Arkansas Razorbacks Football

Alabama clinched a berth in the SEC Championship Game and a showdown with No. 1 Georgia on Saturday. No surprises there—it's kinda what the Crimson Tide do.

No. 2 Alabama knocked off No. 21 Arkansas, 42-35, behind a record-setting game from Heisman Trophy hopeful Bryce Young.

Bryce Young breaks the Alabama single-game passing yards record against Arkansas 👏

The previous record was set all the way back in 1969 😳 pic.twitter.com/ALRjZ0zlFz

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) November 20, 2021

"That was the John Metchie drive."@AlabamaFTBL caps off a 98 yard drive with a TD pic.twitter.com/pu2ODlbsoC

— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) November 20, 2021

BRYCE YOUNG WITH THE DIME@alabamaFTBL goes 79 yards on a single play 🔥 pic.twitter.com/dbkH0IHR4M

— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) November 20, 2021

Give this touchdown to the O-Line.

This @AlabamaFTBL offense is firing on all cylinders. pic.twitter.com/8EIhXBdbA4

— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) November 20, 2021

The Razorbacks didn't have many answers for Alabama's passing game or the explosive receiving duo of John Metchie III and Jameson Williams, who carved up the Arkansas secondary, though, few defenses have had many answers for Young and his impressive array of weapons.

However, Alabama didn't make things easy on themselves. After the Crimson Tide went up 31-14 in the third quarter, Arkansas battled back to within six points. Some crucial Alabama mistakes—a penalty that erased a touchdown, a poor decision from Young to take a sack that led to a missed field and Cameron Latu's fumble in the red zone—aided the comeback attempt.

Oh, and there was Arkansas' brilliant fake field goal, too:

FAKE FIELD GOAL JUMP PASS TOUCHDOWN@RazorbackFB 🔥🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/vLwkHMiQ0F

— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) November 20, 2021

But Young and Williams combined yet again to put things away:

JAMESON WILLIAMS WITH THE HAT TRICK

What an effort for the @alabamaFTBL touchdown. pic.twitter.com/hq8P07K2Ia

— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) November 20, 2021

And so, a week ahead of the Iron Bowl, Alabama clinched the SEC West. The annual rivalry game with Auburn won't lose much luster—a second loss on the season would make it much more difficult for the Crimson Tide to reach the College Football Playoff—but Alabama's place in Atlanta is secured.

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Key Stats

Bryce Young, Bama: 31-of-40 for 561 yards and five touchdowns

John Metchie III, Bama: 10 catches for 173 yards and a score

Jameson Williams, Bama: Eight catches for 190 yards and three touchdowns

KJ Jefferson, ARK: 22-of-30 for 326 yards and three scores; 22 rushing yards

Treylon Burks, ARK: Eight catches for 179 yards and two touchdowns

Blake Kern, ARK: Three catches for 47 yards and a score

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Bryce Young Kept Himself In The Heisman Hunt

On a day that saw Ohio State redshirt freshman quarterback C.J. Stroud throw for 432 yards and six touchdowns, Young—a sophomore—made sure he would remain one of the favorites for the Heisman.

Imagine where Alabama would be without his play this season. The defense hasn't been great, something of a rarity under Nick Saban, and yet Young has made one big play after another to propel Bama to the SEC Championship Game through the ever-difficult SEC schedule. 

Bryce Young is the 3rd player in Alabama history to reach 35 pass TD in a season. Tua Tagovailoa and Mac Jones are the others. pic.twitter.com/xfVsWpekYF

— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) November 20, 2021

Imagine the stats @_bryce_young would be putting up if had 3 @OhioStateFB WR’s instead of just one. 🤔 #Heisman

— Brady Quinn (@Brady_Quinn) November 20, 2021

Bryce Young says, don’t hand the Heisman to Stroud just yet. Let me make my argument. Believe the race is btw those 2.

— shannon sharpe (@ShannonSharpe) November 20, 2021

Heisman race felt pretty crowded before today. Feels like a two-man race between C.J. Stroud and Bryce Young now.

— Dan Hope (@Dan_Hope) November 20, 2021

And he just makes it all look so effortless. He's a special player, and there's no doubt that NFL teams are eagerly scouting him ahead of the 2023 NFL draft. It's going to be fun watching him go to work against Georgia's ferocious defense in two weeks. 

