pac-10 teams in Pasadena on Saturday. Both California and UCLA have hit the skids of late.

The Golden Bears were thankful for a bye last weekend that at least guaranteed they wouldn't get blow out again. Prior to that, eighth-year coach Jeff Tedford saw his Cal crew destroyed 42-3 by Oregon on the road before USC throttled the Bears 30-3 on their home turf. It hasn't been pretty, to say the least.

"We're struggling right now to get our swagger back, you know, and our confidence about what we're trying to do," said star tailback Jahvid Best earlier this week. "I still believe in this team and I know everybody in our locker room does to. Hopefully, we can get back on track (against UCLA on Saturday)."

The word is out on how to defend California. Teams who stack the line and contain the uber-talented Best have a shot to beat California. The junior running back had just 102 yards on 30 rushing attempts the past two weeks as both Oregon and USC pressed eight up in the box and took Best out of the game.

When teams have trouble carrying the rock, they usually turn to the air. But Golden Bears' junior quarterback Kevin Riley is only completing 51% of his passes this season, though he does have a good ratio of five touchdowns to just one interception. He couldn’t complete 40% of his passes against Oregon or Cal.

Additionally, the Golden Bears' defense was shredded in both of its last two contests, giving up 524 yards to Oregon and 457 to USC. It hasn't made Tedford happy. "This team has as much talent as any group in the conference," he proclaimed in Tuesday's teleconference. "I know we're capable of better things collectively, but we have to get some momentum rebuilt and rolling first."

California's problems aside, the UCLA Bruins are 3-2 and coming off of two straight troubling defeats. The team could only muster 16 points on the road at Stanford and just 10 a week later home to Oregon. Just when it looked to be turning a corner, the running game for the Bruins has headed south with just 95 yards on 26 carries against Stanford and a miserable 66 yards on 33 carries against Oregon.

Defensively the team has been good against the pass but has been struggled against the run in each of the past two games. Freshman Bruins quarterback Kevin Prince will get the start again despite a 13 for 25 performance for 81 yards last week home to Oregon. The freshman is hitting on 54% of his attempts this season with 2 touchdowns and 3 interceptions. The Bruins are 9th in the Pac 10 in total offense producing just 282 yards per game and a miserable 4.5 yards per play average.

One of these clubs will turn it around and get the confidence going again on Saturday at the Rose Bowl. With both of these teams so up and down so far this year, it's hard to predict who that's going to be. When in doubt, go with the home team.

Prediction: UCLA 24 - California 21

-JAB

Oregon Blows Past UCLA, 24-10

2009-10-11T09:09:00.000-07:00

(first published on KLAC's Bruins Board website --- 10/11/09)

No Jeremiah Masoli at quarterback for the Ducks yesterday at the Rose Bowl. No matter. A flurry of third quarter touchdowns, solid game management by backup Nate Costa, and Oregon rolled over a fatigued Bruins' defense en route to a 24-10 win.

For UCLA, it was the second straight Pac-10 loss after beginning the year with a 3-0 record. The Bruins are now 0-2 and in danger of bottoming out in league play with a loss to California at home next weekend. Oregon is 5-1, with a 3-0 conference mark and five straight wins after a season-opening loss at Boise State.

"That's what our team does," first-year Oregon coach Chip Kelly said. "They feed off each other. When somebody makes a big play, the other guys feed off that. These guys have a great attitude, a great chemistry right now. It's fun to be around them."

It was a tale of limited offense and missed red-zone opportunities for Rick Neuheisel's crew in this one. In the first half, UCLA saw a third and goal from the one yard line lead to zero points. Consecutive quarterback sneaks by QB Kevin Prince went nowhere. Later in the fourth, UCLA wideout Terrance Austin took a punt return inside the Oregon twenty-yard line. Again, the Bruins went for it on 4th and goal, this time from the five, but came away with nothing.

Kicker Kai Forbath's 52 yard field goal was responsible for the only points on the board at halftime, UCLA with a 3-0 lead.

"There are no excuses for that really," freshman RB Jonathan Franklin said afterwards. "Our defense is playing its guts out, and we didn't give them the kind of lift or breathing room that we needed. I really don't know what to say, other than we've got to keep working at getting better and converting (red zone chances). That was so disappointing out there today."

Freshman QB Kevin Prince returned from a fractured jaw for UCLA. After a conservative, mistake-free first half, Prince unraveled in the 3rd quarter amidst a flurry of Ducks' touchdowns. The Bruins saw their 3-0 halftime lead dissipate quickly when Oregon's Kenjon Barner returned the second half kickoff 101 yards for a touchdown. Moments later, Prince gift-wrapped a touchdown for Ducks' CB Talmadge Jackson, with an interception on an out throw for Terrance Austin that was returned 32 yards for a score. Less than two minutes after that, Prince lost a fumble that Oregon recovered. The Ducks rolled in for a third straight touchdown a few plays later, Nate Costa hitting receiver Jeff Maehl for a 20 yard score up the middle of the field. That grabbed a 21-3 lead for the Ducks and they never looked back.

"We've just got to get much better as a team, especially on offense," said UCLA coach Rick Neuheisel. "Our defense lays it on the line out there, play after play, but our offense has got to move the ball, score points, take time off the clock---really do all the little things that help both units stay fresh. We'll get to fixing this stuff right away, and I know we'll have a better effort next weekend."

Linebacker Akeem Ayers accounted for UCLA's only touchdown with a great interception in the Oregon end zone late in the third quarter. He picked off a forced throw by Costa, then planted both feet down before falling out of bounds. Unfortunately for the Bruins, it was too little, too late.

UCLA hosts Cal next Saturday at 12:30 at the Rose Bowl. Tune in to AM 570 KLAC for all of your Bruins coverage, starting two hours before every kickoff.

-JAB

Ducks Flock to Pasadena for Big Bruin Test

2009-10-10T15:48:00.001-07:00

(first published on KLAC's Bruins Board website --- 10/7/09)

At 4-1 overall, with a 2-0 mark in Pac-10 play, there's no doubt first-year head coach Chip Kelly has Oregon football headed the right way. Four straight wins since an opening night loss at Boise State (something about LeGarrette Blount throwing a punch?) have pushed UO to #13 in the national polls. But Jeremiah Masoli, Oregon's do-everything playmaker at quarterback, injured his knee in last weekend's win over Washington State. He'll likely miss the Bruins game, giving backup Nate Costa a chance for his first career start.

