How 'Bout Them Hogs
At the beginning of the year, I don't think anyone could have predicted the questions that would be asked today at Arkansas football practice.
Questions about the SEC Championship Game, the National Championship Game, and the Heisman Trophy would have seemed a little far-fetched in August. But that is reality for the Razorbacks as they begin preparations for a Friday showdown with LSU.
As we pulled into the parking lot behind Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium, the lights had descended on the Arkansas football team. Here is a team with an embattled coach, fighting for respect and his job just months ago. Here is a team that suffered a season-opening blowout to Southern California. Here is a team that few expected anything from. And here is a flock of media members rushing to interview that same embattled coach and overachieving team just moments after practice concluded.
Coach Houston Nutt looked at the writers and cameras and said his team had a good practice. He gave injury updates. He talked about LSU. He has gone from perhaps getting fired to probably winning SEC Coach of the Year.
At the forefront of this 10-game winning streak is running back Darren McFadden. Just off in the background is starting quarterback Casey Dick, who took over for a slumping freshman named Mitch Mustain. Against LSU, those guys will be the two most important cogs for the Hogs' offense. They'll rely on the blocking abilities of the offensive line, which will have hurting guard Stephen Parker available for Friday's game.
Parker wore a brace on his leg and an intimidating, menacing look on his face. As the 6 foot 4 inch senior towered over me during our interview, he insisted that the Razorbacks are in no way looking ahead to Florida in the SEC Championship next Saturday.
"No, not at all," Parker said. "I mean, this is ... the best defense (LSU) we face, the best defensive pressure. So as an offense, you definitely, you want to meet that challenge."
It's just remarkable to think how far along this underappreciated and still very young team has come. I like to look at the double overtime win against Alabama as a special and lasting moment of this season. Parker likes to look at another big win.
"I think probably the thing that stands out, was kind of the turning point, probably Auburn. Going down there and beating them on the road," Parker said. "That really kind of put our team over the hump and got everyone's confidence going."
We are 11 weeks into this crazy 2006 college football season, and the Razorbacks find themselves in unfamiliar territory. They, along with the Florida Gators, are the talk of the SEC fans. They, along with a few other teams, are the talk of the nation! Arkansas, just like LSU in 2003, has a chance to represent the Southeastern Conference in the BCS Championship. Arkansas, just like Auburn in 2004, has a chance to be that team that everyone uses as an example of the BCS's shortcomings.
"All we can control is getting to a BCS Bowl Game," Parker said.
That's much more than anyone expected from Arkansas 11 games into 2006.
