Skipping past the salacious stuff, Paul Myerberg focuses on the important question about Arkansas – post-Petrino, how will that program fare in this year’s SEC West?
As he notes, even when Petrino was calling the plays, there were already limits on the upside. Those limits are called Alabama and LSU, both of which handled Arkansas with ease last year. But even with those two aside, I’m not sure things are as rosy in 2012 as Myerberg makes out in his conclusion.
… Teams like South Carolina, Texas A&M, Auburn and the like can’t afford to take Arkansas lightly. Why? Because even when running at less than full capacity, the Razorbacks still have more than enough in the tank to run with every team in the SEC — minus the Tide and Tigers. Sadly, up until the minutes before Petrino’s accident, Arkansas was basing its entire season on how it fared against those two divisional powers.
Eh, maybe. Arkansas wasn’t a great defensive team last year, which is something Petrino recognized when he replaced defensive coordinators. What are the odds that Paul Haynes is a talented enough coach to make up for the loss of one of college football’s best playcallers?
I don’t think Arkansas should be taken lightly, but it’s hard to see the Hogs as a BCS bowl threat, either.
Get The Picture 
If the Hogs use the mess a a rallying point, they could have a special season.
But there’s only so much adversity a team can take and if they hit a bump or two, things could go south in a hurry.
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From a UGA fans perspective, it’s hard to see anything special about Arkansas with or without Petrino. We have owned them. Their one win over us since the mid-70’s took a last second TD pass when matching one of our worst teams(without AJ Green) vs one of their best. And who could forget them making Joe Cox look like Peyton Manning in Fayetteville?
They will lose at least 5 games this year and would have lost 3 or 4 with Petrino.
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I thought the Hogs were as good as if not better than Georgia last year. But without Petrino, a proven defense, and the loss of 4 All american receivers, plus the division they play in, not sure they will be a better football team, much less have a better record than Georgia in 2012.
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To hear Arky fans talk, they were one of three elite teams in the SEC and there was a much larger gap between them and the 4th best SEC team than between them and LSU or Bama. The media seemed to be buying that theory too based on where they were ranked most of the year. Their best wins were over a TAMU team that was vastly over-rated early in the year(and the Hogs needed a huge 2nd half comeback to win that one) and a home win over S Car without Lattimore.
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Has the fallout ended for Ark? Can’t some players, this year’s recruits and others transfer with the loss of the Head Coach they came to learn under? With the lies and favoritism used for hiring, what does that say for Petrino’s brother’s chances of staying? Are they going to elevate a coach (who learned recently under Tressel) to that Head Coach spot? Who will leave if they go outside to get a coach that some kid’s headturner says is bad for him?
Stay tuned while the remainder of this Ozark Drama, that rivals their big outdoor production of the Passion of the Hills, plays out. That would be with the same wings, cables and select disciples that defines SueyLand football.
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Awright, awright. Make it Passion PLAY of the Hills.
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Now it’s “Galling the Hogs”.
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