Please forgive my writing style...if it seems inappropriate for this board. But the words just flowed...and I need to write them down. Here they go....
Imagine being a kid growing up in Fayetteville. Not only that, but your Dad is a coach for the Hogs. You go to practices. To games. You undoubtedly hero worship some of the players when you are really young. You grow older. You become a QB. Like your dad. You become a star QB in fact. You are recruited by a coach that didn't treat your dad especially well, but you love the Hogs. And said coach has a track record of developing QB's. So, in spite of offers from many other schools, you commit. You are going to be a Hog.
You go to UA, where you redshirt. You watch and learn. Then, the spring of that freshman year, all hell breaks loose. The coach that recruited you--that called you the best high school QB prospect he had seen--not only is forced to resign, but it becomes clear that as he leaves the entire program is, as many have termed it, a dumpster fire.
So your redshirt freshman year begins. You are good enough to become the backup to a really good QB. Tyler Wilson and the Hogs are highly regarded and its supposed to be a great season. But--as we all know--the season unravels. We begin to lose, and Tyler Wilson gets knocked around. Concussions occur. And the next thing you know, you are playing in a terrible situation. We have all hear the old adage "don't play a young QB too soon....you could ruin his confidence forever." Well, there seems to have been no choice. You have to play. And it goes badly.
Along comes your sophomore year. A new coach is on the scene. A breath of fresh air in many ways. The season gets started with great optimism. And a freaky injury to the shoulder suddenly renders you severely limited in your ability to throw. But, you are tough. You love the Hogs. You refuse to quit. You play anyway. But you are diminished. You begin to press. Losses accumulate. You begin to be blamed. So you press more. And you just aren't healthy. You throw pick 6's. The season spirals....and guess who gets blamed? The ire aimed at your is sickening. Unprecedented in many ways. (We all know the details). Yet you persevere...and the more rational fans that see your perseverance applaud you for it. Still, any reasonable assessment of the season is its a nightmare for you.
The junior year rolls around. You are healthy this time. And you have the same coaches! There is some carryover, and there is promise in the season. You lose the first game against a very good team, but you rebound. Then...the close losses begin. You and your team are good. Good enough to win games. But you lose a heartbreaker in overtime against the Aggies. You lose a winnable game against Bama in heartbreaking fashion (a missed PAT?!). You lose another close one against Mississippi State. Things look bleak.
And then....the sun comes out! Your team beats down nemesis LSU. And does it again against Ole Miss. Things are looking up! You are bowl eligible, and at least modest optimism comes out. You get hurt versus Ole Miss though, and that injury rears its head against Missouri, As in your sophomore year, your team just can't hold on and win without you, and you lose a game you probably should have won...making three or four of those in the season.
Still, there is some hope in the fanbase. And a lot more in the staff and on the team. After some rest, your Hogs, with you playing well, destroys arch nemesis Texas in a bowl. All ends well. Maybe this story will have a happy ending after all!
Your senior year begins, This time though, you have yet another offense to learn. And a new coordinator. You lose one of your top helpers in JWill. Still, the nation is expecting big things. The opening game goes well in terms of your play and the passing game. But the running game is not what is was.
Then....it happens. In game 2, against a MAC team you are supposed to easily defeat, it happens. You throw for a zillion yards, but cannot get it into the end zone, You press. You miss critical throws. You lose. And all hell breaks loose. Again,
The following week, the offense and you play better. But the defense is showing how profoundly they miss 5 departed senior starters, and they can't stop TTech. Keeping pace is in your court...and you tighten up. All the past failures just weight too heavily...and you literally tighten up. You make what could be a game saving TD throw...but it gets called back. Then....you short arm a critical throw. The Hogs lose. The heat gets worse...and how horrible you are in the eyes of many fans again becomes a major topic of conversation in the state.
Then comes the Aggie game. A chance at retribution. The team that started the string of close losses last year. You play well. REALLY well. Maybe your best game ever. You lead your team to a lead...and 8 point one...that looks like it might be insurmountable. But, penalties unravel a drive that could clinch it. Totally not your fault. Then, a young back 7 blows a coverage...and suddenly the Aggies are able to tie. Then, trying to lead the team to a wining FG, you get hit on the blind side and fumble. Things look grim. But...they miss the FG...and we go into overtime.
In overtime, they score first.
And its on you to answer. And, as has become the trend, you just can't do it. You want it too much. You press. All of the bad events and vibes from 3 years weigh you down...and the subconscious mind's tendency to bring about negative thoughts and fears rears its head again. You miss a fairly easy throw. Again. And the Hogs lose.
And in the press conference....you show uncommon dignity and grace...as you have so many time. You blame yourself. Several seem to respect your willingness to take the blame...but it doesn't help. Your heart is broken.
CAN YOU IMAGINE THAT BEING YOU??
I can't. And I'm the son of a prominent musician whose footsteps I followed. I get pressure. I do. But not like this.
I AM BROKENHEARTED for this kid. And the team itself. I am tired of the losses...but not so much for me...but for them.
I hope SO MUCH that, somehow, someway, this story will have a happy ending while he's a Razorback. I know his life will be fine. He's too good a person for it to be otherwise..But I want something to happen to this kid while he's HERE. Under center. Please Lord. Let this trend reverse itself for the rest of the year. He deserves it.
