FAYETTEVILLE -- Outgoing Arkansas Gov. Mike Beebe apparently would like to exit accompanied by an Arkansas Razorback bowl victory.
For the second time this football season, Beebe on Friday addressed the Razorbacks, this time as they ready for their Dec. 29 Texas Bowl game in Houston against the Texas Longhorns at the NFL Houston Texans' NRG Stadium.
If the Razorbacks play as well vs. Texas as they did after the last time the governor addressed them, perhaps they should bring Beebe back to address them as a private citizen throughout 2015.
" I think the last time he came and spoke to us was the Ole Miss game and we happened to win that game (30-0 with Ole Miss then ranked eighth nationally)," four-year junior quarterback Brandon Allen said after Friday's practice. "So a little superstitious kind of thing, every time he's spoken to us we've won. So why not give it a shot. He's always got some words of encouragement for us."
Arkansas coach Bret Bielema obviously related the governor's address with mashing Mississippi.
"He spoke to us before the Ole Miss game and I guess he thought that would help us a lot," third-year sophomore cornerback Jared Collins said. "And Coach B thought that would help us a lot for him to speak to us. That went well and he gave us some words of encouragement."
Bijhon Jackson, freshman backup defensive tackle from El Dorado, said the governor needed no prompting or script relating with the Razorbacks.
"The coaches were telling us it was crazy, that he knew everything about the Hogs, Jackson said. "He does a good job encouraging us."
What did he say?
"He tells us about the Texas rivalry and that he hates losing and wants us to go out and beat Texas and be winners," Jackson said.
Obviously with Texas and Arkansas both 6-6 and rebuilding under first-year Texas coach Charlie Strong of Batesville and second-year Arkansas coach Bielema, these Longhorns and Hogs aren't the national caliber of the great Frank Broyles- and Darrell Royal-coached Arkansas-Texas Southwest Conference classics in the 1960s or the Lou Holtz-coached Razorbacks vs. Fred Akers-coached Longhorns in the 1970s.
However the defenses of both these teams measure to some of the vintage Arkansas vs. Texas past.
Arkansas became the first unranked team successively shutting out ranked teams in the consecutive 17-0 and 30-0 SEC shutouts in Fayetteville over No. 17 LSU and No. 8 Ole Miss.
And as much as Southeastern Conference schools like to brag on the SEC, the Razorbacks give the Big 12's Longhorns their defensive due.
"Very good defense," Brandon Allen said. "An SEC-caliber defense, I think. Very big up front, and very physical. Secondary covers very well. I think their strength is probably their front four, their defensive linemen. To do well in this game, we're going to have to negate them and move them around and be the more physical team."
According to the Outland Trophy voting panel, Texas has the best defensive lineman in the country. Texas defensive Malcolm Brown was the only defensive finalist in the Outland Trophy voting that ultimately went to Iowa offensive tackle Brandon Scherff.
"The only defensive guy on the Outland -- that obviously speaks volumes," Arkansas sophomore left offensive tackle Dan Skipper said. "It's not only him. He's got a lot of great guys playing around him that you have to account for as well and just make sure that we stick to playing fundamental Razorback football."
Arkansas has a closed practice today that will include incoming freshmen Ty Storey, the quarterback from Charleston, and Will Gragg, the tight end from Dumas. Both are midterm high-school graduates who have signed UA financial-aid agreements and are now eligible with the UA's fall semester completed with Friday's finale of final exams.
Zach Rogers, the incoming freshman offensive lineman from Carrolton, Texas, and a midterm graduate signed to a financial-aid agreement, also will be on hand but not practicing while rehabbing from surgery performed because of an injury during the season.
Sports on 12/20/2014