Razorbacks' lack of depth costing them late in games
Swinging for the Fences
Matt Watson
Issue date: 2/9/09 Section: Sports
Let's see a show of hands, all of you who thought Arkansas would be the best team in the Southeastern Conference, or at least in the Western division, about four weeks ago.
[Stops typing to raise hand.]
And those of you who thought they'd be the worst?
Okay, put your hands down pre-season pollsters, you got lucky.
The Razorbacks certainly had the look of a formidable SEC squad in early January. There were those two wins over those two teams that I'm going to stop referencing, in hopes that Arkansas wins a few more games so we can talk about something else. But while we're on the subject, one of those teams came to Fayetteville undefeated and hasn't lost since.
But the team that took a bite out of the Big 12 a month ago has only won once since, dropping seven SEC contests in 29 days, and its 10-game, six-week winning streak is now out of sight and out of mind.
But who's to blame for the radical change of momentum?
I blame Stan Heath - stay with me for a minute.
The former head Hog was renowned for his recruiting ability (not so much for his sideline presence), signing three top 15 recruiting classes in his six years at the UA.
When he was fired after the 2006-07 season, he left behind a deep frontcourt. In Heath's final season, then-junior Charles Thomas led the team in rebounding, junior Steven Hill in blocks and field goal percentage, junior Darian Townes in hook shots and junior Vincent Hunter in towel-waving.
They were all juniors then (the foursome graced the cover of the media guide that year), all seniors last year, and all gone now.
Which brings me to the point. Where are the big men?
Arkansas lost two 6-foot-10 forwards and a 7-footer last offseason, and Michael Washington, who was listed at 6-foot-10 as a freshman and sophomore, is now only 6-foot-9 according to this year's media guide. The hits keep on coming.
It's not John Pelphrey's fault - I'm guessing it was difficult for him last year to recruit any forwards or centers to come to Arkansas and play sixth or seventh fiddle, or wherever they would've landed at the end of the bench.
[Stops typing to raise hand.]
And those of you who thought they'd be the worst?
Okay, put your hands down pre-season pollsters, you got lucky.
The Razorbacks certainly had the look of a formidable SEC squad in early January. There were those two wins over those two teams that I'm going to stop referencing, in hopes that Arkansas wins a few more games so we can talk about something else. But while we're on the subject, one of those teams came to Fayetteville undefeated and hasn't lost since.
But the team that took a bite out of the Big 12 a month ago has only won once since, dropping seven SEC contests in 29 days, and its 10-game, six-week winning streak is now out of sight and out of mind.
But who's to blame for the radical change of momentum?
I blame Stan Heath - stay with me for a minute.
The former head Hog was renowned for his recruiting ability (not so much for his sideline presence), signing three top 15 recruiting classes in his six years at the UA.
When he was fired after the 2006-07 season, he left behind a deep frontcourt. In Heath's final season, then-junior Charles Thomas led the team in rebounding, junior Steven Hill in blocks and field goal percentage, junior Darian Townes in hook shots and junior Vincent Hunter in towel-waving.
They were all juniors then (the foursome graced the cover of the media guide that year), all seniors last year, and all gone now.
Which brings me to the point. Where are the big men?
Arkansas lost two 6-foot-10 forwards and a 7-footer last offseason, and Michael Washington, who was listed at 6-foot-10 as a freshman and sophomore, is now only 6-foot-9 according to this year's media guide. The hits keep on coming.
It's not John Pelphrey's fault - I'm guessing it was difficult for him last year to recruit any forwards or centers to come to Arkansas and play sixth or seventh fiddle, or wherever they would've landed at the end of the bench.
Viewing Comments 1 - 1 of 1
nate
posted 2/09/09 @ 8:17 AM CST
i also blame (at least partially) blame Pelphrey for not recruiting big man last season. We all know all those big man are senior and they leave. Pel only recruited one big man, Mcdonnal. (Continued…)
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