Arkansas Razorbacks football

NCAAFootballSchool
TeamName = Arkansas Razorbacks Football


CurrentSeason = 2008 Arkansas Razorbacks football team
ImageSize = 150px
HeadCoachDisplay = Bobby Petrino
HeadCoachLink = Bobby Petrino
HeadCoachYear = 1st
HCWins = 2
HCLosses = 3
Stadium = Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium
Location = Fayetteville, Arkansas
StadCapacity = 76,000
StadSurface = Grass
ConferenceDisplay= SEC
ConferenceLink = Southeastern Conference
ConfDivision = West
FirstYear = 1894
AthlDirectorDisp = Jeff Long
AthlDirectorLink = Jeff Long (athletic director)
AllAmericans = 45
WebsiteName = ArkansasRazorbacks.com
WebsiteURL = http://www.arkansasrazorbacks.com
ATWins = 645
ATLosses = 440
ATTies = 40
ATPercentage = .591
BowlWins = 11
BowlLosses = 22
BowlTies = 3
NatlTitles = 1 claimed
ConfTitles = 13 (SWC)
Heismans = 0
Heisman 2nds = 2
Color1 = Cardinal
Color1Hex = C41E3A
Color2 = White
Color2Hex = FFFFFF
FightSong = Arkansas Fight Song
MascotDisplay = Big Red
MascotLink = Big Red (mascot)
MarchingBand = Best in Sight and Sound
PagFreeLabel = Rivals
PagFreeValue =
Alabama Crimson Tide
LSU Tigers ]
Ole Miss Rebels

The Arkansas Razorbacks football program is a college football team that represents the University of Arkansas. The team is a member of the Southeastern Conference's Western Division, which is a Division I Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). The program has one national championship, 13 conference championships, 45 All-Americans, and a record of 645–439–40. The Razorbacks are currently coached by Bobby Petrino, who is in his first year coaching at the University of Arkansas, and home games are played at two locations: Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville, Arkansas, USA and War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock, Arkansas, USA.

History

Pre-Broyles era (1894—1957)

The first University of Arkansas football team was formed in 1894 and coached by John Futrall. Before the 1909 season, Arkansas was called the Cardinals and a bird was the school's mascot. The name and mascot changed following the 1909 season when the football team, coached by Hugo Bezdek, finished 7—0. During this season Bezdek proclaimed his team played "like a wild band of razorback hogs" and the phrase was so popular that the Cardinals changed their name for the 1910 season.cite web |url=http://www.collegefootballhistory.com/arkansas/history.htm |title=Arkansas Razorbacks - History |accessdate=2008-01-13]

Broyles era (1958—1976)

Frank Broyles was hired as head football coach in 1957 and served in that position for 19 years.

Broyles' team was awarded the 1964 National Championship by the Football Writers Association of America and the Helms Athletic Foundation.cite web |url=http://www.sportswriters.net/fwaa/awards/rice/winners/index.html |title=All-Time Grantland Rice Trophy Winners |accessdate=2007-12-31 |work=Football Writers Association of America] cite web |url=http://homepages.cae.wisc.edu/~dwilson/rsfc/history/helms.html |title=Helms Athletic Foundation/Bill Schroeder National Champions of College Football 1883-1982 |author=Kirlin, Bob |accessdate=2007-12-31] The FWAA and HAF awarded their National Championships to Arkansas, who was the only team to go undefeated through the bowl games that year, as Alabama lost in the Orange Bowl to Texas, a team Arkansas had defeated. At the time, the AP and UPI awarded their national titles before the bowl games, and gave their trophies to the University of Alabama.cite web |url=http://homepages.cae.wisc.edu/~dwilson/rsfc/history/CoachPolls.txt |title=Coaches' polls (UPI 1950-1990, CNN/USA Today 1991-present) |author=Kirlin, Bob |accessdate=2007-12-31]

The next season, 1965, the Razorbacks were 10-0 in the regular season, and were once again the Southwest Conference Champions. That sent the Razorbacks back to the Cotton Bowl on New Year's Day, this time to play against LSU. Because of the controversy in determining the national champions in 1964, the AP polls would wait until after the bowl games to announce its champion. With top-ranked Michigan State losing in the Rose Bowl, the Razorbacks had a chance to become national champions, but were defeated 14–7.

