Like It Is

Aggies haven't seen anything like Hogs' line

Arkansas offensive lineman Brey Cook talks with a referee during a game Saturday, Aug. 30, 2014 at Jordan-Hare Stadium in Auburn, Ala.
Arkansas offensive lineman Brey Cook talks with a referee during a game Saturday, Aug. 30, 2014 at Jordan-Hare Stadium in Auburn, Ala.

Arkansas' game against Texas A&M on Saturday is being billed as the Razorbacks' run offense vs. the Aggies' passing attack. Sort of old vs. new. Boring vs. exciting.

No, Bret Bielema football is not boring. In fact, it has been more balanced than it seems, but after the way the Hogs marched all over Texas Tech it's easy to see why it looks like their first three choices are behind the tackles or up the middle.

A&M was expected to have a drop-off this season after losing Johnny Manziel, but after rolling to 4-0 behind the passing of Kenny "Trill" Hill, Johnny Football is quickly becoming a distant memory.

The Aggies shocked the football world in their opening game when they went to South Carolina and beat the Gamecocks 52-28, with Hill smashing Manziel's single-game passing record by 47 yards with 511.

Defending the pass isn't Arkansas' strength. It ranks 69th, giving up an average of 233.3 yards per game.

The Aggies aren't too shabby against the run and rank 42nd, allowing just 124.8 yards per game, but Rice ran for 240 yards on them last weekend, and A&M's players haven't seen Sweat Hogs like the guys they will see Saturday.

On paper the Aggies deserve to be favored, but the game will be played on the Dallas Cowboys' home field where the Hogs are 4-0.

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Speaking of the Aggies, what a change they are forcing in the state of Texas.

It used to be the Texas Longhorns picked who they wanted in recruiting and everyone else chased those who were left over.

Not anymore.

The Aggies rank No. 7 in the nation with 19 commitments, 16 from the state of Texas, and 12 of those are at least four-star recruits.

The Longhorns are at No. 17 with 17 commitments. Thirteen are from Texas, but only five of those are at least four-star recruits.

Last year the Aggies finished No. 6 in the nation and the Longhorns No. 20.

A&M's freshman class includes three five-star and 10 four-star signees. Texas' freshman class has four four-star players and no five-stars.

The allure, at least a big part of it, must be because the Aggies are playing in the premier football league in the country, the SEC, while the Longhorns are in the 10-team league known as the Big 12.

Most likely that is why Bielema and his staff are paying more attention to the state of Texas, which is still the No. 1 state to recruit.

Arkansas might not be able to out-recruit the Aggies for a lot of those guys, but they would have the advantage of playing in the SEC over Texas, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State.

As the old saying goes, to be the best, you have to beat the best, and the best are in the SEC.

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Incidentally, it appears Dumas tight end Will Gragg's oral commitment has jumped the Razorbacks to No. 21 in the 2015 recruiting race.

And that is with only 14 commitments. The Hogs could move up more.

So far they have commitments from all of the four-star athletes in Arkansas, and they are still working hard every day and night at home and away.

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An interesting column by Ivan Maisel on Wednesday on ESPN.com outlines the career of Watson Brown, who is about to become the losingest coach in college history.

Brown coached at Rice and Vanderbilt, as well as Austin Peay, Cincinnati and Alabama-Birmingham. He is currently at Tennessee Tech, where he is 34-48.

His overall record for his 30-year career is 128-199-1.

One more loss and he will surpass Amos Alonzo Stagg, who coached for 57 seasons.

The last time Brown had an overall winning record was 1984, but a loss to Texas A&M dropped him to 18-19-1.

His comment about the record? He likes a good challenge.

Sports on 09/25/2014

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