Stories by Wally Hall

OPINION | WALLY HALL: It's a good weekend to watch rivalry games It seems like last week the Arkansas Razorbacks were taking on Rice to start the season, and Layne Hatcher had come off the bench to lead Arkansas State to a win over Central Arkansas.Instead, the Raz... November 26, 2021

OPINION | WALLY HALL: There's so much to be thankful for right now Today is one of my favorite days of the year, probably second to Christmas, only Thanksgiving doesn't have the presents pressure.It is about family, friends and food. Lots of food.We started cooki... November 25, 2021

OPINION | WALLY HALL: Coach's shot adds to Arkansas-Mizzou rivalry Last summer at SEC media days, when all the coaches were happy, undefeated but cautious, Missouri football Coach Eli Drinkwitz took a cheap shot at the Arkansas Razorbacks."I kind of like the riv... November 24, 2021

OPINION | WALLY HALL: Similarities between Pittman, Hatfield exist Forget it.The Arkansas Razorbacks have to forget the brilliance of their performance from Saturday or Missouri might win again.The fans, though, should dwell on how far Arkansas has come in less than ... November 23, 2021

OPINION | WALLY HALL: Hard to catch these Razorbacks ever quitting In Tuscaloosa, Ala., against heavyweight champion Alabama, the Arkansas Razorbacks went the distance Saturday and lost a decision by a single touchdown, 42-35.There may not be moral wins, but if there... November 21, 2021

OPINION | WALLY HALL: Razorbacks go the distance in close loss to Alabama Nose to nose, toe to toe, Arkansas went the distance with heavyweight champion Alabama, but was decisioned by Crimson Tide quarterback Bryce Young’s five touchdown passes.The redshirt freshman t... November 20, 2021

OPINION | WALLY HALL: Last time the Hogs beat Bama It was Houston Nutt’s best season as the Arkansas head football coach going 10-4.It was a season that would find the Razorbacks in the SEC Championship game for the second and last time.It was a... November 20, 2021

OPINION | WALLY HALL: Time for teams to go bowling is running out There are only four all-SEC games Saturday, but a couple of teams are looking to get bowl eligible.Already eight league teams have at least six wins, and six of those are in the SEC West, but it doesn... November 19, 2021

OPINION | WALLY HALL: Hogs will be prepared against 'down' Tide Alabama is not as good as it was last year.Who is?Maybe Georgia, but other than the Bulldogs, no one.Last year, the Crimson Tide went 13-0. This year, they lost to Texas A&M, but if they played ni... November 18, 2021

OPINION | WALLY HALL: Even Saban has nice things to say about Pittman Nick Saban volunteered nice words about Sam Pittman.He had to. What could anyone possibly say bad about Pittman, who seems to have all friends and no enemies in the coaching ranks, although he and Bre... November 17, 2021

OPINION | WALLY HALL: Challenges remain, but Hogs have surprised As hard as it is to believe, after a nine-month wait for football, there are only two regular-season games left for the Arkansas Razorbacks.Back in the sweaty days of August, there were at least a doz... November 16, 2021

OPINION | WALLY HALL: It wasn't a Picasso, but Hogs take the win Ed Orgeron was so proud of the blitz package LSU installed for the Arkansas Razorbacks on Friday that he motioned the SEC Network reporters into his office to watch it."They can't block us,&#... November 14, 2021

OPINION | WALLY HALL: Hogs overcome in overtime It was a game that, had it been a work of art, you could have bought it in a deserted gas station.The overtime that decided the game was not a TV ratings boost — although it belonged to the Arka... November 13, 2021

OPINION | WALLY HALL: Visitors to Louisiana State's 'Death Valley' face hostile experience At around 4:30 p.m. today, the buses will pull up in front of Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge, and there will be an outrageous greeting.These are the Arkansas Razorback buses, loaded with players, coache... November 13, 2021

OPINION | WALLY HALL: Watching the Tide at breakfast is something new There is a decent slate of SEC games this week, mostly about getting bowl eligible or improving bowl status.The headliner is Texas A&M at Ole Miss, and the weakest game of the week is New Mexico S... November 12, 2021

OPINION | WALLY HALL: Rodgers let down Packer teammates, fans For Green Bay Packer fans, this could be the beginning of the end. Aaron Rodgers lied about being vaccinated against covid-19. He said he was immunized and he wasn't, proven last week when he tested ... November 11, 2021