In 1969, the Razorbacks had another chance to claim the national title, when #2 Arkansas played the #1 Texas Longhorns, coached by Darrell Royal, at Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville, Arkansas. The game, known as "The Big Shootout" or the Game of the Century, is perhaps the most notable football game in Razorbacks history. Arkansas led 14-0 at halftime, but Texas stormed back and took a 15-14 lead on a two-point conversion play, after a questionable passing play was called late in the game by then coach Frank Broyles, which was intercepted by Texas. President Richard Nixon was in attendance, and proclaimed Texas the national champions, even though they had a bowl game to play, and Penn State was also undefeated. Sadly, Arkansas would lose to Ole Miss in the Sugar Bowl, 22–27, and Texas would beat Notre Dame in the Cotton Bowl for the national title.cite web |url=http://www.mackbrown-texasfootball.com/index.php?s=&url_channel_id=36&url_subchannel_id=&url_article_id=610&change_well_id=2 |title=1969 National Champions |publisher=MackBrown-TexasFootball |accessdate=2008-01-13]

Broyles would win his last Southwest Conference championship (7 in all) in 1975. Arkansas defeated the #2 ranked Texas A&M Aggies, 31-6, at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock. That victory forced A&M to share the conference championship with Arkansas, and sent the Hogs to the Cotton Bowl on January 1st, 1976. Arkansas would fall behind Georgia early on in that game, but came roaring back to beat the Bulldogs easily, 31-10. Arkansas finished ranked #7 in the AP and #6 in the UPI that season.

Holtz era (1977—1983)

After Broyles left coaching and became athletic director at Arkansas, he hired Lou Holtz to take his former position. Holtz served as head football coach from 1977 through the 1983 season.

In his first year at Arkansas, Holtz led the Razorbacks to a 10-1 record and was invited to play in the Orange Bowl against number two Oklahoma. With top ranked Texas losing in the Cotton Bowl, the Sooners had a chance to become national champions but the Razorbacks ended the Sooners' hope with a 31–6 victory.

In 1979, the Razorbacks were 10-2 and had a chance at a national championship but Alabama defeated the Razorbacks 24–9 in the Sugar Bowl.

Houston Nutt (1998—2007)

On December 10, 1997, Houston Nutt was hired by the University of Arkansas to succeed Danny Ford.

In his first year, the Arkansas Razorbacks were 9-3 and had a share of the SEC Western division title. The Razorbacks received their first-ever invitation to the Citrus Bowl where the Razorbacks lost to the University of Michigan Wolverines, ending the season ranked 16th. During this season, Nutt was selected as the Football News' National Coach of the Year.

Nutt was forced to resign on November 26, 2007, three days after the Razorbacks defeated the #1 LSU Tigers 50–48 in three overtimes.cite news |url=http://www.hogwired.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=30726&SPID=2419&DB_OEM_ID=6100&ATCLID=1327084 |title=Houston Nutt Steps Down as Razorback Football Coach |accessdate=2008-01-27 |date=2007-11-26 |work=Hogwired] Nutt compiled a record of 75–48 during his 10 years at Arkansas.

