Arkansas Razorbacks
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Image:Arkansasrazorback2.PNG The Arkansas Razorbacks, also known as The Hogs, is the name of college sports teams at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, Arkansas. The Razorbacks take their name from the feral pig of the same name. The teams are the only major sports team in the US with a porcine nickname.
The term properly applies to any of the all-male sports teams at the school (most notably the football team which plays in Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium and the basketball team which plays in Bud Walton Arena), but without any other qualifier, it almost always refers to the football team. Women's teams at the university are known as "The Ladybacks".
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Current Sports
Football
Image:Arkansasrazorback3.jpg The school's men's football team is currently led by Coach Houston Nutt. The team plays its home games either at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium, located on the University of Arkansas campus, or at War Memorial Stadium, located in Little Rock, Arkansas. The Razorbacks have won one football national championship, in 1964.
Basketball
The men's basketball team is coached by Stan Heath and plays home games in Bud Walton Arena on the University of Arkansas campus. The Hogs won the NCAA tournament in 1994 and appeared in the championship game the following year, but were defeated by UCLA.
Baseball
The baseball team, under Dave van Horn reached the 2004 College World Series. The team plays home games in Baum Stadium, which finished several major renovations in 2004.
Track and Field
One of the most successful programs in NCAA history, the Arkansas track and field teams, led by head coach John McDonnell are the most decorated teams in the athletics department. The program has won over 42 national titles in Cross Country and Track & Field. One of its most famous stars is recent graduate Alistair Cragg who competed for Ireland at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Greece. The team has a home indoor track at the Randal Tyson Track Center and outdoor field at John McDonnell Field.
Lady'Backs
The women's teams at the University of Arkansas are referred to as Lady'Backs. These include basketball, cross country, track, golf, gymnastics, soccer, swimming & diving, tennis, and volleyball. The Lady'Back teams have won a combined 16 SEC championships.
Rivalries
Image:GoldenBoot.jpg The premier rivalry for the Arkansas Razorbacks is against the Longhorns of the University of Texas. This rivalry is somewhat one-sided, as the Longhorns have several other rivalries that they consider more important (notably Texas A&M and Oklahoma). For Arkansas the rivalry is an emotional experience and Arkansas fans and media go into a frenzy when the two teams play in any sport. The emotional intensity from the Arkansas side in these games is sometimes surprising to Texas fans.
Since joining the Southeastern Conference a rivalry has been established between the Razorbacks and Louisiana State University (LSU Tigers) in football. The game between these two teams usually takes place near the end of the season and has sometimes decided the SEC Western Division Championship. The winner of this game takes home the "Golden Boot" which is a gold trophy in the shape of the two states.
In basketball, the primary rivalry for the Razorbacks has been the Wildcats of the University of Kentucky. This rivalry was established during the coaching tenures of Rick Pitino at Kentucky and Nolan Richardson at Arkansas when both teams were competing for a national championship on an annual basis.
History
In 1894, 23 years after classes were first held at the university, a contest was held on campus to select school colors. Cardinal (a shade of deep red) was selected over heliotrope, a shade of moderate purple. The first Arkansas football team was formed that same year and was known as the "Arkansas Cardinals". During the first year the team racked up two wins against Fort Smith High School but took a 54-0 drubbing at the hands of the Texas Longhorns.
In 1909 the football team finished a 7-0 season allowing only 18 points on defense and scoring 186 points on offense. The coach stated that his team played like "like a wild band of razorback hogs". The name proved so popular that the name was changed for the 1910 season. The famous yell, “Woo, Pig! Sooie” was added in the 1920s.
In 1936 the team won its first Southwest Conference championship in football and played their first Cotton Bowl in 1946. Image:Arkansasrazorback.jpg
In 1957 Frank Broyles was hired as head football coach and served in that position for 19 years. Broyles team won the 1964 National Championship. In 1969 Broyles team was ranked #2 and played the #1 Texas Longhorns, coached by Darrell Royal, at Fayetteville. The game, known as "The Big Shootout" is perhaps the most notable football game in Razorback history. President Richard Nixon was even in attendentance. The Razorbacks led 14-0 until 15 minutes left in the 4th quarter. Texas scored 15 unanswered points and won the National Championship 15-14.
After Broyles left coaching and became Athletic Director he hired Lou Holtz to take his former position. Holtz served as head football coach from 1977 through the 1983 season. Under Holtz the Razorbacks lost a National Championship in the Sugar Bowl against Alabama and beat the Oklahoma Sooners in the Orange Bowl ending their National Championship hopes.
The basketball team rose to prominence in the 1970s under the coaching of Eddie Sutton and with future NBA star Sidney Moncrief. The team made a Final Four appearance under Sutton.
In the 1980s the football team was coached by Ken Hatfield and established itself as a powerful running team. The Razorbacks challenged for the SWC title each year and went to the Cotton Bowl twice. Hatfield's teams established excellent regular season records but had difficulty winning bowl games.
In 1990 Broyles led the Razorbacks out of the Southwest Conference and into the Southeastern Conference setting off a major realignment in college football. In 1995 Arkansas won its first SEC Western Division Title in football.
