Here are four thoughts and notes for your Tuesday:
1. Strong finish still possible
First, let me remind everyone that there is a difference between saying something is possible vs. saying you're expecting something to happen.
I know how hard it is for Arkansas fans to muster up a lot of optimism after the way the first seven weeks went. One come-from-behind win over a bad Ole Miss team doesn't change how most fans feel about this season, and winning out probably wouldn't change how they felt about Bret Bielema.
But I also know that momentum is a real thing, and in a wacky SEC it's not crazy to think Arkansas could pull off a couple of upsets and win out.
Again, I'm not predicting that to happen, but it could happen.
They'll ease by Coastal Carolina on Saturday and then head to LSU next weekend. For the fourth year in-a-row, Arkansas gets LSU one week after the Tigers play Alabama. That didn't help the Hogs last year, but I still believe it helped them blow out LSU in 2014 and 2015. LSU got off to a horrible start in the first five weeks but has turned its season around with three straight wins over Florida, Auburn and Texas A&M.
Weird things happen in this series, everyone knows it. From a talent standpoint, Arkansas shouldn't be able to split the last ten games against LSU, but they have. Like most, I'll pick LSU to win the game in Baton Rouge on November 11. I'm simply pointing out that anything is possible, including Arkansas going in there at 11 a.m. and coming out with an upset win over a team that's still hungover from the previous week.
If Arkansas were to somehow upset LSU, you'd have to feel better about their chances of coming home to play a ranked Mississippi State team the following week -- especially considering MSU also gets Alabama a week before traveling to Fayetteville. Again, I'm not saying I'd predict Arkansas to win the game, but it would set up nicely for the Hogs if they can keep some positive momentum rolling to that point.
You wrap up with Missouri at home the day after Thanksgiving. The Tigers have Arkansas' number lately, so no one should see it as a gimme.
We've seen Arkansas put together some strong finishes through the years. They started 4-5 in 2014 before winning four of their last six games. In 2015 they started 2-4 and won six of their last seven. Even before Bielema arrived, Bobby Petrino saw a strong finish in 2009 when his 3-4 start turned into five wins in the last six games. Houston Nutt had late-season turnarounds several times, including the 2001, 2002, 2003 and 2007 seasons.
Am I saying that I think it's going to happen? No. I'm just saying nothing would surprise me down the stretch.
2. Important weekend for in-state target
Arkansas will probably only have two official visitors this weekend in longtime commitment B.J. Hanspard and undecided in-state quarterback Gerry Bohanon.
Hanspard has remained rock-solid all along, but this is an important weekend that could go a long way in deciding where Bohanon ends up.
It's no secret that Arkansas has made Bohanon a much bigger priority in recent months, and now he's considered one of the top remaining targets on their board regardless of position.
I'm curious to speak with Bohanon after the visit and find out what exactly the Hogs are trying to sell him on, because it can't be an easy task for the staff. They've already got one quarterback in this year's class, and, for the most part, Cole Kelley has been pretty impressive as a redshirt-freshman. The Razorbacks also have Ty Storey and Daulton Hyatt on the roster.
Maybe they've got some things in mind that would utilize Bohanon's running ability early on in his career, meaning he could actually see the field even sooner than Connor Noland, who will obviously have to split some of his time in the spring due to playing baseball.
I don't know how they're going to play it, but it'll be nice to get Gerry's post-visit thoughts not only on the Razorbacks but the other teams who are still in play.
3. Winning is fun, bowl games are important
Regardless of where you stand on Bret Bielema, and regardless of what ends up happening to him at Arkansas, don't let it blind you to the fact that winning games is fun and making a bowl game is very important.
I don't understand the idea of fans hating to see Arkansas win because they think it may hurt their chances of getting rid of the head coach. Don't be that guy.
If nothing else, just take the "I'm happy for the kids" approach, but don't let yourself reach the point of not being able to enjoy a victory no matter how it happened or who it was against. Enjoy the wins when they come and be proud of the players for not giving up. This isn't easy for them, either.
Also, I'm struggling to understand why anyone is okay with the scenario of Arkansas possibly missing a bowl game, regardless of what that would mean for the head coach.
I've said all along that I think the best thing that could happen to Arkansas football is for fans to be able to look back on Bielema's first 4.5 (now almost 5 full) seasons and say, "That sucked and it took forever, but it paid off and I'm glad we kept him." I still believe that'd be the best thing for the program and I've given those reasons several times now.
All of that put aside, making a bowl game is valuable and I think fans should hope to see Bielema's current team make postseason play whether you want him gone or not. Getting those reps and what little publicity might come with any bowl game is definitely better than not getting it.
4. DB name to keep an eye on
Arkansas doesn't have much room to work with for this year's class, but sources say there is one defensive back who, if things don't work out to the school he's currently committed to, would have great interest in the Razorbacks.
Jordon Austin of Lancaster (Texas) has been committed to OU for well over a year, but in the (possible) event the two part ways, Arkansas could become a player for Austin.
For now, just put that name on the back burner. We know the Razorbacks haven't been strongly pursuing in-state target and MSU commit La'Darius Bishop, but Austin is another name to know in case the Hogs do look to add another DB.