Coaching history

Ole Miss Rebels

The Razorbacks first played the Ole Miss Rebels in 1908. Arkansas and Mississippi played many times sporadically in the following years. In addition to several single years of playing each other, the two teams played each other from 1940-47 and 1952-62 on an annual basis. The Razorbacks and Rebels also met twice in the Sugar Bowl played in New Orleans, in 1963 and 1970. Since 1981, the two teams have played each other annually in football. (since 1992 as conference and Division rivals) In 2001, Arkansas and Ole Miss had an NCAA record seven-overtime game in Oxford, MS; The amount of overtimes has since been tied, but has not yet been beaten. (Arkansas ended up winning with a final score of 58-56) The recent Houston Nutt controversies and departure to Ole Miss has added to and heightened the long standing rivalry between the schools. Ole Miss is also the closest SEC school to Arkansas in terms of distance, and Arkansas has played Ole Miss more total times than any other SEC opponent. [cite web| url=http://mcubed.net/ncaaf/series/ark/series2.shtml |title=Arkansas : Series records |accessdate=2008-05-14| work=mcubed.net]

Divisional championships

Arkansas has made 3 appearances in the SEC Championship Game as winner of the SEC Western Division but are 0-3 in those appearances. Arkansas was also the SEC Western Division co-champions in 1998 with Mississippi State but did not represent the SEC Western Division in the SEC Championship Game.

All-Century Team

(Selected by fan ballot prior to the 1994 season as part of the UA football centennial celebration)

Offense

Lineman

Bud Brooks

Fred Childress

Leotis Harris

Glen Ray Hines
Steve Korte

R.C. Thielemann

Receivers

Jim Benton
Bobby Crockett

Chuck Dicus

Wear Schoonover

Running Backs

Lance Alworth
Leon Campbell

Barry Foster

Jim Mooty

Clyde Scott

Quarterbacks

Joe Ferguson

Quinn Grovey

Lamar McHan
Bill Montgomery

Defense

Lineman

Dan Hampton

Dave Hanner

Wayne Martin

Loyd Phillips

Billy Ray Smith, Sr.

Billy Ray Smith, Jr.

Fred Williams
Linebackers

Ronnie Caveness

Wayne Harris
Cliff Powell

Dennis Winston

Secondary

Steve Atwater

Alton Baldwin
Martine Bercher

Ken Hatfield
Billy Moore

Kickers

Steve Cox

Steve Little

Pat Summerall

Facilities

Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium

Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium (formerly Razorback Stadium) is the on-campus and primary home stadium for the Razorbacks located in Fayetteville, Arkansas. The Razorbacks began playing football at Razorback Stadium in 1938 where they beat Oklahoma A&M 27–7. cite web |url=http://www.razorbackfacilities.com/sport01.htm |title=Razorbacks Facilities |accessdate=2008-01-11] The stadium was dedicated to Donald W. Reynolds for the $20 million donation from the Donald W. Reynolds Foundation to help finance the major expansion in 2001 which raised the seating capacity from 51,000 to 76,000. The playing field was dedicated to former head coach and athletic director Frank Broyles in 2007 and is now called the Frank Broyles Field at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium. cite web |url=http://www.sportingnews.com/yourturn/viewtopic.php?t=299786 |title=Arkansas names football field after outgoing athletic director Frank Broyles |work=Associated Press |publisher=SportingNews |date=2007-11-03 |accessdate=2008-01-11]

War Memorial Stadium

War Memorial Stadium is the secondary home stadium for the Razorbacks. War Memorial Stadium is located in Little Rock, Arkansas with a seating capacity of 53,727. War Memorial Stadium usually host two to three Razorbacks' football games a season, including the Battle for the Golden Boot when the Razorbacks host the game against LSU. They also play Mississippi State in Little Rock.

Willard and Pat Walker Pavilion

The Willard and Pat Walker Pavilion was built in 1998 and is the indoor practice facility for the Arkansas Razorbacks.

Players after Arkansas Razorbacks

Pro Football Hall of Fame

ee also

*University of Arkansas
*Arkansas Razorbacks

References

External links

* [http://www.uark.edu University of Arkansas website]
* [http://www.hogwired.com/SportSelect.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=6100&KEY=&SPID=2419&SPSID=30726 Official Arkansas Razorbacks football website]
* [http://www.woopig.net/ Woopig - Bring A Cup]