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Treylon Burks Had Himself A Game

Burks came into Saturday's game with 51 catches for 796 yards and eight scores, so it wasn't a huge surprise that Alabama's secondary couldn't slow him down either on Saturday. 

Arkansas answers!

Treylon Burks gets @RazorbackFB on the board with his 9th TD of the year. pic.twitter.com/gQDUWnXe6n

— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) November 20, 2021

Treylon Burks is that dude

— Luke Easterling (@LukeEasterling) November 20, 2021

The best WR in CFB this season ladies & gentlemen, Treylon Burks!! #WPS🐗

— Clint Stoerner (@ClintStoerner) November 20, 2021

Between Chris Olave and Garret Wilson, Jameson Wiliams and Treylon Burks, talk about a receiver show case today.

— Brentley Weissman (@Brentley12) November 20, 2021

Even Nick Saban saw it coming. 

"He is a physical mismatch," Alabama's head coach told reporters this week. "He's bigger than most of the guys that are trying to guard him. It's kind of like a point guard trying to cover a power forward-type guy who can run fast."

On Saturday, the power forward won. Well, the individual matchup, at least.

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What's Next?

The aforementioned Iron Bowl. Auburn will host the Crimson Tide next Saturday (time TBD). Arkansas will close its season by hosting Missouri on Black Friday at 3:30 p.m. ET on CBS.

No. 16 Arkansas' red-hot start to the season continued Saturday with a 20-10 win over No. 7 Texas A&M at AT&T Stadium in Dallas. 

The Razorbacks have already won more games in 2021 (four) than they did all of last season (3-7). This is the program's first 4-0 start since 2003 when Houston Nutt was head coach. 

Second-year head coach Sam Pittman and offensive coordinator Art Briles wasted no time sending a message. Arkansas jumped out to a 17-0 lead with 13:55 remaining in the second quarter. 

Quarterback KJ Jefferson finished the game with 212 passing yards and two touchdowns on just seven completions. He did leave the game for a period of time in the second half, but he was able to return late in the fourth quarter. 

The scoring ground to a halt after that, but the Razorbacks defense had no problems shutting down Texas A&M. 

The Aggies only had two drives in which they ran plays in Arkansas territory. That doesn't include Isaiah Spiller's 67-yard touchdown run in the third quarter to cut the score to 17-10. 

Notable Game Stats

• KJ Jefferson (ARK): 7-of-15, 212 yards, 2 TD; 8 carries, 50 yards
• Trelon Smith (ARK): 17 carries, 82 yards
  
• Treylon Burks (ARK): 6 receptions, 167 yards, TD
  
• Zach Calzada (A&M): 20-of-36, 151 yards, INT
  
• Isaiah Spiller (A&M): 12 carries, 95 yards, TD; 5 receptions, 26 yards

Defense, Big Plays Carry Razorbacks in Win

Arkansas looked like it was on its way to a blowout win early in the second quarter. The offense had two touchdown drives of a combined 162 yards that took a total of 93 seconds off the clock. 

Treylon Burks had the first big play of the game with an 85-yard touchdown catch on a dime from KJ Jefferson on the Razorbacks' second possession. 

KJ JEFFERSON WITH THE DIME@razorbackFB is off and running 🔥 pic.twitter.com/gUWIIcTxom

— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) September 25, 2021

After the defense forced a punt on Texas A&M's next possession, AJ Green got in on the scoring with a 48-yard touchdown that was aided by poor tackling from Aggies linebacker Aaron Hansford. 

Hit 'em with the 🔄 cycle!@razorbackFB absolutely rolling early on pic.twitter.com/C5fC4Wd3zh

— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) September 25, 2021

At that point in the game, Arkansas' offense had put up 17 points on just 13 plays. 

Things did eventually settle down with the Aggies defense tightening up. The Razorbacks did have a chance to increase their lead late in the second quarter, but Trelon Smith's run on 4th-and-1 was stuffed for a turnover on downs. 

That 11-play, 65-yard drive was one of only two times after they went up 17-0 their offense gained at least 20 yards on a single possession. 

Jefferson appeared to injure his leg on a run in the third quarter, causing him to limp off the field. 

Despite briefly trying to play through the injury, the sophomore was replaced by Malik Hornsby midway through the third quarter. 

Arkansas QB KJ Jefferson obviously limping and replaced by redshirt freshman Malik Hornsby.