How he fares against a UCLA defense that is one of the tops in the country will be a huge determiner of the outcome in this one. But it's not all about Oregon's QB situation; the Bruins have been forced to shuffle the deck there as well. Starter Kevin Prince had his jaw fractured in last month's win over Tennesee. He missed two games, and while senior backup Kevin Craft played well in his stead, it's likely that Rick Neuheisel will turn back to his redshirt freshman for Saturday afternoon's game.

The clash of tailbacks will focus on UCLA's Jonathan Franklin, who seems to run harder with every game, and Oregon's breakout back LaMichael James, who's averaging more than six yards per carry.

UCLA hasn't beaten a ranked opponent yet this year, and it's probably not happening at the Rose Bowl this weekend.

Prediction: Oregon 20 - UCLA 13

-JAB

Cardinal Derails Perfect UCLA Start, 24-16

2009-10-10T15:45:00.001-07:00

(first published on KLAC's Bruins Board website --- 10/4/09)

Stanford is for real, and UCLA’s perfect start to the 2009 season is over. Riding senior tailback Toby Gerhart 29 times for 134 yards, the Cardinal offense displayed a steady balance all game long, en route to a 24-16 win.

It was the first win for Stanford over UCLA since 2003. That was also the last time the Cardinal made a bowl game. With head coach Jim Harbaugh now in his third year as Stanford’s head coach, his team genuinely looks like it’s turning a corner. Of course, having a quarterback like Andrew Luck certainly makes it all look a little easier: the redshirt freshman was 14 of 20 on his throws for 198 yards and the all-important donut in the interception column.

Stanford was a highly efficient 7 for 13 on 3rd down conversions; UCLA was a dismal 2 for 10 on the key plays. Time after time, Luck was able to pick up the blitz ahead of time and deliver his throws on the mark for the Cardinal.

“He’s a talented player, and he really just picked us apart there in the first half,” said Bruins’ coach Rick Neuheisel. “When you let their running game get going early with that big back (Toby Gerhart) of theirs, you put yourself in a difficult situation.

RB Jonathan Franklin rushed 14 times for 58 yards to lead the Bruins ground attack. Stanford Junior WR Ryan Whalen led all receivers with six catches for 188 yards.

After falling behind 24-6 early in the second half, UCLA began to chip away. Kicker Kai Forbath drilled another of his three field goal makes during a twelve minute span that framed a 1 yd TD dive from Jonathan Franklin.

Still, the deficit for UCLA was too much to overcome, as the Cardinal ran out the clock on their final drive.

“I was real proud of the way we fought back, everyone sticking together,” offered Bruins’ QB Kevin Craft, who was 22/34 for 206 yards without a pick. “But the bottom line is you have to find a way to get things evened up, and then get ahead and stay there. We came up short today.”

Stanford remains perfect in the Pac-10 at 3-0. UCLA falls to 0-1 in conference, with a home against #13 Oregon looming next Saturday at the Rose Bowl.

-JAB

Bruins Head North, Open Pac-10 Play

2009-10-03T09:44:00.000-07:00

(first published on KLAC's Bruins Board website --- 10/1/09)

With Saturday’s looming trip to Stanford (3-0, 2-0 in Pac-10), the undefeated UCLA Bruins (perfect through the ’09 non-conference slate) feel ready for the grind of Pac-10 play. And the Bruins coaching staff took full advantage of their extended practice time since the Kansas State win.

While it has been a full two weeks since UCLA played in a competitive football game in pads against anyone except each other, you wouldn’t know it listening to senior middle linebacker Reggie Carter.

“We’re focused, man,” offered Carter on Tuesday, the defense’s signal-caller and emotional leader. “Being three and oh right now, I mean it’s great and all. I’m not gonna lie and say I’d rather be where we were a year ago. But the thing that we all gotta remember, and keep telling ourselves, is that we really haven’t done anything yet. And that’s not me just putting us down. We have to focus on the fact that we still haven’t played a single Pac-10 team so far and there’s a lot of work left do do.”

The Cardinal should give UCLA all it can handle at Stanford Stadium this weekend. Jim Harbaugh’s crew is an impressive 3-1 out the gates with the only loss coming by 3 points to Wake Forest on the road. Lopsided conference wins for Stanford over both Washington schools have the team at 2-0 in the league, good enough for first place right now.

One of the main reasons why Harbaugh’s Cardinal is having so much success this season is its outstanding special teams play. Return man Chris Owusu already has three kickoffs returned for touchdown this season, tying the Pac-10 single season record set by USC’s Anthony Davis (’74) and UCLA’s Matthew Slater (’07). His long returns have boosted Stanford’s field position and greatly affect which side of the field teams are playing on.

To kick to Owosu or not to kick to him? That is the question that UCLA special teams coach Frank Gansz Jr. has dealt with for the past two weeks. A safer bet would be to stay away, but you don’t want to give Stanford the ball at the 40-yard-line every time either.

“He’s a problem,” says Gansz, matter-of-factly. “Just when you think you have containment, the guy busts through a couple defenders and he’s gone. We’ll have to treat him very carefully this weekend. He’s a game-changer, no doubt.”

The Bruins are off and running too though, with three wins in their first three games for the first time since 2005. That team went on to win ten games before some late season hiccups. With top Pac-10 teams dropping like flies just about every weekend this year, the door is certainly ajar for someone new to squeeze through this year.

“We know what our goals are,” said head coach Rick Neuheisel in his weekly Pac-10 teleconference. “And we know that we’re capable of achieving them. I really do believe that this group has the chance to put something special together over the course of the season. The bye week was good for us. It gave us a chance to freshen up, shake off some bumps and bruises here and there. We got a lot of quality practice time in too, so that was a big plus. Once the season gets rolling, sometimes it can be hard to keep the rhythm of practices. So it was nice to get that back for a bit and sharpen some things up— especially in terms of our red zone production and kick coverage.”

