Arkansas Razorbacks
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".
Football
|
The current helmet design for the Arkansas Razorbacks football team. |
The school's men's American 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. The 1969 team, led by legendary quarterback Bill Montgomery, challanged
Texas for a national championship.
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 defeating Duke University, and appeared in the championship game the following year, but were defeated by UCLA.
Baseball
The
baseball team, led by former Razorback
Dave van Horn reached the
2004 College World Series, joining previous appearances in Omaha in 1979, 1985, 1987 and 1989. The team plays home games in
Baum Stadium, which finished several major renovations in 2004.
Track and Field
The most successful program 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.
:
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.
|
The "Golden Boot" trophy is held by the current winner of the annual Arkansas Razorbacks vs. LSU Tigers football game. |
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.
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.
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 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 and only player to ever have his number retired from use, (#32)
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 while compiling a record of 389-169 (.697) in his 17 years as the head coach.
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.
*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
Football
|
2003 Arkansas game at Texas |
*
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.
*
Pat Summerall- fourth round pick in 1952 to the Detriot Lions; most well know him for being in broadcast with his partner John Madden.
*
Barry Switzer - coach for Oklahoma and Dallas Cowboys.
Basketball
*
Ron Brewer*
Ronnie Brewer*
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. Involved in a sign and trade in 2005 which saw him move to the
Atlanta Hawks in exchange for Boris Diaw and two first round draft picks.
*
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, ending his career with the
Minnesota Timberwolves in
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.
*
Darrell 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*
Jeff King - played for the
Pittsburgh Pirates and the
Kansas City RoyalsGolf
*
John DalyTrack & 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.
*
Arkansas Razorbacks Official Athletics Site*
Hawgs Illustrated Recruiting Site*
CallTheHogs.com*
Hogville.net*
Oinkville*
Woopig.net*
HogCall.com *
HawgSports.com*
Hogs Central*
LadyBacks Home Page*
The Razorback Legacy - The History of Razorback Football*
University of Arkansas (uark.edu) Athletics Page*
WholeHogSports
