• Feeling a little queasy about Saturday's contest against South Carolina? Then you might not want to read this preview on Garnet and Black Attack, SB Nation's Gamecocks blog. Here's a quote:
Arkansas has a great offense, but they don't match up very well against us. The Hogs throw the ball a lot, and we have one of the best pass defenses in the country. Moreover, Bobby Petrino's team is distinctly vulnerable to a good pass rush, as their line is average and Ryan Mallett is one of the most immobile quarterbacks around.
And here's another interesting passage:
Considering that we defend the run poorly and that Arkansas tailback Michael Smith is probably going to be back in the lineup, don't be surprised if Arkansas tries to establish the run to keep us from teeing off on Mallett. Whether or not we can slow Smith down will be key.
• And speaking of the South Carolina game, Fayetteville sports-talk radio host and ArkansasSports360 contributor T.J. Carpenter says Saturday's contest is a must-win for the Hogs, writing at one point:
Arkansas will be better next year, much better, but it may be too late to save the loyalty of many fairweather fans.
In the grand scheme of things, this game against South Carolina will determine how cozy or cold the relationship between Petrino and the Razorback fanbase will be from here on out.
I totally disagree. I don't even think Saturday's game is a must-win for this season (the Hogs could still find themselves bowl eligible if they lose to the Gamecocks). And if the Hogs lose this weekend and are vastly improved next year, why would the fans still be hung up on the defeat?
By the way, in one for the "shameless plug" file, I'm slated to appear on TJ's show tomorrow afternoon at 3:30 Central time. Perhaps we'll conduct a Lincoln-Douglas-style debate on this.
• More light has been shed on the Brandon Mitchell situation. Actually, very little additional light, but the upshot is that the freshman quarterback will play hoops this season, and the football and coaching staffs say they have agreed on how to proceed with the situation. Let the betting begin: how long until he serves his first Pelphrey-issued suspension?