Though UCLA’s offense hasn’t exactly been lighting it up on the scoreboard just yet, it’s already clear that the ground game is significantly better than it was a year a go. Freshman TB Jonathan Franklin is getting decent space thanks to a vastly-improved offensive line. And fullback Derrick Coleman has been a nice change of pace runner for offensive coordinator Norm Chow’s scheme. But the quarterback position remains unsettled, though the seat stays warm. Senior QB Kevin Craft was a bit shaky at time during the home win over Kansas State a couple weeks back, but he made some key throws in the second half when he had to. He should be fine against an average-at-best Stanford ‘D’, so long as he continues avoiding the big mistakes that plagued him last year.

Meanwhile, injured freshman starting quarterback Kevin Prince is said to be all but recovered from the fractured jaw he suffered at the end of the win over Tennessee. He’s walking around visibly ten or so pounds lighter than before, but says his head feels fine. Prince will not travel with the team, but will make the trip to Stanford for the game on Saturday. He’s expected back under center against Oregon at home next weekend.

Prediction: UCLA 17 - Stanford 13

-JAB

UCLA Halts Wildcat Prowl, Perfect Into Bye

2009-09-20T18:47:00.001-07:00

(first published on KLAC's Bruins Board website --- 9/20/09)

San Diego State? Check. Tennessee on the road? Check. Kansas State? After last night’s 23-9 win in front of 67,311 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, you can put a check next to that one too.

Three and oh for the first time since 2005, and just one win short of last year’s season total of four. Not enough to make a coach happy, but good enough for now. As UCLA’s Rick Neuheisel says, “the real work begins in Pac-10 play in two weeks against Stanford.”

But a 3-0 run through the non-conference slate to start is just the way Neuheisel would have drawn it up. “Obviously this is the spot you want to be in right now,” the UCLA head coach remarked afterwards. “We’re playing with a lot of confidence. But it really doesn’t mean we’ve accomplished much of anything yet—except beaten three pretty good teams.”

Maybe the late start time had something to do with it (kickoff wasn’t till a quarter past seven), but this game had an energetic atmosphere that the Bruins’ season opener against San Diego State lacked two weeks ago. Surely a road win over Tennessee last Saturday in Knoxville had at least a little something to do with a more densely-packed blue in the stands in Pasadena for Kansas State.

70-year-old Bill Snyder is back stalking the sidelines for the Wildcats, but he can’t make tackles or score touchdowns. His mostly inexperienced and now 1-2 Kansas State crew looked unsure of itself from the get-go against a stout UCLA ‘D.”

Senior Kevin Craft was announced as the starting quarterback shortly before kickoff, ending any remaining speculation about who Rick Neuheisel would turn to in placed of injured starter Kevin Prince. Craft set a single-season school record with 20 interceptions thrown in 2008, but looked far more composed under center this time around.

For the Wildcats, star running back Daniel Thomas was limited to 54 yards on 15 carriers. Quarterback Carson Coffman was 20 of 34 for 193 yards, but threw two picks and was sacked six times.

Freshman tailback Jonathan Franklin rushed for a career-best 119 yards on 23 carries and Kai Forbath kicked three field goals without a miss for the Bruins (3-0), who get a bye next weekend before a trip to Stanford and the opening of Pac-10 play on October 3rd.

“Right now, the key is just staying focused,” senior cornerback Alterraun Verner reflected in the locker room, after a two interception performance that brought his season total to three. “Working on the things we need to work on, improving on the little stuff. We have a chance to be a really good team, now it’s up to us to get there.”

-JAB

Bruins Ready For K-State Visit

2009-09-19T22:03:00.001-07:00

(first published on KLAC's Bruins Board website --- 9/17/09)

Contain speedster Daniel Thomas and everything else should fall into place for UCLA’s defense against Kansas State on Saturday. The junior tailback rushed for over 100 yards in each of the Wildcats’ first two games. Of course, Massachusetts and Lousiana-Lafayette aren’t exactly college football powerhouses.

New old head coach Bill Snyder (70 in October) needs to get more out of junior quarterback Carson Coffman if he wants to avoid a long season. Coffman was mediocre at best in last week’s 17-15 loss to the Ragin’ Cajuns. So far, the Wildcat offense has greatly missed the play of QB Josh Freeman, chosen by Tampa Bay with the 17th pick in April’s NFL Draft. But Coffman has the mobility to add dimension to a rather bland Kansas State attack---Thomas notwithstanding.

For UCLA, the challenge goes beyond defensive containment. Freshman quarterback Kevin Prince fractured his jaw late in last week’s 19-15 win over Tennessee; he’s expected to miss at least two games. In his place will be either freshman Richard Brehaut or senior Kevin Craft. Head coach Rick Neuheisel hasn’t revealed his starting choice yet but did say he may play both in the game.

Whoever gets the call will be reliant on further strong play by a rejuvenated UCLA offensive line. Last year the Bruins averaged under three yards per carry. Through two games, that number is up to more than four, and the pass protection has been reliable as well.

Non-conference games in September do not a Pac-10 championship team make, but they sure do build confidence. Saturday’s home game against Kansas State should be no different. Look for the Bruins to head into their bye week full of momentum.

Prediction: UCLA over Kansas State, 27-10

-JAB

UCLA QB Prince Injured, Out a Month

2009-09-14T15:40:00.000-07:00

(first published on KLAC's Bruins Board website --- 9/14/09)

At 2-0, UCLA's 2009 season is off to a healthy start. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for its starting quarterback. Signal caller Kevin Prince is expected to miss a month of action after fracturing his jaw in Saturday's road win at Tennessee. X-rays taken on Sunday revealed the break, requiring his jaw to be wired shut while it heals.

The redshirt freshman led the Bruins to a 19-15 victory over UT in Knoxville's Neyland Stadium over the weekend, completing 11 of 23 passes for 101 yards with 1 TD and no INTs. It was just his second collegiate start since making his debut against San Diego State to open the season.

Prince suffered the injury with just under two minutes left in the game. He was hit hard in the face by a couple of Vols' defenders while being tackled for a safety. The QB was clearly in pain on the Bruins' sideline after the play, stretching his jaw while a bloody towel covered his cheek. Despite the fracture, Prince did return for UCLA's final two offensive plays of the game---both kneel downs to secure the win.

"This is a tough blow for Kevin and our football team," UCLA coach Rick Neuheisel said. "We hope he recovers quickly, but we have other talented quarterbacks in our program. We have confidence in all of our guys and we will get them ready to lead us against Kansas State."

