Spring Break
A month to remember?
From the sidelines
Derek Oxford
Issue date: 10/31/07 Section: Sports
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November is upon us. It is a special time of year for football, as it is a month that, typically, is the make-or-break month for college football squads.
Either a team will rise up to the challenges before them, or they will fold under pressure.
The Arkansas Razorbacks can firmly say they have been dealt a plethora of challenges during this 2007 season. Filled with high expectations, the Razorbacks dropped their first three Southeastern Conference contests, all with fourth-quarter leads.
They saw their star and senior leader at split end, Marcus Monk, be forced to the bench for much of the first half of the year. He made his return against Auburn, but played only one snap. He finally saw significant action against Florida International Saturday and recorded his first touchdown of the year on a pass from backup quarterback Nathan Emert.
Will Monk's return be a lift to the Razorbacks as they enter the meat of their SEC schedule?
These next four weeks will test how badly Arkansas wants to win, and also will test how badly Houston Nutt wants to remain head coach of this team.
In my years of following Arkansas football (avidly since 1995), I have never found Nutt to be apathetic towards anything, much less the Razorbacks. I don't fault the Razorbacks' three losses to the coaching of Nutt. I think that Nutt genuinely wants to win week in and week out, and does everything in his power to give Arkansas a chance at victory.
I am aware, however, that a sizable portion of Razorback fans want to see him ousted of his position. However, I pose this question: Do you really think firing Nutt will solve the problems and issues that have plagued the Razorback football program for a number of decades, ever since Frank Broyles retired as coach in 1976?
Does the Hog fan base believe we can bring in another coach who will immediately win a national championship in no time at all? People need to worry about this season, and how they can help the Hogs the rest of this season, instead of clamoring for change. Why not look for results now?
Either a team will rise up to the challenges before them, or they will fold under pressure.
The Arkansas Razorbacks can firmly say they have been dealt a plethora of challenges during this 2007 season. Filled with high expectations, the Razorbacks dropped their first three Southeastern Conference contests, all with fourth-quarter leads.
They saw their star and senior leader at split end, Marcus Monk, be forced to the bench for much of the first half of the year. He made his return against Auburn, but played only one snap. He finally saw significant action against Florida International Saturday and recorded his first touchdown of the year on a pass from backup quarterback Nathan Emert.
Will Monk's return be a lift to the Razorbacks as they enter the meat of their SEC schedule?
These next four weeks will test how badly Arkansas wants to win, and also will test how badly Houston Nutt wants to remain head coach of this team.
In my years of following Arkansas football (avidly since 1995), I have never found Nutt to be apathetic towards anything, much less the Razorbacks. I don't fault the Razorbacks' three losses to the coaching of Nutt. I think that Nutt genuinely wants to win week in and week out, and does everything in his power to give Arkansas a chance at victory.
I am aware, however, that a sizable portion of Razorback fans want to see him ousted of his position. However, I pose this question: Do you really think firing Nutt will solve the problems and issues that have plagued the Razorback football program for a number of decades, ever since Frank Broyles retired as coach in 1976?
Does the Hog fan base believe we can bring in another coach who will immediately win a national championship in no time at all? People need to worry about this season, and how they can help the Hogs the rest of this season, instead of clamoring for change. Why not look for results now?
Viewing Comments 1 - 1 of 1
jsmeda
Joe Miller
posted 10/30/07 @ 10:45 PM CST
I agree. We need to rally around the team, which also includes the coaches, especially during November. So put away your hate that endures for what ever reason and support the team!!!
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