STARKVILLE, Miss. – Arkansas has been right here earlier than.
The Razorbacks have even been right here earlier than with Sam Pittman.
Three-game dropping streaks are part of the Hogs’ DNA that dates again to only after a really particular bike discovered its method right into a ditch.
Nonetheless, this one feels a little bit totally different.
It might be attributed to all of the years of Arkansas making an attempt to punch its method up the ladder versus the Razorbacks feeling like they’re tumbling off a ladder from excessive up this 12 months.
In addition to, Arkansas wasn’t as far up that ladder as followers needed to make them out to be after a single successful season.
`Nope. One thing simply feels off.
Whereas KJ Jefferson is the clear chief and coronary heart of the staff on offense, the sensation from the skin wanting in is that nobody has stepped up and actually taken the reins on the defensive facet.
Each time a transformative second has occurred at Arkansas, somebody aside from the quarterback stepped as much as lead in a method that gave others no selection however to observe.
When the Hogs appeared like they have been going to win the nationwide championship in 1998 earlier than the stumble fumble by Clint Stoerner whereas working out the clock towards eventual nationwide champion Tennessee, it was Brandon Burlsworth who satisfied others to place in further work wanted to turn out to be elite.
When the staff tried to climb its method into respectability final season, it was Grant Morgan who impressed and led his staff off the sphere, within the locker room and at house.
Proper now, there isn’t a feeling of a Morgan or Burlsworth on this staff.
There could also be vocal leaders, though primarily based on press convention appearances that listing begins and ends with Jefferson. Nonetheless, there is not any proof of somebody not solely obsessive about getting higher, but in addition obsessive about making everybody round him higher.
We stay in a world the place accountability is not a private accountability.
Arkansas head coach Sam Pittman spent the postgame press convention taking credit score for the loss. He particularly informed his gamers to not take any accountability for what occurred on the sphere.
“I informed the youngsters after that if anyone asks them a query, blame me as a result of I’m the top coach and I’m the one which deserves the blame,” Pittman mentioned. “I’m not making an attempt to be holier than now up right here. I consider that.”
That mentality of stepping up and proudly owning accountability in your actions is one so many older generations have, however Pittman does a disservice by not having his athletes develop that mentality additionally. The place else are they going to study to take possession for what they do?
If this technology chooses to blow off work within the classroom, they’re anticipated to get half credit score for doing nothing whereas everybody who must be holding the scholar accountable lights into the trainer who already bent over backward making an attempt to get that pupil to do the work.
That trickles up into school and the office. Anybody who has handled this latest crop of freshly minted adults over the previous few years is aware of they anticipate a lot with out placing forth a lot of something to earn it.
And if issues goes improper or it will get a little bit hectic, they anticipate the bar to be lowered prefer it so typically was in highschool and for the boss or professor to take accountability for them not being as much as the duty.
Simply ask the professor at NYU who lately acquired fired for not decreasing the bar he is at all times held to in a category meant to organize college students to turn out to be docs whereas additionally not coddling them and worrying about their emotions once they did not put within the work to cross.
This is one thing that is going to get a few of these gamers bent off form whereas additionally sending fashionable period defenders piling out of the woodwork – the dropping that’s going down at Arkansas is on the gamers and it is their accountability to repair it.
Do not go blaming coaches. These gamers have been taught what they should do.
Do not blame the performs the coaches referred to as. If gamers execute correctly, the cease is made or the yardage is gained.
These gamers should not want a coach a lot of the week. No coach ought to must make them watch movie and determine the place they tousled.
It is their accountability to have watched the movie and damaged down the great and the unhealthy earlier than they ever see a coach. There must be a complete room filled with Razorbacks at a teammate’s home speaking it out and writing it down.
Gamers solely conferences should not be information. They need to be the norm.
The primary day again to apply after these video games should not be the primary time they’ve labored on what must be fastened. Reps ought to already be taken and issues fastened earlier than the coaches see these gamers on the sphere once more.
That is their accountability.
They wish to be a champion? They wish to hold followers within the stands?
Put within the further work. Take accountability.
These three losses occurred as a result of gamers did not do their jobs.
Personal it. Change it.
In the event that they’re already doing it, then do it extra. Do it higher.
Discover a chief within the locker room who will push everybody and make them do it on the highest degree. If somebody already has this function, discover somebody extra gifted as a pacesetter and extra decided.
Sounds harsh, however that is what occurs within the office.
Take credit score for the loss and all the additional that must be performed so over the subsequent a number of weeks gamers can take credit score for wins they earned.
Barry Odom did not drop interceptions.
Sam Pittman did not miss blocks.
Kendal Briles did not misinterpret a route.
Gamers did that.
And if Arkansas turns it round and pulls off one other magical late season run, gamers will do this too.
It is on them, which additionally means it is as much as them.
This staff wants no less than yet one more absolutely devoted chief to avoid wasting this season.
We’ll see in Provo whether or not anybody needs to step up.
HOGS FEED:
MISSING KJ JEFFERSON WASN’T THE PROBLEM ON SATURDAY
EVEN LANE KIFFIN’S DOG IS GETTING AN NIL DEAL
WHEN IT COMES TO MISSISSIPPI STATE, ARKANSAS HAS ASSAULTED THE RECORD BOOKS, JUST NOT IN A GOOD WAY
DIVINE BOVINE CAUSE OF HARASSMENT FOR A&M, HEADACHE FOR HOGS
RECAP FIRST HALF OF THE SEASON THROUGH COMEDIC SKITS OF SEC SHORTS
HOGS, BULLDOGS ENGAGED IN VERBAL CHESS MATCH ABOUT SATURDAY
SEC ROUNDUP: IS BILL O’BRIEN NEXT TO BE RELEASED FROM NICK SABAN’S COACHING REHAB CLINIC?
NOT TO JUDGE, BUT AT LEAST THIS FIASCO HAD A PURPOSE
WHY RAZORBACKS COULD GET A BOOST AGAINST AUBURN BEFORE HALLOWEEN
PITTMAN PROTECTIVE OF INFO REGARDING JEFFERSON’S HEALTH STATUS
SEC SHORTS MISSES OPPORTUNITY TO INCLUDE ALABAMA THIS WEEK
HOGS PILING UP THREE-GAME LOSING STREAKS COULD GET RISKY
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