Which brings about the question of who will take Prince's place under center against Kansas State (1-1) on Saturday? The top two candidates are true freshman Richard Brehaut, who's actually listed as Prince's backup on the depth chart, or senior Kevin Craft. Brehaut is a talented recruit who played late in the season-opening win against SDSU. Craft was the UCLA starting QB for all of 2008 and brings plenty of experience to the table---along with a school record 20 INTs from a year ago.

Stay tuned for further updates on the UCLA quarterback situation as they come in.

-JAB

Josh's 2009 NFL Predictions, Part 2: The NFC

2009-09-13T13:20:00.001-07:00

NATIONAL FOOTBALL CONFERENCE

NFC East

(y)-Philadelphia Eagles (13-3)
(x)-New York Giants (10-6)
Dallas Cowboys (8-8)
Washington Redskins (5-11)

NFC North

(y)-Minnesota Vikings (11-5)
Green Bay Packers (9-7)
Chicago Bears (8-8)
Detroit Lions (5-11)

NFC South

(y)-New Orleans Saints (12-4)
(x)-Atlanta Falcons (10-6)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-10)
Carolina Panthers (4-12)

NFC West

(y)-Arizona Cardinals (10-6)
San Francisco 49ers (9-7)
Seattle Seahawks (6-10)
Saint Louis Rams (4-12)

y- division winner
x- wild card

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Playoffs: 1st Rd: Minnesota over Arizona, Atlanta over New York
2nd Rd: Philadelphia over Atlanta, Minnesota over New Orleans

NFC Championship: Philadelphia over Minnesota

Super Bowl XLIV: Philadelphia Eagles 27-24 over Pittsburgh Steelers

Best Head Coach: Andy Reid, Philadelphia
Best Offensive Player: Adrian Peterson, Minnesota
Best Defensive Player: Justin Tuck, New York
Best Rookie: Beanie Wells, Arizona

-JAB

Josh's 2009 NFL Predictions, Part 1: The AFC

2009-09-13T13:05:00.000-07:00

AMERICAN FOOTBALL CONFERENCE

AFC East

(y)-New England Patriots (12-4)
New York Jets (9-7)
Miami Dolphins (8-8)
Buffalo Bills (3-13)

AFC North

(y)-Pittsburgh Steelers (13-3)
(x)-Baltimore Ravens (11-5)
Cincinnati Bengals (8-8)
Cleveland Browns (5-11)

AFC South

(y)-Indianapolis Colts (11-5)
(x)-Tennessee Titans (10-6)
Jacksonville Jaguars (7-9)
Houston Texans (5-11)

AFC West

(y)-San Diego Chargers (11-5)
Denver Broncos (7-9)
Oakland Raiders (5-11)
Kansas City Chiefs (4-12)

y- division winner
x- wild card

-----------------------------------------------------------

Playoffs: 1st Rd: Baltimore over Indianapolis, Tennessee over San Diego
2nd Rd: Pittsburgh over Tennessee, New England over Baltimore

AFC Championship: Pittsburgh over New England

Best Head Coach: Bill Belichick, New England
Best Offensive Player: Darren Sproles, San Diego
Best Defensive Player: Troy Polamalu, Pittsburgh
Best Rookie: Mark Sanchez, New York

-JAB

Defense Holds Late, Bruins Stun Vols On Road

2009-09-13T09:08:00.000-07:00

(first published on KLAC's Bruins Board website --- 9/12/09)

As the 2009 season approached, UCLA's coaching staff knew defense would be the backbone of this year's team. Two games into the year with two victories to show for it: So far, so good.

Leading by six points in the closing minutes of yesterday's battle with Tennessee in Knoxville, UCLA was up against the wall---literally. The Vols had driven 52 yards to the Bruins' 2 yd line and had a 3rd & goal coming up. But defensive coordinator Chuck Bullough didn't flinch, and neither did his unit.

"Up against it, on the road, loud environment, fatigue factoring in . . . I couldn't be prouder of the toughness we showed," said Bullough afterwards. "We've got a lot we can do better, but so far, we've got the right attitude and guys are stepping up for each other in big spots."

The Bruins' 'D' closed the hole twice on Vols' running backs---first on Bryce Brown, then on Montario Hardesty. The result was a 19-15 nailbiter of a win, UCLA's second straight against Tennessee following last year's victory at the Rose Bowl. The Bruins are 2-0, while Lane Kiffin suffered his first loss as the Vols' head coach. UT is now 1-1.

After throwing for five touchdowns in Tennessee's 63-7 season-opening massacre of Western Kentucky, Vols' senior QB Jonathan Crompton had an awful game at home against UCLA. Finishing 13 for 26 for just 93 yards and 3 interceptions, the Bruins' front seven got in his face constantly. And big games for DT Brian Price and the D-line usually bode well for the secondary. Senior Alterraun Verner got his first pick of the year, while sophomore S Rahim Moore snared two more---for an incredible total of five interceptions in just two games. It would have been six if not for an offsides call that wiped out another one.

"I just read the quarterback," Moore offered later. "I knew that Crompton had some skills, but I also knew that he could throw a pick because any quarterback can. I was just sitting back and reading the quarterback."

It wasn't a pretty game for either offense. UCLA managed just 186 total yards, but freshman QB Kevin Prince didn't make any huge mistakes. He was 11 of 23 for 101 yards and a 12 yard touchdown toss to fullback Chane Moline. Prince looked rattled early, but for a guy playing in just his second collegiate game, did an impressive job of keeping his poise in front of 100,000 loud Vols' supporters.

The Bruins fumbled an astonishing five times in the game, but lost only one of them. Head coach Rick Neuheisel noted there's plenty of room to get sharper.

"To come in here and find a way to beat a team like Tennessee," said Neuheisel, "that says a lot about our team's character and what we're made of. The offense hasn't looked pretty yet, those guys are still trying to figure things out, but I know we'll get better and it sure feels great to be 2-0 right now."

Placekicker Kai Forbath continued to show why he's one of the best in college football. Missing one early kick from 51 yards out, Forbath canned all four of his other attempts, including three straight to start the second half that broke a 10-10 halftime deadlock and gave UCLA a 19-10 lead after three quarters.

Bruins' freshman running back Jonathan Franklin had a strong game as well, with 80 yards rushing on 17 carries. That mostly cancelled out Tennessee tailback Montario Hardesty, who gained 89 yards on 26 attempts. And Franklin set a physical tone early, with some ploughing up-the-gut runs that helped the Bruins take the opening kickoff deep into UT territory for an early field goal.