Go Hogs. Go Brandon.
Imagine being a kid growing up in Fayetteville. Not only that, but your Dad is a coach for the Hogs. You go to practices. To games. You undoubtedly hero worship some of the players when you are really young. You grow older. You become a QB. Like your dad. You become a star QB in fact. You are recruited by a coach that didn't treat your dad especially well, but you love the Hogs. And said coach has a track record of developing QB's. So, in spite of offers from many other schools, you commit. You are going to be a Hog.
You go to UA, where you redshirt. You watch and learn. Then, the spring of that freshman year, all hell breaks loose. The coach that recruited you--that called you the best high school QB prospect he had seen--not only is forced to resign, but it becomes clear that as he leaves the entire program is, as many have termed it, a dumpster fire.
So your redshirt freshman year begins. You are good enough to become the backup to a really good QB. Tyler Wilson and the Hogs are highly regarded and its supposed to be a great season. But--as we all know--the season unravels. We begin to lose, and Tyler Wilson gets knocked around. Concussions occur. And the next thing you know, you are playing in a terrible situation. We have all hear the old adage "don't play a young QB too soon....you could ruin his confidence forever." Well, there seems to have been no choice. You have to play. And it goes badly.
Along comes your sophomore year. A new coach is on the scene. A breath of fresh air in many ways. The season gets started with great optimism. And a freaky injury to the shoulder suddenly renders you severely limited in your ability to throw. But, you are tough. You love the Hogs. You refuse to quit. You play anyway. But you are diminished. You begin to press. Losses accumulate. You begin to be blamed. So you press more. And you just aren't healthy. You throw pick 6's. The season spirals....and guess who gets blamed? The ire aimed at your is sickening. Unprecedented in many ways. (We all know the details). Yet you persevere...and the more rational fans that see your perseverance applaud you for it. Still, any reasonable assessment of the season is its a nightmare for you.
The junior year rolls around. You are healthy this time. And you have the same coaches! There is some carryover, and there is promise in the season. You lose the first game against a very good team, but you rebound. Then...the close losses begin. You and your team are good. Good enough to win games. But you lose a heartbreaker in overtime against the Aggies. You lose a winnable game against Bama in heartbreaking fashion (a missed PAT?!). You lose another close one against Mississippi State. Things look bleak.
And then....the sun comes out! Your team beats down nemesis LSU. And does it again against Ole Miss. Things are looking up! You are bowl eligible, and at least modest optimism comes out. You get hurt versus Ole Miss though, and that injury rears its head against Missouri, As in your sophomore year, your team just can't hold on and win without you, and you lose a game you probably should have won...making three or four of those in the season.
Still, there is some hope in the fanbase. And a lot more in the staff and on the team. After some rest, your Hogs, with you playing well, destroys arch nemesis Texas in a bowl. All ends well. Maybe this story will have a happy ending after all!
Your senior year begins, This time though, you have yet another offense to learn. And a new coordinator. You lose one of your top helpers in JWill. Still, the nation is expecting big things. The opening game goes well in terms of your play and the passing game. But the running game is not what is was.
Then....it happens. In game 2, against a MAC team you are supposed to easily defeat, it happens. You throw for a zillion yards, but cannot get it into the end zone, You press. You miss critical throws. You lose. And all hell breaks loose. Again,
The following week, the offense and you play better. But the defense is showing how profoundly they miss 5 departed senior starters, and they can't stop TTech. Keeping pace is in your court...and you tighten up. All the past failures just weight too heavily...and you literally tighten up. You make what could be a game saving TD throw...but it gets called back. Then....you short arm a critical throw. The Hogs lose. The heat gets worse...and how horrible you are in the eyes of many fans again becomes a major topic of conversation in the state.
Then comes the Aggie game. A chance at retribution. The team that started the string of close losses last year. You play well. REALLY well. Maybe your best game ever. You lead your team to a lead...and 8 point one...that looks like it might be insurmountable. But, penalties unravel a drive that could clinch it. Totally not your fault. Then, a young back 7 blows a coverage...and suddenly the Aggies are able to tie. Then, trying to lead the team to a wining FG, you get hit on the blind side and fumble. Things look grim. But...they miss the FG...and we go into overtime.
In overtime, they score first.
And its on you to answer. And, as has become the trend, you just can't do it. You want it too much. You press. All of the bad events and vibes from 3 years weigh you down...and the subconscious mind's tendency to bring about negative thoughts and fears rears its head again. You miss a fairly easy throw. Again. And the Hogs lose.
And in the press conference....you show uncommon dignity and grace...as you have so many time. You blame yourself. Several seem to respect your willingness to take the blame...but it doesn't help. Your heart is broken.
CAN YOU IMAGINE THAT BEING YOU??
I can't. And I'm the son of a prominent musician whose footsteps I followed. I get pressure. I do. But not like this.
I AM BROKENHEARTED for this kid. And the team itself. I am tired of the losses...but not so much for me...but for them.
I hope SO MUCH that, somehow, someway, this story will have a happy ending while he's a Razorback. I know his life will be fine. He's too good a person for it to be otherwise..But I want something to happen to this kid while he's HERE. Under center. Please Lord. Let this trend reverse itself for the rest of the year. He deserves it.
Go Hogs. Go Brandon.
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