Quinn Grovey sympathizes with Hogs after Auburn blowout

Inductee Quinn Grovey of Fayetteville signs footballs for Wes Sutton at an induction ceremony for Arkansan athletes into the Texas-based Southwest Conference Hall of Fame, Oct. 24 at Embassy Suites Little Rock.
Inductee Quinn Grovey of Fayetteville signs footballs for Wes Sutton at an induction ceremony for Arkansan athletes into the Texas-based Southwest Conference Hall of Fame, Oct. 24 at Embassy Suites Little Rock.

— It was supposed to be an epic showdown. No. 10 Arkansas vs. No. 5 Miami at War Memorial Stadium early in the 1987 season.

Instead, the Hurricanes dominated the Hogs 51-7. Quinn Grovey, the Razorbacks starting quaraterback, thought back to that game this week in light of the current Hogs 56-3 shellacking at Auburn last week.

“[Miami] put it on put it on us pretty bad, but we couldn’t let that loss ruin our season,” Grovey said.

That’s the positon Arkansas finds itself in this week sitting 5-3 with plenty of goals still intact.

“There are still a lot of games to play and a lot of good things that can happen,” said Grovey, who serves as the sideline reporter for Arkansas Radio Sports Network on IMG radio broadcasts. “They just have to pull up those bootstraps and come together.”

Arkansas entered the game ranked in the Top 20 ahead of Auburn, and some were shocked that the Hogs were nine-point underdogs in the game. The fallout has been tough. Media from across the country has taken shots. Former Hogs coach Jack Crowe, who was fired early during the 1993 season, jabbed UA Coach Bret Bielema with on Twitter and even former Arkansas offensive lineman Mitch Petrus laid into the offensive line on Little Rock television questioning the unit’s effort.

“Just the previous week, it was probably the best it has been on campus [for the players] and at Wal-Mart,” said Grovey, who will move into the ARSN color analyst role after Keith Jackson announced he is retiring from the role. “Everyone is talking good about them after they beat Ole Miss. Now, you come back and lose to Auburn, and it will probably be reversed. You can’t get too high or low. You just have to come together as a team and play for one another and everything will work out.”

The good news for Arkansas is after a trio of tough games in a row, against Alabama, Ole Miss and Auburn; they could regroup with a bye week. Time to heal, regroup and focus on No. 14 Florida, who will be in Fayetteville Nov. 5 for a 2:30 p.m. tilt televised on CBS.

“It will allow Austin to get a little healthier,” said Grovey, who was inducted into the Southwest Conference Hall of Fame at the Little Rock Touchdown Club Monday. “It will definitely help.”

What has amazed me is how some have written the Hogs off the next two weeks. Before the Auburn game, Florida and LSU in two weeks were games many thought the Hogs would win. Now, less think that way and some even think the Hogs will ride a three-game losing streak into the regular-season finale at Missouri.

Florida and LSU are good teams playing well, but Arkansas has the advantage of playing at home. Bret Bielema has managed tough times before in his three seasons, and it would be surprising if Arkansas laid two more eggs.

“If you win next week everything will be back on track, and all of those games are winnable,” Grovey said. “You just have to go back to work.”

In ’87, Arkansas won five of its next six games after the Miami loss. The Hogs lost to Georgia in the Liberty Bowl finishing 9-4. The Hurricanes loss in week 3 didn’t define Arkansas that year, and depending what happens the final four weeks of the season, the Auburn blowout may not define the 2016 Hogs, either.

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