— Glenn Guilbeau (@SportBeatTweet) September 25, 2021

The transition at quarterback started smoothly, with Hornsby running for 16 yards on his first snap. It quickly fell apart after that when the same drive ended with a sack as he was trying to scramble out of pressure. 

Even with limited offensive production, especially in the second half, Arkansas' defense stepped up in a big way. Isaiah Spiller did get the unit for a 67-yard score in the third quarter to cut the deficit to 17-10, but that was one of only two Aggies drive that gained more than 20 yards in the second half. 

I’ve been advocating for Arkansas moving into the top 10 with a win today.

Hell, the Razorbacks look like a top 5 team to me so far on Saturday

— SEC Mike (@MichaelWBratton) September 25, 2021

There will be games later this season when Arkansas has to play more consistent on offense if it wants to win.

For now, though, Pittman has his team moving in the right direction as they attempt to challenge Alabama atop the SEC West division.    

Aggies Still Seeking Answers in Passing Game

There have been a lot of positives to take away from Texas A&M early in the season. The defense came into Saturday ranked first in the nation with 5.7 points allowed and seventh with 239.3 yards per game. 

After the Razorbacks broke off two big plays against that defense early in the game, the Aggies found their bearings. They only allowed 118 yards over the next seven drives combined. 

As has been the case for most of the season, Spiller gave the offense a big boost with 95 yards on the ground. His touchdown run was one of two plays for the Aggies that gained at least 20 yards. 

ISAIAH SPILLER FOR SIX 🔥

Here comes @AggieFootball pic.twitter.com/PnOk4fcjs0

— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) September 25, 2021

The problem that head coach Jimbo Fisher needs to figure out is at quarterback. It's been an ongoing issue to start this season. The injury to Haynes King has obviously played a significant role in the team's overall depth at the position. 

Zach Calzada, who threw for 151 yards in Saturday's loss, has averaged fewer than five yards per attempt twice in the past three games. The sophomore out of Georgia threw a crucial interception early in the fourth quarter when Texas A&M was trying to tie the score. 

HE LAID OUT FOR IT

Montaric Brown with a clutch INT for @razorbackFB pic.twitter.com/sAKg1XcVMB

— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) September 25, 2021

https://twitter.com/alex_kirshner/status/1441877307312857094

It's certainly difficult for any team to play at a high level when it must rely on its second-string quarterback. 

Freshman Blake Bost is the only other quarterback currently listed on the Aggies' depth chart. Eli Stowers was one of the nation's top-ranked dual-threat quarterbacks coming out of high school, but he has switched positions to tight end. 

Until King recovers from a fractured leg, it appears as if Calzada is going to be the quarterback for the Aggies. He is going to have to take significant steps forward quickly to keep the team going now that SEC play has started.    

What's Next?

Texas A&M will return home to host Mississippi State at Kyle Field on Oct. 2. Arkansas will play its first true road game of the season next Saturday against No. 2 Georgia at 12 p.m. ET. 

  

College Football Hall of Famer Loyd Phillips died Sunday following complications from a stroke, the University of Arkansas announced. He was 75.

Phillips was named an All-American in 1965 and 1966 before joining the Chicago Bears for two years as the No. 10 overall pick in the 1967 draft. 

In a statement from Arkansas vice chancellor and director of athletics Hunter Yuracheck, the AD called Phillips one of the school's true legends:

“Loyd Phillips was a ferocious competitor for Coach Frank Broyles in what was a truly golden era of Razorback Football. As his accomplishments attest, he established himself among the best to ever play college football. However, away from the field, Loyd was a humble gentle giant who made a meaningful difference in the lives of generations of young people in our state through his dedicated service in secondary education. He will be greatly missed. Our thoughts and prayers are with his wife Betsy, their son Mackenzie, their daughter JoAnn, the entire Phillips family and all those impacted by the extraordinary life of Loyd Phillips.”

The defensive tackle was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1992 after racking up 304 career tackles while playing for the Razorbacks. 

Phillips began his Razorbacks career on an undefeated team that won the 1964 national championship at 11-0 and ended his college career with the Outland Trophy as the best interior lineman in the country.  

Among the other accolades Phillips earned, he was named a member of Arkansas' All-Century team, the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame, the Southwest Conference Hall of Fame and the Texas Sports Hall of Fame as a native of Fort Worth. 

