UA, Tulsa see dollar signs
Arkansas may pay the University of Tulsa $850,000 to travel and play the football Hogs in Fayetteville on Nov. 1, according to the Tulsa World.
Arkansas was to play Utah State on Nov. 1, but the school pulled out of the schedule earlier this month. The UA, under new athletics director Jeff Long, approached Tulsa and set up a deal earlier this month.
Here’s more:
It is believed to be one of the largest guarantees in school history.
Tulsa athletic director Bubba Cunningham didn’t confirm the amount on Monday, but said the revenue gained from the one-game deal was the main reason for a late shuffle to the 2008 football schedule.
Subsequently, the Golden Hurricane pulled out of a non-conference home-and-home they had set up with Texas Tech, which angered Red Raiders head coach Mike Leach.
The amount is higher than the contract the UA has with Louisiana Monroe. The Hogs play Monroe in even numbered years until 2012, with a guaranteed payout of $500,000 for each game to the neighbor to the south.
Oh, and there’s that whole Gus Malzahn returning to Fayetteville storyline to deal with.
Just win the game. Go Hogs!
No doubt. This game will be a big one for Gus, I hope it is just wishful thinking for him too!
That’s a lot of money to pay a team to come into Fayetteville just to beat us! Sorry to be so pessimistic but the #1 offense in the nation this last year - probably near that next year against an entire secondary that will be all sophomores or freshman with little to no experience and a defensive line that cannot produce a pass rush. It doesn’t look pretty. We should have waited two years before this match-up. Malzahn and the ghost of the Springdale fab will stick it to us again and I think in a big way - by 20 or more points.
hogaustin…Dude, get real. I am not saying that the game will not be competitive, but Tulsa just doesn’t recruit the talent that Arkansas does. Though we do have a weak defense, the talent outweighs what Tulsa has on offense. There is a reason that they are playing in Conference USA. And honestly, I think our porous defense last year had more to do with scheme than talent. And I can guarentee you that if there are two games that we will be ready to play next year, it will be Tulsa and Ole Miss.
Give em hell Skeeball, I mean skezell> Jus ribbing bro its all good!
If this game were early in the year, I would be very concerned and say Tulsa would throw the ball up and down the field on the Hogs. However, this is going to be after the Hogs have played half of their SEC schedule and Texas. They will know the defense by then and be ready for the little school from across the border. The offense should know the system by then as well. I look for the Hogs to dominate the game but certainly won’t be surprised if it’s close. I would be very surprised if Tulsa wins big.
I agree though, that this is a dangerous move on the part of UA. We have little to win and everything to lose. If Tulsa does pull off the upset (yes, upset), the Hogs will have a hard time going into Oklahoma and convince kids to come play for the mighty Razorbacks who can’t even beat that little school from across the border. Also, it gives Gus a chance to say, “I told you so.” Even if the Razorbacks win, Gus can say they’re not on a level playing field, so of course they lost.
This is a lose, lose, lose situation — the other lose is because we’re paying $850K to put ourselves in a lose, lose situation. The game will definitely be a sell-out though, so maybe it will balance the books (I doubt it though because anybody we played would have been close to a sell-out too).
intriguing matchup…possibility for a much more quality opponent than ULM…if we can’t beat Tulsa, that means we got beat by several others in the SEC by that time….and no, we will not be convincing many recruits to cross the border of any of the states to our four sides. So, let’s “nut-up” and play the game. Bring on Malzahn!!! Petrino, I believe, competitively-speaking may have the larger “knife”. Plus, Malzahn’s not the HC! We should not fear Tulsa!!!!
Go HOGS!!
skezell……while you are right about the difference in the quality of athletes between the two schools - the difference won’t be high school compared to college players - the difference will not be that great.
And if your comparison of quality athletes holds up and is truly sound, Michigan should have beaten the tar out of App. State this last year. It didn’t happen. Remember, our secondary will be young - a simple fact - and our pass rush will be suspect at best - nearly the same front 7 from last year that could not garner pressure on the QB.
I hope we beat Tulsa - beat them like a drum - and send Malzahn home with his tail tucked between his legs but right now, at least on paper, when you compare their offense with our defense - it doesn’t look good for us.
Remember App. State - Division 1AA quality athletes - took it to UM. Tulsa will not be a cake walk just because we “supposedly” have better quality athletes.
hognaustin, take off buffy’s panties and grow some gnads, if your afraid of Tulsa and Malzahn just say so!!!
Hognaustin:
How can you compare Tulsa’s offense last year against this year’s Hog D? Different players and differenty coaches….
Did Tulsa not just graduate their senior QB from last year? You’re worried about our young secondary, but I think Tulsa will harbor all the worry with their FRESHMAN QB…
Hogs will be in late season form. The game will be over by the 2nd half.
Hogaustin,
App State beat Michigan because Michigan did not take them seriously. They built their lead in the first half with Michigan thinking that the game was a gimme. Once Michigan turned it on in the second half, it was clear who had the better athletes on the field (App. State could only muster two field goals). I have no doubt that with the hype surrounding this game, we will be ready to play and will not take Tulsa for granted. Furthermore, Michigan/App. State was a one in a million aberration, which was what made it so great. For every game like that, there is an Oklahoma 66, Tulsa 21. I am not saying that we will beat Tulsa that badly, and it might even be close, but at the end of the day, the game will resemble the Arkansas/Troy (and by the way, that team’s offense was every bit as explosive as Tulsa’s) game last year. They’ll stay close until halftime, then the depth chart (where the superior athletes really matter) will begin to show itself.
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