FAYETTEVILLE -- Arkansas Coach Bret Bielema in August eschewed practicing his Razorbacks twice daily during preseason drills.
Forgoing August two-a-days makes a fresher team in November, Bielema reasoned.
Of course his reasoning caught flak. His eventual 8-5 Razorbacks started 2-4. The start included September nonconference losses to Toledo in Little Rock -- turning the old "Holy Toledo!" exclamation into an Arkansas epithet -- and in Fayetteville to Texas Tech.
August two-a-days for 2016 seemed a must, but the Hogs' 2015 finish gives reason to believe Bielema had it right from the start.
Arkansas surged to 6-1 during its final seven games and was a blocked field goal away against Mississippi State from finishing 7-0.
Presumably before preseason drills begin, Bielema will address his preseason plans more specifically. He spoke in generalities at his Wednesday SEC media day session in Hoover, Ala., reflecting on the 2015 Razorbacks' slow start and fast finish.
"I took a lot of time last year in reflection on how things happened to be a 2-4 team and end up 6-1," Bielema said. "Down the stretch, I really felt there was something there. I uncovered a few things that I think we are going to adjust and jump into. A little bit of demeanor on the coaching staff and myself, everything starts with me. But I do think I put such an emphasis on getting better every day that they kind of feel it's going to happen and we need it to happen."
Toledo -- a solid program but without regional recognition in the South -- and Texas Tech -- routed 49-28 by the Razorbacks in 2014 at Jones Stadium in Lubbock -- both likely sneaked up on the Hogs in September.
Also, then brand-new Arkansas offensive coordinator Dan Enos increased the passing game presence into what had been a decidedly ground-oriented offense.
The more diversified passing game presence manifested in the Hogs' second-half success. Now Enos and his players have behind them a full season and two springs to better understand each other and presumably start 2016 on the same page.
They also should understand that nothing remotely resembles a cupcake until hosting Texas State -- the season's third game Sept. 17 in Fayetteville.
Arkansas opens Sept. 3 in Fayetteville against regionally respected Louisiana Tech, 9-4 last season, and visits Fort Worth to take on TCU, 11-2 last season, on Sept. 10. The Razorbacks also face Texas A&M in the SEC opener Sept. 24 at the Dallas Cowboys' AT&T Stadium in Arlington.
"I think our schedule helps us this year," Bielema said of capturing the Hogs' September attention. "We start off with La. Tech and they can play. Then we jump into TCU, and we are going to go there and that's a nice little jump-start for the season. And of course then you jump into an SEC West schedule that starts off with A&M. It's going to be important for us to start early and start fast."
Sports on 07/16/2016