UCLA is now 4-0 against the SEC since 2000 (two wins apiece over Tennessee and Alabama). Next up for the Blue & Gold is the final non-conference game of the year at home on Saturday against Big 12 foe Kansas State (1-1). The Wildcats lost a tough one to Louisiana-Lafayette on Saturday, 17-15.

-JAB

For UCLA, Tough Challenge Looms in Knoxville

2009-09-11T21:43:00.000-07:00

(first published on KLAC's Bruins Board website --- 9/11/09)

Four first half interceptions. Three significant injuries to starters. 29 total team yards rushing.

Statistically, it doesn’t sound like the makings of an upset, but that’s just what it was for UCLA against Tennessee last season in head coach Rick Neuheisel’s Bruins debut.

“I still remember the good feeling I had inside,” Neuheisel said earlier this week. “The excitement of being back coaching on the college sidelines, at a place that had so many great memories for me . . . And then our guys hanging on and pulling it out in overtime. Just a great day, all around.”

The Bruins pulled off a 27-24 victory despite allowing the Vols to tie the game on a field goal at the end of regulation. Kai Forbath canned a 42 yarder in the extra session to give UCLA its final winning margin.

“We were feeling a little tired there at the end, but guys stepped up and made plays and we pulled it out,” remembered cover stud Alterraun Verner, who had one interception in the game last year. “I really thought it was a sign of things to come for us, but it didn’t go down like that. Now we have a chance to really use this game a springboard.”

Tennessee is probably feeling the same way. The Vols switched coaches from Philip Fulmer to Lane Kiffin this year, and things got off to a fiery start last week against Western Kentucky. QB Jonathan Crompton set a career high with five TD tosses, and Kiffin’s crew set a record for most points scored in a Vols’ coaching debut with a 63-7 shellacking of the Hilltoppers. A group of talented young receivers seems ready to step up for UT, while running backs Montario Hardesty and Bryce Brown form a dynamic tandem at tailback.

Oh yeah, and then there’s that Eric Berry guy on defense. A likely top five NFL draft pick after the season, the junior safety is so diversely talented that some in Vols land truly believe he’ll be the second defensive player to win the Heisman Trophy, and the first since Charles Woodson became the first to do it, for Michigan in 1997. A stretch? Probably, but Berry is really good at making opposing quarterbacks look really bad. UCLA’s Kevin Prince, playing in just his second NCAA game, would do well to avoid throwing anywhere near the safety, just to be on the safe side.

The Bruins beat the Vols last year at home, even with those aforementioned ugly numbers. It’s no stretch to say that UCLA is a better team now than it was then. But so is Tennessee, and they’re the home team for this one. Don’t let anybody tell you that’s anything less than a huge advantage in a relatively evenly-matched football game.

Sorry, Bruins fans. I have to go with the Vols in this one.

Prediction: Tennessee over UCLA, 24-17

-JAB

UCLA Rallies Past SDSU In '09 Opener

2009-09-11T21:39:00.000-07:00

(first published on KLAC's Bruins Board website --- 9/6/09)

For a half, the San Diego State gave UCLA all it could ask for. The Aztecs took the opening kickoff and drove 69 yards in 14 plays to grab a 7-0 lead five minutes into the game. A Rose Bowl crowd of 55,761 was hushed early. But it would get better, with the Bruins spotting the Aztecs an 11 point lead before eventually rallying for 30 straight points of their own and a 33-14 win.

“I think early on we were just a little overaggressive,” offered senior linebacker Reggie Carter in the locker room afterwards. “Guys were missing some tackles. I mean, it’s the season opener, you’re trying to get the fans into it, plus you gotta give them a lot of respect. They’re not a bad team.”

Whatever the reason for the sluggish start, quarterback Kevin Prince had a lot to do with the turnaround. The redshirt freshman started and played in his first collegiate game, hitting on all of his first five passes. There were few signs of the jitters from Prince, and the offensive line’s play had a lot to do with it. Aztec defensive pressure was greatly limited in this one.

“Last year, the offensive line was a weakness for out team,” said center Kai Maiva. “Nothing against the guys who were here, but this year we need to be a lot better if we’re going to be as good as we think we can be. Tonight was a good start.”

Still, San Diego actually led this one 14-3 late in the first quarter. It took touchdown runs of 12 yards by Jonathan Franklin and 30 yards by Derrick Coleman to turn the score around. Throw in a blocked field goal returned 65 yards for a touchdown by cornerback Alterraun Verner and a five yard TD toss from Prince to WR Terrance Austin, and this one was all wrapped up by the fourth. Sophomore safety Rahid Moore had a big game as well, adding three interceptions.

“It’s a good first game,” summed up head coach Rick Neuheisel. “We did some things really well out there, but we’ve obviously got all kinds of stuff to work on. That’s what we’ll be doing this week, ironing out the kinks from this one while we prepare for a great opponent in Tennessee.”

Last year, UCLA nipped the Vols by three points in overtime at the Rose Bowl in the season opener. It would prove to be the high point of the season for the Bruins en route to a dismal 4-8 campaign. Now the Bruins try to make it two straight over one of college football’s powerhouses.

“Any time you get to play in a stadium like Neyland in a place like Knoxville, it’s a special experience,” said Neuheisel. “Winning there would just make it that much more special.”

-JAB

2009 UCLA Bruins Football Preview

2009-09-11T21:30:00.000-07:00

(first published on KLAC's Bruins Board website --- 9/2/09)

First acts are usually tough to follow, but the UCLA Bruins and head coach Rick Neuheisel shouldn’t have all that much difficulty topping their debut campaign. After a surprising season-opening 27-24 overtime win over Tennessee at the Rose Bowl, UCLA proceeded to lose eight of its last eleven, en route to a dismal 4-8 campaign. Hardly the stuff that Neuheisel’s “Move Over USC” rhetoric was supposed to be made of.

2009 should be a drastically better season in Pasadena for a variety of reasons. Foremost among them is the return of three stellar defensive players---all at different levels of the ‘D’. Senior Alterraun Verner is a shutdown cover guy. Senior Reggie Carter is not only a playmaker and signal caller at middle linebacker, but a great locker room presence as well. And junior Brian Price is as good as any defensive tackle in the conference.

