It has been much discussed on the radio, on television and in newspapers.
It continued during an off week, going on and on.
Every loss the Arkansas Razorbacks endured brought on a new round of it, and it has grown to include not only the questioning of Bret Bielema but his hiring by Jeff Long.
First, if the Razorbacks had played Ole Miss and Auburn earlier, instead of South Carolina and Alabama, the questions might not have to be addressed so often.
Those losses, by a combined 104-7, set a bad tone and that is understandable. But the truth is, the Hogs have played hard in every game but the one against the Gamecocks, when they scored on the opening drive and then more or less went through the motions.
Even in the 52-0 loss to the No. 1 team in the country, Alabama, they tried hard.
Arkansas simply doesn’t have the speed, talent and depth of most of the teams in the SEC right now.
The numbers speak for themselves. The Razorbacks’ total team defense is ranked 69th in the nation, but their pass defense is 113th and has given up 24 of the 39 touchdowns the defense has allowed. Arkansas also has only six interceptions.
Obviously, too much emphasis was given to recruiting offensive players, specifically receivers, during Bobby Petrino’s time at Arkansas.
Bielema and his staff are well aware of what they need to compete.
Some of what they have tried to deal with is the same thing that happened to Nolan Richardson and Ken Hatfield.
They inherited players that didn’t fit their schemes.
Everyone is well aware of what Richardson did after two years of recruiting his own players.
When Hatfield left for Clemson, he left behind a team of players suited for his option offense.
Without Hatfield, the Hogs had seasons of 3-8, 6-6, 3-7-1, 6-4-1, 4-7, 8-5, 4-7 and 4-7, making each recruiting season more of a challenge. Those last five years were under Danny Ford, who was slowly but surely putting together a very talented offensive line and Houston Nutt motivated them to a 9-3 record.
In 10 seasons, Nutt was 75-48 but only 42-38 in SEC play.
After Nutt left for Ole Miss, Petrino was hired and the Hogs went through a 5-7 season while Ryan Mallett sat out after transferring from Michigan. Also, the talented group of receivers from Arkansas became sophomores and success came hard and fast. Riding the arm of Mallett and those receivers, the Hogs went 10-2 before losing to Ohio State in the BCS Sugar Bowl.
Tyler Wilson and the same receiving corps, probably the best in Razorbacks history, went 11-2, including a victory in the Cotton Bowl.
Everyone is well aware of what happened next. Petrino was fired, but by then, that group of receivers was being drafted by the NFL and there has not been as good of a recruiting class in the state since.
Some of that is because a lot of kids who should be playing football are choosing basketball, not realizing there are not many 6-3 or 6-4 power forwards in college basketball.
Plus, Petrino didn’t seem all that interested in recruiting, unlike Nick Saban who loves it and it shows every year at Alabama.
Bielema and his staff love recruiting. They are not afraid to go after big names, but for now, they are still recruiting against the disastrous spring when Petrino became a household name for all the wrong reasons and the season of John L. Smith.
What they need right now is a great crowd for a televised game in The Rock. That sends a message to recruits about the fan base and their loyalty.
The only other thing Bielema needs is time.
Sports, Pages 22 on 11/17/2013