re: Why does Arkansas never play in state schools?

Calipari doesn't like too

It's a great question really and Arkansan's have debated it for years. Evidently it goes back to AD John Barnhill who preceded Frank Broyles and they determined that the state could only support one DI school and therefore pretty much everyone in the state was a Razorback fan even if they went to one of these other schools (kind of like Nebraska being a "one school state" - no offense to other schools). Over time, ASU moved to DI and then FBS and UALR had some NCAA success in basketball at one time. UCA became a bit of a leader in the Southland Conference. UAPB has had some success but not at the level as the others. As these schools have moved up, so have expectations to play them. The "big one" would be for Arkansas and Arkansas State to play annually in War Memorial in Little Rock. I think it would be great with almost a bowl-like atmosphere. Other Hog fans think we'd just be throwing money away (the stadium in LR only holds like 55,000 while in Fayetteville its maybe 75,000) and helping a school not in the UA system. Also, while it would be a very big deal to ASU, many Hogs fans are ho hum about it. They say we have "nothing to gain from it" which I think is a crappy way to look at it.

One other thing is that Arkansas has a number of smaller schools with very good athletic programs (at the NAIA or similar level). Southern Arkansas, Ouachita Baptist, Henderson, UA Monticello, Arkansas Tech and I'm probably missing some. The Razorbacks would not be playing them either way but it does muddy the waters just a bit.

Anyway, the powers that be seem not too keen on making the Arkansas State vs Arkansas football game a series but I wish they would. Arkansas has started playing the others in baseball and basketball, however and that should continue.

Auburn plays USA next year, oddly enough

Jonesboro’s got good roads to LR.
They’ll all be there from all over E AR.

Since Arkansas has trouble with Sunbelt teams, getting another one on the schedule shouldn't be a big deal.

They have played UAPB and will open this season with them.

With an exception of some Nutt and Petrino years, Arkansas football has been standing close to the bottom if not at the bottom since joining the SEC.

The reputation was already sealed when Petrino fell off the bike.

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With an exception of some Nutt and Petrino years, Arkansas football has been standing close to the bottom if not at the bottom since joining the SEC.

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I mean Nutt had you guys at a consistent 7/8 wins a clip for a decade. I don’t think it’s crazy to see Arkansas at the standard of going 7-5/8-4 as opposed to being the doormat of the conference.

Arkansas doesn't have the right leadership in place to be successful liked they enjoyed under ADs John Barnhill and Frank Broyles.

When Frank retired, Arkansas hired Jeff Long and he fired many Broyles former players and others left. That hurt fan support from older fans which at that time wasn't a big deal until now.

Arkansas missed out on hiring Terry Don Phillips as a former Broyles player that was the AD at Clemson. Had Arkansas hired him instead of Jeff Long then Arkansas would have been in much better shape when Broyles retired.

Another problem was Frank Broyles stayed way past his prime and his mental state when making decisions especially football hires was in decline.

In other words Arkansas lacks a leader that can take the reigns of a centralized government and has a sense of direction. Arkansas needs it bad as all these moving parts will keep screwing up the program and keep them at the bottom.

32 seasons in the SEC.

101-167 in conference games.