Following his NFL career, Phillips returned to college to complete a degree in health and education, later earning a master's in secondary education, leading him to a career as an assistant principal in Arkansas for 37 years.

Phillips' brother, Terry, and his son Mackenzie both also played football for the Razorbacks in college, helping strengthen the bond between the university and the family of one of its best players.  

Arkansas announced Monday that head football coach Sam Pittman has tested positive for COVID-19 but is not symptomatic:

pic.twitter.com/01PpTrEgnu

— Arkansas Razorback Football (@RazorbackFB) November 9, 2020

"I'm feeling great," Pittman said Monday. "I'm embarrassed. I wish I wouldn't have gotten the COVID. I haven't done anything different."

Pittman will work virtually during the week for team meetings, while defensive coordinator Barry Odom will become the team's interim coach.

"As far as the voice of the team this weekend, if I'm not there, it'll be Coach Odom," Pittman added. "He'll do a damn fine job, I'm sure."

Arkansas is scheduled to play at Florida on Saturday night.

Pittman becomes the third SEC coach to test positive for COVID-19 following Florida's Dan Mullen and Alabama's Nick Saban. Saban's test was later determined to be a false positive after five negative tests.

The 58-year-old Pittman is in his first year as a Division I head coach, taking over a squad that had gone 4-20 over the previous two years, including 0-16 in conference play. The Oklahoma native worked the previous four seasons at Georgia, where he was the offensive line coach and a recruiting extraordinaire. Before that, he was Arkansas' O-line/assistant head coach for three years.

The Razorbacks have been much more competitive in 2020, improving to 3-3 after Saturday's win over Tennessee. Each of the three losses (Georgia, Texas A&M and Auburn) have come against ranked opponents on the road.

Former Arkansas head coach Bret Bielema filed a $7 million lawsuit against the Arkansas Razorback Foundation for unpaid wages related to a $12 million buyout when he was fired by the school in 2017.

Michael McCann of Variety reported Friday the Razorback Foundation, the nonprofit fundraising arm of the school's athletic department, argued Bielema didn't fulfill the "duty to mitigate" portion of the agreement and ceased making payments to him as of January 2019.

Razorback Foundation attorney Marshall Ney told McCann it had previously requested Bielema return the over $4.5 million it had already paid him after discovering "multiple material breaches of the agreement."

The baseline argument surrounds whether Bielema made a concerted effort to obtain new employment that would have helped offset payments the foundation would have owed him.

After leaving Arkansas, he joined the New England Patriots staff in 2018 as a consultant to head coach Bill Belichick. There are conflicting reports about the nature of that position and whether it was a volunteer role for a period of time, per McCann. He then joined the Pats staff as a defensive line coach in 2019.

The New York Giants hired Bielema in January as an outside linebackers coach and senior defensive assistant.

Dan Wolken of USA Today reported the 50-year-old Illinois native made $350,000 across his two years with the Patriots and is scheduled to make $400,000 annually with the Giants. Those figures are far below the typical salary of a college football head coach in a Power 5 conference.

Bielema's agent, Neil Cornrich, also reached out to representatives from Boston College, Florida Atlantic, Rutgers and South Florida about head coaching vacancies since leaving Arkansas, per McCann. Those claims, if proved true, could hurt Arkansas' argument the coach hasn't been seeking more high-paying employment.

The Variety sports law reporter predicted the sides will eventually reach a settlement to avoid a trial in the case.

"Bielema's lawsuit likely won't be resolved for months," McCann wrote. "Even in normal times, contract litigation can take a long time. There are several stages of litigation, including time allotted for motions and pretrial discovery. The COVID-19 pandemic only elongates the timeline, with courts limiting operations and postponing hearings."

Before taking the Arkansas job, Bielema spent seven years as head coach at Wisconsin.

Arkansas football recruit Catrell Wallace has been arrested on suspicion of second-degree sexual assault and tampering, according to Chris Bumbaca of USA Today. 

Benton police in Arkansas allege the 18-year-old committed a sexual act with a 12-year-old early on Jan. 1.

The Benton Police Department said in a statement: "Although it appears to have been a consensual encounter, BNPD detectives were able to determine that Wallace had reason to believe the victim was underage at the time of the crime. It was also noted that Wallace instructed witnesses to lie about the crime in an effort to conceal it."

