Hogs Riding a Wave of Confidence

"We haven't gone into a game that we didn't feel like we were going to go in there and have an opportunity to win the game," Arkansas head coach John L. Smith said Monday.  "That's the way it is this week as well."

Coming off their best performance of the season, the next month of the schedule lines up nicely for the Hogs.  They host Kentucky, Ole Miss and Tulsa, plus their bye week.

"You don't want to look forward.  We've got Kentucky this week," senior quarterback Tyler Wilson prefaced.  "But there's a number of games, and there's a streak where we can put this thing back together."

"That's what we want," junior defensive end Chris Smith added.  "We're going to try to change things around.  It all starts with Kentucky.  We've just got to focus on them and get prepared for them."

The Razorbacks are at a level of confidence they haven't felt since the preseason.  As one player said, life is just better coming off of a win.

"It's like night and day, a night and day difference," Wilson described.  "Guys feel better about themselves.  Consequently, they practice harder.  They have belief in what we're doing, what we're trying to accomplish as a team.  All that helps you.  You kind of see that belief back in a few people's eyes."

"Everybody's going to come in this week and look more fired up for practice Tuesday," Smith said.  We're just ready to get after it."

A bowl's still not out of reach, but Arkansas must win four of its final six to even be considered.