Fans aren't as concerned about where a team plays as how it performs, and about 7,000 of the Razorbacks Nation ignored sleet, cold weather made colder by a stiff wind and overcast skies to get a firsthand look at the future of University of Arkansas, Fayetteville football Saturday at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock.
No one is going to confuse what Chad Morris does with any previous Razorbacks coach.
He wants the ball snapped and in play in five seconds on every down.
To give the winter Red-White game atmosphere, the UA brought cheerleaders, pompom team and a pep band.
The game did not not start out full-tilt boogie. While it wasn't in park, it was not a first quarter played in the left lane as the only touchdown was a 53-yard pass from Ty Storey to Cheyenne O'Grady, so the offense led 7-5 as the defense got some points for doing its job.
Much of what Morris does is predicated on having speedy receivers and the quarterback making snap decisions. He didn't have the time in recruiting to add much speed to a team that was lacking it.
Morris was on the field and spent much of his time telling quarterbacks to hurry up and hurry up some more.
Storey started the second quarter and the pace picked up, but the drive stalled at the 20, and this time the first-team offense added a field goal for a 10-8 lead. The drive took 2:19.
That also brought a hog call, and a good one, too.
A Randy Ramsey sack of Cole Kelley made it 10-9, and there was a definite difference in the speed of what was happening on the field. If Storey had an obvious advantage, it was coming from his roots in Charleston, where he ran a fast-paced offense. Although neither quarterback seems to be moving ahead of the other.
Storey's passing has definitely improved. His release is tighter and quicker. Both passed for 126 yards and one touchdown. Storey was one of six players named by Morris as most consistent on offense during the spring.
Storey re-entered the game, and Morris didn't have to motion him to speed up. The drive stalled, yet Storey stayed in for another possession and it should be pointed out that this was not a pass-crazy offense. There was a balance between runs and passes, although the Hogs didn't seem to excel in either but moved the ball better through the air than on the ground.
The No. 1 offensive line was going against the No. 2 defense much of the time, but the offensive linemen did appear leaner and a little quicker. That's the group that has to make the biggest change in thinking, too. If they don't get set quickly, it doesn't matter what anyone else does, and much of what Morris was doing in the second quarter was getting the O-line to get set faster.
Kelley picked up the tempo on his next drive, and the Hogs went 71 yards -- 54 of it through the air, including a 5-yard touchdown -- in just 2:23, and it was becoming obvious to the hearty crowd that Morris' system cannot run too fast.
It is impossible to completely change a mindset and an offense in just one spring, and while Saturday's performance didn't overwhelm, it was obvious progress has been made.
This is a little like when Nolan Richardson took over for Eddie Sutton and tried to run and stun with a team of half-court players.
Morris had seen enough after the first half, and a running clock was employed for much of the second half. Storey and Kelley watched from the sidelines, and the great crowd was thinned by the wind-chilled temperature of 27 degrees.
Sports on 04/08/2018