Wallace turned himself in to police Monday and the investigation is still open.

The Bryant, Arkansas native signed his letter of intent with the Razorbacks in December.

"We are gathering information and [are] in contact with the proper authorities regarding the situation," Arkansas coach Sam Pittman said. "Once we have additional information, we will make a determination on his status with our program."

Former Florida quarterback Feleipe Franks announced Monday he will remain in the SEC and transfer to Arkansas.

He revealed his decision on Instagram, captioning an image of himself in a Razorbacks uniform, "New beginnings."

"Just how genuine everybody is," Franks said of what drew him to Arkansas, per 247Sports' Danny West. "I think that's something that's really good and something you don't get much of nowadays, but that was the best part."

West noted Franks also considered Kansas and UCF.

Franks should be eligible immediately as a graduate transfer following four years with the Gators.

He only played three games in 2019 before his season was cut short due to an ankle injury. Florida coach Dan Mullen announced the quarterback would undergo surgery in September and have a six-month timeline for recovery.

Prior to the injury, Franks totaled 698 passing yards and five touchdowns with three interceptions, completing 76.1 percent of his passes.

The 6'6", 238-pound quarterback first took over the starting job as a redshirt freshman in 2017 and showcased his ability during the 2018 season, throwing 24 touchdown passes with only six interceptions while adding seven more scores on the ground. The dual-threat quarterback was considered a 4-star recruit out of high school and has lived up to expectations.

However, last year's injury opened the door for Kyle Trask enter the starting lineup, and his solid play should make him the go-to option in 2020.

Franks first announced he was leaving Florida on Instagram in December, although he wasn't necessarily set on transferring.

"I plan on exploring my options of entering the NFL draft or playing my final year elsewhere," he wrote.

He was also drafted by the Boston Red Sox in the 31st round of the MLB draft, which he called a "backup plan" last summer, per Mike Rodak of ESPN.

Any professional career will be put on hold while he plays a final season at the college level.

With Arkansas, he should immediately earn the starting quarterback job with the opportunity to reestablish himself and boost his NFL stock.

The Razorbacks went through five quarterbacks on their way to a 2-10 record in 2019, and the squad totaled 15 interceptions and only 14 passing touchdowns to go with a 49.6 overall completion percentage.

Over the last three years, the program only has eight combined wins.

Adding Franks could help kickstart a turnaround for Arkansas under new head coach Sam Pittman.

The Arkansas Razorbacks stayed inside the SEC to find their new head football coach.

On Sunday, Arkansas athletic director Hunter Yurachek announced the school hired Georgia associate head coach and offensive line coach Sam Pittman as its next head coach:

Excited to OFFICIALLY announce Sam Pittman as our new Head Football Coach. Great days ahead for the Hogs with Sam and Jamie as a part of the Razorback family again! #OneRazorback pic.twitter.com/763JrRrpaR

— Hunter Yurachek (@HunterYurachek) December 9, 2019

Chris Low of ESPN.com noted Pittman "is widely viewed as one of the best recruiters and offensive line coaches in the SEC. Several former Arkansas players, some of whom have played in the NFL, have sent letters of support to Arkansas officials expressing support for Pittman."

The position was open because the Razorbacks fired Chad Morris earlier this season. Morris was just 4-18 during his tenure that lasted less than two years.

Pittman was the highest-paid offensive line coach in the country at $900,000 per year, according to Low.

"It's always the nature of the beast," Georgia head coach Kirby Smart said of the possible move, per Low. "You always hear rumors flying around and things coming around, but you never know what's true and what's not. Right now we're focusing on the Sugar Bowl and getting ready for it."

This is something of a homecoming for Pittman, who was the assistant head coach, offensive line coach and recruiting coordinator with the Razorbacks from 2013-15 before he took the job at Georgia.

Arkansas went 7-6 and won the Texas Bowl in 2014 and finished 8-5 with a Liberty Bowl win in 2015 when Pittman was on Bret Bielema's staff. Records like that would be a welcome change for the program that is an ugly 8-28 the past three years without a single bowl appearance.

It doesn't make life any easier on the university that Arkansas is in the loaded SEC West and has to compete with the likes of Alabama, Auburn and LSU on an annual basis, but Pittman is at least familiar with the conference. He helped lead the Bulldogs to the last three SEC Championship Games, and his expertise in recruiting should help the Razorbacks turn things around.

