It all started with an early morning update based on a late night conversation between Jim Harris and the sports desk, somewhere around 11:30 or so about the 2015 Razorback class.
This was Jim’s initial reaction to the 2015 Arkansas Razorback signing day class when we asked his thoughts. To us there were some spots filled at the last second and in a thrown-together way. Here’s his reply:
“Only at the finish, the last couple, not including Dominique Reed (WR, Camden),” he said. “They didn’t get KJ Hill or Toby Weathersby. But that’s basically it. The first 20 pulled in are pretty good players, the best they figured to get considering where the program is at the moment. But their fallbacks like Colton Jackson and Willie Sykes surprisingly aren’t chumps. This isn’t a Houston Nutt class.”
That last phrase: This isn’t a Houston Nutt class. Started a fantastic conversation on Twitter today between Jim and Jason who is @xMRPRFTx while tweeting. We think you will on enjoy the breakdowns of classes from Nutt through Petrino between these two.
@SportingLifeArk@jimharris360 “isn’t a Nutt class”? Petrino had worse classes than Nutt.
— Jason (@xMRPRFCTx) February 5, 2015
@xMRPRFCTx @SportingLifeArk nobody since 1970 has had a worse class than Nutt’s 2000 signing class. Not even any of BP’s classes.
— Jim Harris (@jimharris360) February 5, 2015
@jimharris360 @SportingLifeArk the George Wilson, Jason Peters, Lawrence Richardson class?
— Jason (@xMRPRFCTx) February 5, 2015
@xMRPRFCTx @SportingLifeArk 13 of the signees were already gone from campus before 2 years. It was the worst class since the 1970 class.
— Jim Harris (@jimharris360) February 5, 2015
@jimharris360 @SportingLifeArk feel free to do the same research on 2010 and 2011 with how many left campus or never made it.
— Jason (@xMRPRFCTx) February 5, 2015
@xMRPRFCTx @SportingLifeArk I’ve done the research. It’s been written. Feel free to search for it on the web, google my name and recruiting
— Jim Harris (@jimharris360) February 5, 2015
@jimharris360 @SportingLifeArk well, recent history says 2010 and 2011 were horrible classes and should have been referenced imo.
— Jason (@xMRPRFCTx) February 5, 2015
@xMRPRFCTx @SportingLifeArk I got one for ya: How many times did Nutt sign LB Rodney Giles and DT Freddie Barnett? “Studs” who never played.
— Jim Harris (@jimharris360) February 5, 2015
@jimharris360 @SportingLifeArk he was in the people heppin’ business.
— Jason (@xMRPRFCTx) February 5, 2015
@xMRPRFCTx @SportingLifeArk Mike Aguirre. Joey Crossland, Cord Gray, Kevin Hubbard, Jamar Love, Jose “Exxon” Valdez. Oh, the memories.
— Jim Harris (@jimharris360) February 5, 2015
@jimharris360 @SportingLifeArk Valdez played for the Rams.
— Jason (@xMRPRFCTx) February 5, 2015
@xMRPRFCTx @SportingLifeArk yeah, the Wisconsin kid. good coaching by Markuson! His offers were from Ball St., Central Michigan and NIU.
— Jim Harris (@jimharris360) February 5, 2015
@jimharris360 @SportingLifeArk Keante Minor, Horace Arkadie, Darrell Kelly-Thomas, Brock Haman, Jashaud Sims, Bret Weir, Kane Whitehurst.
— Jason (@xMRPRFCTx) February 5, 2015
@xMRPRFCTx @SportingLifeArk Every class has these guys drop out. Nobody graduates 24 seniors from their original signing class.
— Jim Harris (@jimharris360) February 5, 2015
@jimharris360 @SportingLifeArk there are over half that didn’t make it. Half! That’s why 2012 and 2013 were bad years. Heck 2 walkons…
— Jason (@xMRPRFCTx) February 5, 2015
@jimharris360 @SportingLifeArk started on the OL in 2012. No wonder we were so bad. Not enough talent.
— Jason (@xMRPRFCTx) February 5, 2015
@jimharris360 @SportingLifeArk I listed 28 fails in 2 seasons. There are actually more, but I didn’t list the ones that stated and didn’t
— Jason (@xMRPRFCTx) February 5, 2015
@jimharris360 @SportingLifeArk contribute like Ollison (though he did eventually leave) and others.
— Jason (@xMRPRFCTx) February 5, 2015
@xMRPRFCTx @SportingLifeArk no one, least of all me, will argue that Petrino’s last three classes were terrible for sustaining success.
— Jim Harris (@jimharris360) February 5, 2015
@jimharris360 @SportingLifeArk and thats y a Petrino class comparison would have been more relevant. We can sustain success w/these classes
— Jason (@xMRPRFCTx) February 5, 2015