OPINION | WALLY HALL: It's anyone's guess which LSU team shows up No one, absolutely no one, knows which LSU team will show up Saturday night in Baton Rouge to play the Arkansas Razorbacks. Usually a night game in Death Valley is something opponents had nightmares ... November 10, 2021

OPINION | WALLY HALL: Plenty of fight remains in Hogs, Pittman Two years ago, three years ago and maybe four years ago, it would have been different. If Mississippi State, or any SEC school, had taken a 27-23 lead against the Arkansas Razorbacks with 2:22 to pla... November 9, 2021

OPINION | WALLY HALL: Hogs manage the win despite sea of yellow FAYETTEVILLE -- The University of Arkansas and Mississippi State both committed enough penalties to lose, but the final of 21 total penalties was against the Bulldogs, and the Razorbacks became bowl e... November 7, 2021

OPINION | WALLY HALL: Razorbacks escape Mississippi State, become bowl-eligible FAYETTEVILLE — With the game on the line and just 2:22 to play, the Arkansas Razorbacks had obviously saved the best for last. Faced with a 28-23 deficit, the Razorbacks drove 75 yards in 10 plays, t... November 6, 2021

OPINION | WALLY HALL: SEC football clearly remains in the spotlight It is a really good week for football in the SEC. Postseason play is hanging in the wind for at least six teams. Georgia and Alabama appear to be on a crash course to the SEC Championship Game. This... November 5, 2021

OPINION | WALLY HALL: CFP rankings have created early intrigue Covid-19, taxes and Alabama football. Those are three things most of the country is suffering heavy fatigue from. The virus is up to the people. Vaccinate or let it live a long and deadly life. The ... November 4, 2021

OPINION | WALLY HALL: Under Leach, Bulldogs are no easy chore He loves pirates and hates candy corn. Sometimes, during interviews, it seems like he has 10,000 random thoughts per minute. Mike Leach has a law degree from prestigious Pepperdine Caruso School of ... November 3, 2021

OPINION | WALLY HALL: Vote benefits academics, athletics in Little Rock It does include athletics, and while yours truly tries to stay out of politics, a yes vote today on the Little Rock millage doesn't raise or lower taxes. It just means more money into public school ed... November 2, 2021

OPINION | WALLY HALL: Day of football watching quite informative Spending Saturday watching college football was both fun and educational. Some early observations about the College Football Playoff and one early prediction: My pastor, Chuck "The Pigskin Preacher,"... October 31, 2021

OPINION | WALLY HALL: Random thoughts on a Hogs-less day of college football It is a little early in the day to make too many observations. However, on a Saturday when teams not named the Arkansas Razorbacks are being observed: A. The way No. 2 Cincinnati played against Tulan... October 30, 2021

OPINION | WALLY HALL: Saturday's SEC schedule looks a little light With six SEC teams on fall break, this is a really slow week, but it takes care of all the days off except for Vanderbilt who is off next week if anyone really cares. Ole Miss' off weekend was on Sep... October 29, 2021

OPINION | WALLY HALL: Bulldogs remain at the head of SEC class This weekend, while the Arkansas Razorbacks are getting a much-needed open date, the SEC will finish out October and then head down the stretch to the regular-season finish line. Basically three quar... October 28, 2021

OPINION | WALLY HALL: SEC Coach of the Year is a three-horse race Blame Lane Kiffin and the Ole Miss Rebels. If not for him and them, Sam Pittman would most likely be one of the top two contenders for SEC Coach of the Year honors. Along with Kiffin is Kirby Smart ... October 27, 2021

OPINION | WALLY HALL: LSU, Orgeron going about their business Ed Orgeron, for whatever reason, is still standing on the sidelines as the head coach of the LSU Tigers. When he met with LSU Athletic Director Scott Woodward on Oct. 10, Orgeron was told he would no... October 26, 2021

OPINION | WALLY HALL: Day was near-perfect at War Memorial It was a monumentally historic day that went just about as expected. No, the University of Arkansas' first teams were not on the bus and nearing Conway by the end of the first half, but their day was... October 24, 2021

OPINION | WALLY HALL: Historic day held no surprises for Razorbacks History was made in War Memorial Stadium when the University of Arkansas hosted Arkansas-Pine Bluff in their first football game in history. There were 42,576 witnesses to this significant event. It... October 23, 2021

OPINION | WALLY HALL: Playing in-state schools beneficial to all This is not your regular weekend in the SEC. With five schools having an open date, there are only four conference games, and then there is Arkansas-Pine Bluff playing the University of Arkansas in L... October 22, 2021

