Tuesday Question

by Ivory Tower on Oct 21, 2008 1:27 PM EDT

Generally, we are the "authors" of "content" around here - "here" being a blog and not a message board. Recognize, we do, that you've come here not to contribute, but to consume. Nevertheless, there is the sporadic occasion where, either for our benefit or for to exercise the thinkifiers of the masses, we ask you a question. Today's question is ...

Who stars for Arkansas on Saturday - Michael Smith or Casey Dick?

The emerging respectability of Arkansas has ridden, largely, on the back of their tiny tailback (sound familiar) Michael Smith. In looking positively putrid through about Week Four or Five, though, Casey Dick was acting like a Pac-10 quarterback. The UM secondary has waxed and waned between serviceable and awful, while the Rebels' run defense has looked, at different times, awesome, potentially awesome, and awesome ... against Samford. One of them will be big for Arkansas; hopefully not both. Which will it be?

Also - today we've got a two-for-one special - while Arkansas Hate Week will certainly be fun for those of us that play internetz, does it really extend beyond that? I mean, in the Clarion-Ledger today, Coach Nutt said, "You can't help but think what it's going to be like when you're on the opposite side of the field. ... You can't help but have feelings for players you recruited." I doubt seriously that the aforementioned playmakers, Dick, who Coach Nutt eventually chose over pretty-boy Mitch Mustain, and Smith, who likely felt a bond with Nutt as the successor to his Cedric Cobbs-Fred Talley-Felix Jones-Darren McFadden ground dynasty, have any hard feelings for their former coach, who got run right out of town.

For Houston Nutt and the key players for the Razorbacks, won't this be more of a happy reunion than a grudge match?

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Anyone thinks Casey appreciated being put in situations in which he hadn't had the coaching to know what to do and then being blamed for the loss by the head coach the next day is an ole miss fan. And he certainly didn't enjoy being offered up as a sacrificial lamb for the fans' wrath in nutt's quest to run Mustain and Malzahn off the team.

Throw in Michael Smith's off-the-field problems being blamed by nutt for the 2007 kentucky loss, and you've got a couple of playmakers who have been thrown under the bus by nutt, as nutt is wont to do.

by Anonymous on Oct 21, 2008 7:57 PM EDT reply actions

So I'm guessing that's a vote for grudge match?

As far as the first question goes, I vote dick to come out looking better. Not so much because he'll do an amazing job revealing the faults of our secondary (though he will do decent), but because I have a feeling that we're going to shut down smith and the run.

by the drake on Oct 21, 2008 9:16 PM EDT reply actions

Shutting down Smith won't be as easy as you think.
Petrino doesn't give the opposing defense the look of a running play, even if it is one.

What Ole Miss is going to have to do is force C. Dick to throw bad passes, plain and simple.

This game will be won up front in the trenches, and on turnovers.

If Casey has time to pass, which will open up the run game, Ole Miss could find themselves in trouble.

If Casey has to throw on the run most of the time, can't complete passes, and offensive drives stall between the 20 yard lines, the Hogs will self-destruct in the 4th qr.,as they have before.

by GonzoHog on Oct 22, 2008 1:18 PM EDT reply actions

It might be easier than you think...Petrino's not even sure he's gonna play.

by Petrino's Parade of Morality on Oct 22, 2008 3:49 PM EDT reply actions

Rebs, if Casey Dick is able to actually "star" on Saturday, y'all are in big trouble.

by artiger on Oct 22, 2008 6:45 PM EDT reply actions

I say that because through four games, Casey Dick was leading the SEC in passing yardage by almost triple digits. Over the last 3-4 games, Michael Smith has really been the center-piece of the offense, and Arkansas has been decent. So, actually, I'm willing to say that if Casey Dick throws for 300 yards, that will indicate Michael Smith did next to nothing and Arkansas will look just as stupid as it did all September.

by Ivory Tower on Oct 23, 2008 12:40 PM EDT reply actions