Arkansas is 118th in the country in the 2020 recruiting rankings, per 247Sports' composite rankings.

Expect much better recruiting with Pittman leading the way.

A mumps outbreak will reportedly cause a number of Arkansas Razorbacks football players and coaches to miss Friday's game against the Missouri Tigers.

According to John R. Nabors of ESPN Arkansas, "around 15 or so Razorback players and a few coaches" were expected to be held out due to the illness.

Trey Schaap of 103.7 The Buzz reported that cornerbacks coach Mark Smith is among the coaches who were diagnosed with mumps.

Earlier this week, the University of Arkansas released a statement regarding a mumps outbreak on the school's campus:

"Consistent with a recommendation made by the Arkansas Department of Health for all University of Arkansas students and in conjunction with University efforts in response to diagnosed cases of mumps on campus, Razorback Athletics is providing its student-athletes, coaches and staff access to an additional dose of MMR vaccine. While student-athletes may or may not have been personally exposed to those individuals with confirmed cases, their daily interaction with others on campus, including other student-athletes, poses the possibility such exposure could adversely impact their health and well-being. Razorback Athletics remains committed to maintaining the health, safety and well-being of all of our student-athletes, coaches and staff members."

Per the Mayo Clinic's official website, mumps is a contagious viral infection of the salivary glands that is preventable through vaccines. In addition to swollen salivary glands, mumps can cause fever, headaches, muscle aches and fatigue.

Arkansas has lost each of its past eight games, and each of its past five losses have come by 26 points or more. One of the team's biggest issues has been its carousel at quarterback, and that will continue Saturday.

Jack Lindsey is set to start against Mizzou, marking the Razorbacks' fifth different starting quarterback this season. The junior from Fayetteville, Arkansas, has completed three of his four pass attempts for 51 yards and one touchdown this season.

Arkansas will look to avoid going 2-10 in consecutive seasons for the first time in school history. Meanwhile, Missouri is playing for little during Friday's game in Fayetteville despite being 5-6 since it is banned from playing in a bowl game this season.

Chad Morris is out at Arkansas.

The Razorbacks announced Sunday the firing of Morris following a 45-19 loss to Western Kentucky on Saturday. Arkansas is now just 2-8 on the season and 4-18 since Morris was hired in Dec. 2017. 

"As part of my continued evaluation, I have come to the conclusion that a change in leadership is necessary to move our football program forward and position it for success," vice chancellor and director of athletics Hunter Yurachek said in a statement. "It is clear that we have not made the progress necessary to compete and win, especially within the Southeastern Conference."

Arkansas has fired HC Chad Morris, who finishes with the worst win percentage (.182) of any head coach in Arkansas program history (min. 5 games).

In less than two seasons with the Razorbacks, Morris was 0-14 against SEC opponents. pic.twitter.com/0Y7m4gnqmB

— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) November 10, 2019

According to that press release, tight ends coach and special teams coordinator Barry Lunney Jr. will take over as interim head coach.

Per Dan Wolken of USA Today, "the decision to make a change before Morris could complete his second season had been weeks in the making."

He added, "With little evidence that the program was trending in the right direction and an exodus of fan support, Arkansas had little choice but to go in a different direction."

Arkansas will pay a steep price to move on from Morris, owing him a $10 million buyout, according to that report, just two years after firing Bret Bielema, who had an $11.9 million buyout.

Despite the drubbing against Western Kentucky, Morris maintained after the game that the Razorbacks were on the right track.

"It's going to take some time," he told reporters. "Everybody is frustrated with that and I get it. I am, too. But I also understand that to get this thing right, it's going to take some time in this league."

He also said after the loss that he believed he was still the right man for the job.

Chad Morris: "I am the guy [who can turn things around]." pic.twitter.com/EWN2tzo1Pq

— Kyle Deckelbaum (@KyleDeckelbaum) November 9, 2019

"I am the guy. There's no question. I knew that this would take some time. I knew that this would be a process of recruiting and developing and building, especially in this conference. I knew the strains that take place weekly in this conference and the depth you need to be successful. Right now we don't have that. We have to go get that, recruit to that and develop. Right now it's unfortunate that we're playing as many young guys as we're playing, but that's the truth to it."

Arkansas disagreed, however, and those young players will now have new leadership going forward following Sunday's decision.