The rest of the defense is filled with young talent, something that bodes well for the future at UCLA. Guys like freshman CB Aaron Hester and sophomores S Rahid Moore, LB Akeem Ayers, and DE Datone Jones give defensive coordinator Chuck Bullough a chance to dictate things more often than not. A promising recruiting class for 2010 will only bolster the talent level on ‘D’ next year as well.

Offensively, the quarterback position can’t help but be more consistent. Beleaguered and mistake-prone (20 interceptions), Kevin Craft was not Rick Neuheisel’s favorite player last year. He gives way to redshirt freshman Kevin Prince, who hasn’t played a snap of competitive in-game football since the first game of his senior year in high school. Still, Prince has a strong arm and a lot of accuracy to go with it---tools that will serve him well in the feisty Pac-10, a conference with tremendous defensive talent from top to bottom.

Surrounding Prince offensively are wideout weapons in Terrance Austin and Taylor Embree, a deep corps of versatile TEs. RBs Jonathan Franklin and Derrick Coleman (and Christian Ramirez, once he returns from a leg injury) are a lot stronger than recent Bruins running back (Mo Jones-Drew notwithstanding, of course). But none of it matters if the offensive line doesn’t improve from its woeful performance of a year ago. Averaging less than three rushing yards per carry isn’t easy to do, but it happened to the Bruins last year. This season should be different, with four new starters joining versatile C Kai Maiva. If they can improve the ground attack and buy their young quarterback some time to make good decisions, the offense will be better than a lot of people expect.

So what does act two and the 2009 campaign hold in store for UCLA? Surely, the schedule will have a lot to do with it. Opening with a win against San Diego State at home is all but certain (I'm guessing something lopsided, like 31-3), but a trip to Knoxville and a rematch with a vengeful Tennessee team in game two looms as difficult, to say the least. Home games against Oregon, California and Arizona State are all winnable, but trips to Oregon State, Arizona and the USC behemoth will require a lot of composure to pull off victories.

Be patient, Bruins fans. A bowl game is definitely within the grasp of this year’s team, but 7-5 is about all you can ask for with so many offensive questions. I think Neuheisel can get this team there, and if he does, 2010 could be a really special year for UCLA.

-JAB

Josh's '08-'09 Razorback Basketball Preview

2008-11-20T16:53:00.000-08:00

Late fall and here we are---the start of another college basketball season. As area eyes turn toward this year's Arkansas Razorback hoops team, the comparisons are easy to the current not-so-fun football season: a young team growing in front of our eyes as it gains experience, losing a lot more than you'd like them to. But the goal in Fayetteville these days---regardless of sport---is to build for legitimate national title runs in the near-future, and in John Pelphrey's second season as head coach of the Hogs, it's likely fans at Bud Walton Arena will find a club molded way more closely in his image than last year's rag-tag bunch of Stan Heath holdovers.

Gone are seven of the minute-heavy players from last year's rotation; in are a bunch of new faces. A scary but true fact is that there are no seniors on this year's Razorback roster. None. Kind of astonishing when you think about it. No familiar faces. No Sonny Weems or Charles Thomas. No Darian Townes or Steven Hill. Not even my boy P-Bev. (Have fun in the Ukraine, Patrick.)

Watching Arkansas narrowly escape last Friday's home opener against SE Louisiana with a 91-87 overtime win was a game of memorizing new faces and jersey numbers, and probably created more questions than it answered, but in the grand scheme of things, these games are judged by who wins and who loses, and not at all by how you look doing it. In the words of Coach Pelphrey following the season-opener, "a young bunch showed a tremendous amount of heart" in rallying from nine points down with under three minutes left to grab the win. And maybe gave itself a little bit of team definition in the process. Tonight against California-Davis, I got another chance to watch the new group at Bud Walton. A fast-paced first half favored a vastly quicker Arkansas team, but the tempo of the game slowed in the second and a few long ball trifectas from the Big West crew kept it close and forced the Hogs to gut out another relatively close one 68-59 for its second win of the season. Back-to-back road games at Missouri State and South Alabama will tell us a lot more about this team over the next ten days, but here are some of my initial early season thoughts. We'll break it down by position:

PG: The shiniest bright spot on this year's team is freshman Courtney Fortson. Alabama's high school "Mr. Basketball" last year, Fortson is a speedy dribble-driver who attacks the basket with reckless abandon. He has tremendous court vision for a young playmaker, and gets the ball to teammates in effective shooting positions. A significant all-around upgrade from last year's erratic point Gary Ervin, Fortson's energy is boundless and spreads infectiously to teammates. The backup is sophomore Marcus Britt. All hustle and defense last year, Britt's jumpshot looks improved after a summer of hard work. He should spell Fortson ably for brief stretches this year and may get extra minutes as a go-to defensive stopper again.

SG: This was supposed to be Patrick Beverley's breakthrough season. The one in which he finally put it all together and became the NBA caliber player we always thought he could be. Instead, he got kicked out of school for academic misconduct and left the position to another potentially great player in Rotnei Clarke. Clarke is the ice cold shooter to complement Courtney Fortson's fiery temperament. It's amazing to think about what the two of them could achieve together over a four year period at Arkansas, should the college basketball gods allow it to happen, of course. With Clarke, the Hogs have got a fighting chance to shoot themselves into a game with anyone.

The all-time leading scorer in his state's high school history, Rotnei told us last month during a live half-hour appearance on The Huddle at Media Day that he "always knew the University of Arkansas was a great place to play basketball, but I don't think I fully understood the scale of it till I came and visited a few times. I just feel like once you visit (Bud Walton), no other college compares. It's like a palace." Clearly respectful of the Woo Pig Sooie tradition, Clarke is every bit the lethal shooter he's cracked up to be. A lifelong gym rat, he has perfected a quick trigger release that enables him to get off clean shots against the many defenders bigger than his 5'11 frame. Junior swingman Stefan Welsh returns as much experience as anyone on the team. He'll get the bulk of starts early in the year in Pelphrey's three guard lineup as the head coach fleshes out his new-look rotation. Only 6'3, Welsh is too short to regularly defend opposing small forwards in the SEC, but his long range shooting touch should allow the Hogs to stretch opposing defenses away from the paint, clearing things up for big man Michael Washington down low.