OPINION | WALLY HALL: It's time to embrace the UA, UAPB game It is more than just a football game Saturday. When the Arkansas Razorbacks host Arkansas-Pine Bluff, history will be made. Monumental history. When the players from both teams run onto the field 61... October 21, 2021

OPINION | WALLY HALL: Dick Vitale diagnosed with cancer There will be no Dickie V. this basketball season. Dick Vitale, who for decades has raised money for cancer research, has cancer. It is his second bout with lymphoma in months. While his illness is ... October 20, 2021

OPINION | WALLY HALL: Orange is a fitting color for some Vols fans If you are driving through Knoxville, Tenn., in the near future and you see dozens, maybe hundreds, of young people wearing what looks like Tennessee orange jerseys picking up trash, those are the cul... October 20, 2021

OPINION | WALLY HALL: Ailing Hogs going through tough patch At one point a year ago, the University of Arkansas football team was 3-4 and fans were ecstatic. After a 20-game SEC losing streak was snapped in Sam Pittman's first season at Arkansas, and as a hea... October 19, 2021

OPINION | WALLY HALL: Nix a pest to still-improved Razorbacks On a glorious afternoon without a cloud in the sky, it appeared the Arkansas Razorbacks were headed for a homecoming victory. Then Lady Luck quit smiling on them, they made mistakes and lost 38-23 de... October 17, 2021

OPINION | WALLY HALL: Hogs had the offense but lacked the points FAYETTEVILLE — The most important statistic in football, the only one that really counts, is the score on the scoreboard. For the second week in a row, the Arkansas Razorbacks found themselves statist... October 16, 2021

OPINION | WALLY HALL: SEC East flexing some early league muscle It is a little intriguing that the Arkansas Razorbacks opened as 3 1/2-point favorites over Auburn and that went to 4 1/2 on Thursday. It is amazing how close those oddsmakers can be on a regular bas... October 15, 2021

OPINION | WALLY HALL: Holey Moley, it was him Last week we arrived in Oxford at 8 a.m., three hours before kickoff. There was no coffee in the press box, which was a surprise, but was told there was coffee one floor up, which happens to be where... October 14, 2021

OPINION | WALLY HALL: Recent Auburn football history a hit, miss As an institute of higher education, Auburn is a first-class university. It was founded in 1856, and it became the first land-grant college in the South. It underwent several name changes, until jus... October 14, 2021

OPINION | WALLY HALL: Musings from time well-spent at the Little Rock Touchdown Club Sitting across the table at Monday's Little Rock Touchdown Club was a long-time acquaintance who is a dyed-in-the-wool Arkansas Razorback fan. He's a good guy, very smart and not much of a talker, bu... October 13, 2021

OPINION | WALLY HALL: Wild and crazy loss earned respect for KJ A week of everyone saying the SEC had Georgia, Alabama and then everyone else died Saturday night in College Station, Texas. When the Texas A&M Aggies found a way to beat Bama, with a field goal ... October 12, 2021

OPINION | WALLY HALL: Hogs took shots, needed one final bullet OXFORD, Miss. -- It was absolutely the right call. The Arkansas Razorbacks scored as time ran out to pull to within 52-51, and the decision had been made to go for two points and the win before the f... October 10, 2021

OPINION | WALLY HALL: Razorbacks come up short in 52-51 loss to Ole Miss Time had run out on Arkansas' final touchdown, and Razorbacks head coach Sam Pittman decided to go for the win with a two-point conversion. It was an incomplete pass, and a glorious afternoon of colle... October 9, 2021

OPINION | WALLY HALL: Alabama, Georgia on a collision course It is hard to believe it is just 56 days until the horses start running at Oaklawn, and it is harder to believe SEC football is hitting midseason Saturday. That's football though. You wait nine month... October 8, 2021

OPINION | WALLY HALL: Jefferson primed for happy homecoming Matt Corral seems to be the big storyline for this week's showdown between the University of Arkansas and Ole Miss. Our man Bob Holt had a great story on him Wednesday and how successful the Rebels q... October 7, 2021

OPINION | WALLY HALL: Oxford is great place for pregame For those making their first trip to Oxford, Miss., for the Arkansas-Ole Miss football game expect to have fun. Oxford is a great little city. Try to get there early enough to walk around the town s... October 6, 2021

OPINION | WALLY HALL: Walker shouldn't be on the bottom of any list By now every member of the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame should have received the link to vote for the next class of inductees. It is a great list of deserving people and only a handful will make it t... October 6, 2021