By Nate Allen
Special to News-Times
SPRINGDALE - New Arkansas Coach Chad Morris and new athletic director Hunter Yurachek used Friday’s annual Kickoff Luncheon to welcome past Razorbacks as much as they did to introduce the new football team.
Continuing and establishing relationships with Razorbacks alums, plunged to a nadir during the 2008-2011 Razorbacks era of Bobby Petrino and Jeff Long as athletic director. And, with Long still present only improving slightly despite Coach Bret Bielema’s more accommodating efforts while piloting the Razorbacks from 2013-2017.
Morris, upping Thursday’s estimate of perhaps 300 former Razorbacks and family members likely attending today’s barbecue for former Hogs after the scrimmage, to “close to 500, told football alums, “You are always, always welcome.”
“I’m so honored and privileged to carry on a tradition that you guys sweated for so long to develop,” Morris said. “Thank you for laying the foundation.”
Morris, with a 169-38 record coaching high schools in Texas, and coordinating Clemson’s offense, said “relationships” comprise the key to any program. He asserted unquestionably that building and nurturing relationships is the key to coaching.
“People will ask ‘Is it the scheme?” Morris said. “Is it the offense? Is it the defense?’ And I would say, ‘No. No. That’s not the point. It’s the relationships.’ The ability to build a relationship with these young men… If we’re doing it the right way. They are going to leave here equipped with tools for life. They will be better husbands, better community leaders, better in society. And if we’re doing that, the winning takes care of itself.”
That point he always drives home at coaching clinics.
“We get a bunch of young coaches and they think it’s all about Xs and Os,” Morris said. “No. You can run whatever you want as long as these guys believe in what you’re doing. It really starts with relationships.”
Yurachek, speaking first, and first honoring last Tuesday’s one-year anniversary passing of Frank Broyles, asked all former Razorbacks players and coaches in the audience that he estimated totaling 1,000 to stand. He requested they remain standing after they were applauded.
“Now to our current coaches and student-athletes, look around,” Yurachek said. “The people that come before you have 41 bowl game appearances, 13 conference championships and a (Broyles’ 1964) national championship. And they now stand behind you. Thanks to their hard work and contributions to the success of our program they have paved the way to provide the past where you can have great success as student-athletes here at the University of Arkansas.”
Yurachek also announced plans for global Hog call among all Razorbacks fans and alums at 1 p.m. CDT Friday, Aug. 31.
“You guys think I’m kidding about that,” Yurachek said, asserting he’s not. “I encourage you to make plans with family, friends, classmates and co-workers and join together as Razorback fans do a simultaneous Hog Call to get ready for the 2018 season.”
With the distant past thoroughly addressed, Morris addressed the immediate past of preseason camp and the future starting with today’s closed and final all-out scrimmage of the preseason before the Razorbacks officially open against Eastern Illinois at 3 p.m. Sept. 1 at Reynolds Razorback Stadium.
“We’ve had a really good camp,” Morris said. “I’ve been very impressed with the progress of what we’ve installed, offensively, defensively and special teams and where we are. The last two days, looking at this (Friday) morning and yesterday (Thursday’s practice), have been the best two days that we’ve had. I know our guys are excited about the scrimmage tomorrow and ready to start school on Monday and get into game week.”
Morris feigned that director of football operations Randy Ross inquired if he would identify the starting quarterback, a contest between fourth-year junior Ty Storey of Charleston and third-year sophomore Cole Kelley that Morris said so far hasn’t convincingly separated a starter from the backup.
“No, I don’t know who the starting quarterback’s going to be, Randy,” Morris said. “I’m sorry.”
Morris and offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach Joe Craddock may have a better idea after viewing film tonight. They say this afternoon’s closed scrimmage will have more passing than last Saturday’s run-oriented scrimmage.