1. Strong finish still possible
First, let me remind everyone that there is a difference between saying something is possible vs. saying you're expecting something to happen.
I know how hard it is for Arkansas fans to muster up a lot of optimism after the way the first seven weeks went. One come-from-behind win over a bad Ole Miss team doesn't change how most fans feel about this season, and winning out probably wouldn't change how they felt about Bret Bielema.
But I also know that momentum is a real thing, and in a wacky SEC it's not crazy to think Arkansas could pull off a couple of upsets and win out.
Again, I'm not predicting that to happen, but it could happen.
They'll ease by Coastal Carolina on Saturday and then head to LSU next weekend. For the fourth year in-a-row, Arkansas gets LSU one week after the Tigers play Alabama. That didn't help the Hogs last year, but I still believe it helped them blow out LSU in 2014 and 2015. LSU got off to a horrible start in the first five weeks but has turned its season around with three straight wins over Florida, Auburn and Texas A&M.
Weird things happen in this series, everyone knows it. From a talent standpoint, Arkansas shouldn't be able to split the last ten games against LSU, but they have. Like most, I'll pick LSU to win the game in Baton Rouge on November 11. I'm simply pointing out that anything is possible, including Arkansas going in there at 11 a.m. and coming out with an upset win over a team that's still hungover from the previous week.
If Arkansas were to somehow upset LSU, you'd have to feel better about their chances of coming home to play a ranked Mississippi State team the following week -- especially considering MSU also gets Alabama a week before traveling to Fayetteville. Again, I'm not saying I'd predict Arkansas to win the game, but it would set up nicely for the Hogs if they can keep some positive momentum rolling to that point.
You wrap up with Missouri at home the day after Thanksgiving. The Tigers have Arkansas' number lately, so no one should see it as a gimme.
We've seen Arkansas put together some strong finishes through the years. They started 4-5 in 2014 before winning four of their last six games. In 2015 they started 2-4 and won six of their last seven. Even before Bielema arrived, Bobby Petrino saw a strong finish in 2009 when his 3-4 start turned into five wins in the last six games. Houston Nutt had late-season turnarounds several times, including the 2001, 2002, 2003 and 2007 seasons.
Am I saying that I think it's going to happen? No. I'm just saying nothing would surprise me down the stretch.
2. Important weekend for in-state target
Arkansas will probably only have two official visitors this weekend in longtime commitment B.J. Hanspard and undecided in-state quarterback Gerry Bohanon.
Hanspard has remained rock-solid all along, but this is an important weekend that could go a long way in deciding where Bohanon ends up.
It's no secret that Arkansas has made Bohanon a much bigger priority in recent months, and now he's considered one of the top remaining targets on their board regardless of position.
I'm curious to speak with Bohanon after the visit and find out what exactly the Hogs are trying to sell him on, because it can't be an easy task for the staff. They've already got one quarterback in this year's class, and, for the most part, Cole Kelley has been pretty impressive as a redshirt-freshman. The Razorbacks also have Ty Storey and Daulton Hyatt on the roster.
Maybe they've got some things in mind that would utilize Bohanon's running ability early on in his career, meaning he could actually see the field even sooner than Connor Noland, who will obviously have to split some of his time in the spring due to playing baseball.
I don't know how they're going to play it, but it'll be nice to get Gerry's post-visit thoughts not only on the Razorbacks but the other teams who are still in play.
3. Winning is fun, bowl games are important
Regardless of where you stand on Bret Bielema, and regardless of what ends up happening to him at Arkansas, don't let it blind you to the fact that winning games is fun and making a bowl game is very important.
I don't understand the idea of fans hating to see Arkansas win because they think it may hurt their chances of getting rid of the head coach. Don't be that guy.
If nothing else, just take the "I'm happy for the kids" approach, but don't let yourself reach the point of not being able to enjoy a victory no matter how it happened or who it was against. Enjoy the wins when they come and be proud of the players for not giving up. This isn't easy for them, either.
Also, I'm struggling to understand why anyone is okay with the scenario of Arkansas possibly missing a bowl game, regardless of what that would mean for the head coach.
I've said all along that I think the best thing that could happen to Arkansas football is for fans to be able to look back on Bielema's first 4.5 (now almost 5 full) seasons and say, "That sucked and it took forever, but it paid off and I'm glad we kept him." I still believe that'd be the best thing for the program and I've given those reasons several times now.
All of that put aside, making a bowl game is valuable and I think fans should hope to see Bielema's current team make postseason play whether you want him gone or not. Getting those reps and what little publicity might come with any bowl game is definitely better than not getting it.
4. DB name to keep an eye on
Arkansas doesn't have much room to work with for this year's class, but sources say there is one defensive back who, if things don't work out to the school he's currently committed to, would have great interest in the Razorbacks.
Jordon Austin of Lancaster (Texas) has been committed to OU for well over a year, but in the (possible) event the two part ways, Arkansas could become a player for Austin.
For now, just put that name on the back burner. We know the Razorbacks haven't been strongly pursuing in-state target and MSU commit La'Darius Bishop, but Austin is another name to know in case the Hogs do look to add another DB.