SF: An extremely weak position for Arkansas this year. Last year's team leader Sonny Weems was the glue that kept it all together, so much so that he's on the Denver Nuggets now. He keyed the team's offense, defense and energy. That's a lot to lose. Prized Virginia high school recruit Marshawn Powell (6'7) will be given every opportunity to lock the swing spot down when he arrives on campus next season, but that's no help this year. For now it's up to the likes of Jason Henry and Montrell McDonald to chip in minutes at the '3.' Both players have the size and athleticism to help out defensively and on the glass, but neither has shown a lot of composure offensively yet. Henry is a 6'7 freshman originally from West Memphis who could be a solid contributor in time, while McDonald is a junior college transfer with only one year of eligibility left after this season. He can jump through the roof, but still plays a little out of control when forced to put the ball on the floor.

PF: Almost de facto, it's Michael Sanchez at this position with not a lot of help. The redshirt freshman from Springdale is a hometown kid with all the hustle and scrappiness you want from a power forward. He's a rugged rebounder who gets the garbage baskets down low (a la the departed Charles Thomas), but doesn't command the basketball in the flow of the offense. Every team needs a role player like that. The problem is, Sanchez is prone to foul trouble. If he can't learn quickly to keep those hacking tendencies in check, the Hogs are going to get exposed down low---badly. Freshmen big men Brandon Moore and Andre Clark don't seem ready to contribute key minutes yet.

C: Amazing how much difference a year makes at a given position. Nowhere is that any more apparent than at center for Arkansas. The last four years with Steven Hill and Darian Townes, the Hogs had two seven-footers and four players who could claim heights of 6'9 or more. This time around, Michael Washington is tallest on the team at 6'10, and the only real prized possession down low. The versatile third-year Razorback has clearly improved his game considerably over the past couple of years and his confidence level is now at an all-time high. 30 points and 14 rebounds against SE Louisiana was a great start to the year, but nobody's expecting anywhere near those numbers on an everyday basis over the course of a season. The truth is, Washington is a gifted offensive rebounder and low-post defender who likes shooting the outside jumper too much for his own good. Still, if he can stay in the 18 point and 7 rebound per game range, UA's offense will be a lot better than people think. The problem here is the same as that of the '4' position: Washington must stay on the floor and out of foul trouble essentially all the time for the Hogs to have even a fighting chance against their better competition. With him on the bench, Arkansas's thin frontcourt gets severely exposed.

Coaching: John Pelphrey did a more than respectable job in his first year at Arkansas. Inheriting a group of players from a plodding, half-court style system and trying to get them to buy into a totally different way of doing things is a near impossible task. Getting to the NCAA Tournament and beating Indiana (before a blowout second round loss to North Carolina) was a nice conclusion with that bunch in year one. But year two will force Coach 'P' to show his coaching mettle more with players that are mostly his recruits. And greatly limited returning experience. And a perilously thin frontcourt. His young guns at guard will be asked to produce big numbers right away.

Offensively, some pundits still question the focus of what Pelphrey wants to do. Defensively, he needs to get his team to show more of the tenacity that he always played with at Kentucky. But motivationally, there's no doubt the guy is exceptionally skilled for such a young coach (he just turned 40). Put plainly, year two is a transitional stage for Pelphrey as he sets his sights on bigger things to come in years three and four. The pressure hasn't nearly turned up on him to this point, and shouldn't any time soon.

Outlook: Strange to say for Arkansas, but John Pelphrey's second year as head coach will likely result in fewer wins than his first year---yet with greater enthusiasm and excitement from the fans. Nothing against Stan Heath's aforementioned group of holdovers (they did win a first round NCAA game for Arkansas for the first time in almost a decade), but the dominant feeling among Hog fans was that their style of play didn't suit the prototypical image of Razorback basketball: fullcourt pressing, up-and-down offense, non-stop hustle . . . This newest batch of Hoop Hogs is so young and inexperienced that road bumps and hiccups are sure to be numerous along the way, albeit expected. It's hard to count on a fourth straight trip to the NCAA Tournament for Arkansas when the players have yet to even sort out their roles on the team.

How will the coaching staff compensate for an incredible lack of depth up front? And what exactly is John Pelphrey's offensive philosophy? Who takes the big shots at the ends of games? Who's the emotional leader on and off the court? Do they have the energy or manpower to press for long stretches? Lots of questions. Not a lot of answers yet. John Pelphrey's clearly got his work cut out for him, but he also has the patience of Razorback nation on his side. As new football coach Bobby Petrino learned this year, University of Arkansas fans will wait patiently if you show them progress---at least for a season or two.

-JAB

Josh' Mid-October Huddle Headlines

2008-10-14T16:31:00.000-07:00

-Arkansas upsets Auburn, 25-22 on Saturday . . . At long last, something for Razorback football fans to rally around. After getting outscored a combined 139-31 over the last three games by Alabama, Texas and Florida, it was time for the Hogs to shake things up a bit. Coach Petrino's team did just that by shutting down the Tigers' vaunted ground attack, holding it to 56 yards on 33 carries. An end-around pass from WR Joe Adams to QB Casey Dick was the play of the game, but Michael Smith (all 5'6 of him) has proven he is a monster at tailback. 35 carries for 176 yards led the way in the upset. Six wins and a bowl game are still legitimate possibilities for this team.

-Basketball Media Day for the Razorbacks yesterday . . . We took The Huddle on location to Bud Walton Arena for some one-on-one interviews with Coach Pelphrey and the players. G Rotnei Clarke really impressed me with his composure on the air---and on the court. With his three-point shooting, Courtney Forston at the point, and Jason Henry slashing from the wing, the Hogs have a new look that should be tons of fun to watch develop this year.

-WR Roy Wiliams traded to Dallas today by Detroit . . . in exchange for 1st, 3rd, 6th & 7th round picks. That's a lot to give up by Jerry Jones, but in Owens and Williams, Dallas now has arguably the best WR combo in the game today.

-MLB Playoffs . . . Philadelphia and Tampa Bay for the World Series?!? Could very well be. Charlie Manuel's cheesesteak crew is exploding offensively right now---and getting timely pitching. But the Rays? That team has a Florida Marlins look to it in a big way: young, talented players going out there with no fear. Are the Red Sox dead yet? Absolutely not. But the defending champs need to find their pitching swagger again quick if they hope to repeat.