In 1994 Nolan Richardson's basketball Hogs won the NCAA Tournament. Richardson's basketball teams challenged for the SEC and National Championships regularly during the 1990s, making three trips to the Final Four and two trips to the championship game.
Image:Tuskarkansasmascot.jpg On 10 December 1997, Houston Nutt was hired as head football coach for the Razorbacks (1998 season was his first full season) to replace his predecessor, Danny Ford who had been head coach since 1993. Since his arrival Nutt's teams have won more games than any other team in the Western division of the SEC.
On 28 March 2002, Stan Heath was hired as the head coach of the men's basketball team, following the somewhat controversial firing of Nolan Richardson. His teams have improved each season he has coached.
The Track and Field Team has been under the direction of John McDonnell for over 25 years (since the 1977-78 academic year). McDonnell's men's teams won 41 NCAA championships since 1984, including 11 cross country, 18 indoor track and 12 outdoor track. Also, 37 Southwest Conference Championships, and 38 of 40 SEC titles in Cross Country, Indoor and Outdoor Track and Field. The Razorbacks, under his direction, won 5 National Triple Crowns. Arkansas is the only university to ever win even one National Triple Crown. The Track and Field Razorbacks men completely dominated the sport during the 1990s.
National Championships
- Football - 1964 (by poll)
- Basketball - 1994
- Men's Indoor Track - 1984,1985,1986,1987,1988,1989,1990,1991,1992,1993,1994,1995,1997,1998,1999,2000,2003,2005,2006
- Men's Outdoor Track - 1985,1992,1993,1994,1995,1996,1997,1998,1999,2003,2004
- Men's Cross-Country - 1984,1986,1987,1990,1991,1992,1993,1995,1998,1999,2000
Famous players
Football
- Lance Alworth - played for San Diego Chargers. Pro Football Hall of Fame member.
- Shawn Andrews - plays for the Philadelphia Eagles.
- Steve Atwater - played for Denver Broncos.
- Frank Broyles - never played for Arkansas, but as coach found success throughout the 1960's. Under Broyles, Arkansas claimed the 1964 National Championship. After retiring from coaching in 1976, has been well known as the Arkansas athletic director.
- Ahmad Carroll - starts for the Green Bay Packers.
- Joe Ferguson - played for Buffalo Bills.
- Barry Foster - played for Pittsburgh Steelers.
- Ken Hamlin - starts for the Seattle Seahawks.
- Dan Hampton - played for Chicago Bears. Pro Football Hall of Fame member.
- Jimmy Johnson - coach of University of Miami and Dallas Cowboys.
- Jerry Jones - owner of the Dallas Cowboys.
- Matt Jones - first-round draft selection of the Jacksonville Jaguars. Jones also started for the Razorbacks in basketball.
- Kenoy Kennedy - starts for the Detroit Lions.
- Billy Ray Smith, Jr. - first round draft selection in 1983 draft; played for the San Diego Chargers, 1983 -1992.
- Barry Switzer - coach for Oklahoma and Dallas Cowboys.
Basketball
- Todd Day - played for five NBA teams, most notably Milwaukee Bucks.
- Joe Johnson - Drafted by the Boston Celtics 10th overall in 2001. Traded to the Phoenix Suns. Signed as a free agent in 2005 to the Atlanta Hawks.
- Joe Kleine - played for Chicago Bulls. Was a gold medalist on the 1984 men's U.S. Olympic basketball team.
- Oliver Miller - played for six NBA teams, with the Minnesota Timberwolves as of 2004.
- Sidney Moncrief - played for Milwaukee Bucks.
- Alvin Robertson - played for San Antonio Spurs. Was a gold medalist on the 1984 men's U.S. Olympic basketball team.
- Scotty Thurman - key to the 1994 NCAA Championship team and known as the player that hit "The Shot" (a 3-point basket with approximately 53 seconds left) in the 1994 Championship game versus Duke University.
- Darryl Walker - played for several NBA teams including the Chicago Bulls where he won an NBA championship ring with Michael Jordan and Arkansas native Scottie Pippen. Former NBA coach.
- Corliss Williamson - played for Sacramento Kings, Toronto Raptors, Detroit Pistons (with whom he won the NBA title in 2004), and Philadelphia 76ers. Returned to Sacramento in 2005. Led Hogs to 1994 NCAA Championship.
Baseball
- Cliff Lee - plays for Cleveland Indians
- Eric Hinske - 2002 American League Rookie of the Year, plays for Toronto Blue Jays
- Kevin McReynolds - played for New York Mets, Kansas City Royals, and San Diego Padres
- Tom Pagnozzi - played for St. Louis Cardinals
Golf
Track & Field
- Veronica Campbell - Olympic gold medalist competing for Jamaica.
- Mike Conley - Olympic silver medalist in 1984 and gold medalist in 1992 in the triple jump, competing for the United States. In 2004, Conley was inducted to the USA Track and Field Hall of Fame.
External links
- Arkansas Razorbacks Official Athletics Site
- [http://arkansas.scout.com/index.html Hawgs Illustrated Recruiting
Site]