Jeff Long: ‘Arkansas is United Behind the Razorbacks’

 

It’s not Twitter, but today at an impromptu press conference following a meeting of the Northwest Arkansas Touchdown Club, University of Arkansas athletic director, Jeff Long, was asked and answered several questions about games in Little Rock, the future of games in Little Rock and his thoughts on a fan base that appears so split, regionally, as the one in Arkansas. Had he ever seen anything like it?

Jeff Long responded:

“Arkansas is united behind the Razorbacks,” Long said. “You hear that from every new person who comes into the state…

“That’s the thing that impresses us the most, that everybody is a Razorback. Whether you went to Henderson State, or ASU or Conway, you know, you’re a Razorback fan. That’s what gives us a chance to compete [in the SEC].

We’re a small population, I’m not telling our fan base anything they don’t already know. But we need everybody pulling together. We’ve seen what happens when we pull apart. We’re not successful and we won’t be. And we won’t be if we pull apart. So it’s important that we remain together and supportive of the Razorbacks because it takes the entire state. To help us be successful. No question.”

Long also said the football team would return to Fayetteville after the game against Samford Saturday night by airplane, and not charter buses, which is how the team will travel to Little Rock.  He said head coach Bret Bielema prefers this method to assist in player recovery. There was not answer to the question about the cost difference the return flight would cost versus the traditional charter bus.

On the issue of the future of games in Little Rock at War Memorial Stadium, Jeff Long reiterated he likes the fans, atmosphere and tradition of those games. He made it clear no decision to reduce or remove football games from the facility in Little Rock would be made by one individual.

The Razorbacks at War Memorial Stadium

Razorback Game Day at War Memorial Stadium

 

 

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