-JAB

Josh's 2008 NFL Predictions Part II: The NFC

2008-09-05T12:25:00.000-07:00

NATIONAL FOOTBALL CONFERENCE

NFC East

(y)-Dallas Cowboys (12-4)
(x)-Philadelphia Eagles (10-6)
New York Giants (9-7)
Washington Redskins (5-11)

NFC North

(y)-Minnesota Vikings (11-5)
(x)-Green Bay Packers (10-6)
Detroit Lions (7-9)
Chicago Bears (5-11)

NFC South

(y)-New Orleans Saints (10-6)
Carolina Panthers (8-8)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (5-11)
Atlanta Falcons (3-13)

NFC West

(y)-Seattle Seahawks (11-5)
San Francisco 49ers (9-7)
Arizona Cardinals (7-9)
Saint Louis Rams (6-10)

(y- division winner x- wild card)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Playoffs:

1st Rd: Minnesota over Philly, Green Bay over New Orleans
2nd Rd: Dallas over Green Bay, Seattle over Minnesota

NFC Championship: Dallas over Seattle

Super Bowl XLIII:

Pittsburgh Steelers 31-24 over the Dallas Cowboys

Best Head Coach: Mike Holmgren, Seattle
Best Offensive Player: Adrian Peterson, Minnesota
Best Defensive Player: Patrick Willis, San Francisco
Best Rookie: Jonathan Stewart, Carolina

Josh's 2008 NFL Predictions Part I: The AFC

2008-09-04T10:08:00.000-07:00

AMERICAN FOOTBALL CONFERENCE

AFC East

(y)-New England Patriots (13-3)
New York Jets (8-8)
Buffalo Bills (7-9)
Miami Dolphins (5-11)

AFC North

(y)-Pittsburgh Steelers (12-4)
(x)-Cleveland Browns (9-7)
Cincinnati Bengals (6-10)
Baltimore Ravens (4-12)

AFC South

(y)-Indianapolis Colts (12-4)
(x)-Jacksonville Jaguars (10-6)
Tennessee Titans (6-10)
Houston Texans (5-11)

AFC West

(y)-San Diego Chargers (11-5)
Denver Broncos (8-8)
Oakland Raiders (7-9)
Kansas City Chiefs (4-12)

(y- division winner x- wild card)

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Playoffs:

1st Rd: Indy over Cleveland, San Diego over Jacksonville
2nd Rd: Pittsburgh over Indy, San Diego over New England

AFC Championship: Pittsburgh over San Diego

Best Head Coach: Bill Belichick, New England
Best Offensive Player: Randy Moss, New England
Best Defensive Player: Mario Williams, Houston
Best Rookie: Darren McFadden, Oakland

-JAB

Football Returns: Arkansas Wins Opener

2008-09-04T09:45:00.001-07:00

Beijing was cool. The Michael Phelps show is not something to be forgotten by sports fans any time soon. Baseball heads down another exciting stretch and the bad blood of Electioneering 2008 is getting in full swing.

But it's September now, and to me---the Sports Radio Guy---that means one thing rises above the rest: football is back! The College Ranks opened up last weekend and saw Arkansas start the Bobby Petrino era off with a 'W', albeit a hard fought 28-24 decision over I-AA Western Illinois. Surely you could hear the collective gasp of the 70,000 Hog fans in Fayetteville on Saturday night when the Hogs fell behind 24-14 with under ten minutes left. But there was Casey Dick, the senior, career baggage and all, calmly driving his team down the field for two critical touchdowns and a come from behind win.

Was it a repeat of Citadel? Not quite. But it sure wasn't pretty. Still, in the end, a win is a win is a win is a win. Ten years from now (maybe ten weeks) few will remember how Arkansas won the game; what will be remembered is that UA won.

It's going to be a long season for the Hogs. Bobby Petrino's first year is one of transition for the team on almost every level: new offense, new defense, new players, new way of doing things. But I firmly believe it's all going to work out. Six wins and six losses remains my season prediction for the Razorbacks in 2008. After Lousiana-Monroe this weekend, it's a ten game dogfight till the end of the year. No easy games on any SEC team's schedule, let alone on an Arkansas slate that also includes games against Texas and Tulsa. And yet, this year, the youth should win out. With so many freshman and sophomores playing key roles on both sides of the ball, there are going to be some major growing pains along the way, but most Razorback fans seem well aware of that.

It's a feisty team for Bobby Petrino this year. And a feisty .500 record would be just about right in his first season at the Hog helm. An SEC title in year four would be just what the football doctor ordered for the Natural State. Give it time, folks. Petrino will get us there eventually.

So college football's back already. High school play resumes tonight. And the NFL's first full Sunday of the season is just three days away.

Pigskin in the air . . . Who knew leather could smell so good?

-JAB

Brett Favre is a Jet

2008-08-07T08:39:00.001-07:00

Excuse me if I'm not all giddy inside. Favre is 38 years old and was supposed to have played his last game just a couple months ago. As much as I love them, the Jets are a mediocre team that still has some major skill position holes to fill. I just don't see this marriage proving all that fruitful. Can he take New York to the playoffs in a tough as all get-out AFC? Maybe. To a Super Bowl? Lay off the Kool Aid.

There's no question the Ironman is a significant upgrade at quarterback over Chad Pennington and Kellen Clemens. I've supported Chad for a long time in Gang Green & White, and the guy obviously has a lot of heart and courage to come back from so many major injuries the way he did. But Pennington is better suited as a backup somewhere else at this point in his career. As for Clemens, he may turn out to be a good NFL quarterback at some point down the road, but the jury's still way out for now. At the least, you've got to give the Jets credit for not giving up to much to upgrade the most important position on the field, if for only two years. (New York's compensation for Green Bay in a conditional third round draft pick.)

New York spent a lot of money rebuilding its front lines this past offseason---guards Alan Faneca and Damien Woody, tackle Kris Jenkins, linebackers Calvin Pace and Vernon Gholston---but the receivers and running backs aren't all that spectacular. If only we could've lost to Kansas City in that meaningless Week 17 victory . . . McFadden and Favre, now that would have been something.

Tune in to the show tonight at 4 PM. We'll have plenty more on the blockbuster Favre trade and the latest on Razorback practice.

-JAB