re: *2023-24 ARKANSAS RAZORBACK BASKETBALL SEASON THREAD*

I’ve flipped over to some of their games out of curiosity when they are on and each time they were getting hammered. Their record doesn’t look awful so maybe they were playing some of the better teams. I don’t keep up with it so I have no idea.

Oh well.

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win

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Win? I’m not familiar with this word…..

Cal had one losing season in 2021, going 9-16 and 8-9 in SEC play.

Muss isn't getting fired after this year but if he has another year like this then that possibility will be much higher.

But if his seat gets hot enough then I can see Arkansas help Muss get an NBA job.

I was under the impression from the beginning that Muss would have a short stay at Arkansas. He didn't stay long at other jobs in the past.

Muss is like fire that burns bright in the dark as his intense personality has shown. But it seems this year that his fire is burning out.

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I was under the impression from the beginning that Muss would have a short stay at Arkansas.

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Same. That's why I'm beating the Beard drum so hard. I feel like he's much more likely to be a long term hire what with him being from the region and all. Not to mention I think that's about the best replacement we could possibly get.

Just for the heck of it, let’s say muss goes heavy on highly ranked high school recruiting in state and out and works on developing them for the next level even if it means another down year.

Maybe less one and done players but players who can develop to the next level like it used to be. Players who we actually know their names coming into the season.

Would we have the patience to except another struggle knowing we have players coming back who will mature and stay with the program, or is this truly a thing of the past.

The only reason for the urgency to act soon would be Beard. Take him out of the equation and I think it'd be harder to improve on Muss.

I think this has gotten misconstrued as beating a drum to circle the wagons and get Muss out by any means necessary, when in reality it's moreso a chance to be opportunistic. Though people would naturally have to think as highly of Beard as I do to agree with my take.

Muss isn’t the worst we could do. I’m not really too fired up about whatever we do coach wise.

I will say that his only real plus in my view is that he has managed to close seasons really strong. If you take away his tourney runs…and you can’t…then we have a very mediocre record, several embarrassing losses and a coach that looks silly going after referees like a wild banshee with almost every foul call. That may be why we seem to run absolutely no offense and can’t ever seem to play defense the way he says he wants. Winning tourney games cures all….without that….well….i like Beard.

Before you read the below response, understand I am not screaming to the rafters to have Muss fired...but there is some concern.

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I don't like the SEC record, but the tournament record is outstanding overall.

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If you do not make the tournament, there is no record in the tournament. A teams SEC record is setting a team up for success in the tournament. Your road is much easier as a 1-3 seed. Arkansas was a 3 seed in 2021. That means Arkansas doesnt have to face a #1 seed until the Elite Eight.

2022 Arkansas slips a bit and is a #4 seed. That means you face a #1 seed in the Sweet Sixteen. So there is slipping from the previous year.

2023, Arkansas is an 8 seed. Faces a 1 seed in the second round.

Against SEC Teams since the end of the 2022 season, Arkansas is 12-21. Finished 2022 1-3, went 8-10 last season and 1-1 in the conference tournament. Currently 2-7 in league play in 2024.

The first two seasons under Muss has clouded everyones judgement of the coaching he has done. Slow league starts are what is preached and you see it on TV as well. Is that really the case though? Using the first half of the league season, starts werent that slow in 2021 & 2022.

2021: 5-4
2022: 6-3
2023: 4-5
2024: 2-7

Progressively worse every season. Couple it with the last two years of having roster issues. Nick Smith Jr fiasco, or whatever we want to call that. Devo quitting two seasons in a row. Locker room issues two seasons in a row. This seasons issues are just crazy. Having players enroll in classes during the off season who thought he wanted them back, only to push them to the portal. Swapping those couple of freshmen program builders/sustainers for El Ellis & Battle (I would argue this was a bad trade off). Sending the more aggressive Mitchell to Little Rock when the two brothers have never played separated before in college. Keeping Graham, who plays terrible defense and shoots horribly from the FT line. Keeping Pinion on roster, who we all know will not ever see meaningful time here because he does not play defense.

Overall, the last two seasons have been failures. The Sweet Sixteen run really clouds some judgment on that, but it is a fact. Had Devo not had the game of his lifetime, we aren't even discussing a Sweet Sixteen last season. Last seasons team had the nations #2 recruiting class. Black, NSJr, Walsh are all playing on NBA rosters right now. Couple those guys with Council, Devo, the Mitchell Twins, and 8-10 is the best league record we could come up with?

Last years excuse was "We built the offense around Brazile and now we are having to change things all around after his injury in game 9."

After seeing plenty of Brazile, why in hell would anyone build an offense around that guy when you have Anthony Black, Ricky Council, NSJr on roster? Looking back at that excuse, that is Houston Nutt in a polo on a basketball sideline. This year, the players just wont buy in is what he feeds us.

So yea, I am starting to put myself on the side of Muss may not actually know what the heck he is doing with roster management and season/game plan management. Stop letting two uber talented teams in 2021 & 2022 cloud your judgement. Last year and this year are both complete failures of seasons.

We need ethan Henderson