COLUMN: 'The New Arkansas' Sparks a Divide Between Old and New Razorbacks

It's not clear where or when the phrase "The New Arkansas" popped up but it has become the rallying cry for the Razorbacks' 2019 class over the last six months.

Hogs' 4-star DE signee Collin Clay said it best on Twitter a few months ago: "The new Arkansas to me is a culture change! New coaches, new players, and a new attitude! This class coming in I feel like will be a program changer. Even though we’ll be freshman, Expect us to lead Arkansas to an SEC Championship!"

While it's not technically new coaches since Morris and his staff have been on the Hill for over a year now, it's true a full third of the scholarship roster will be brand new to the program in 2019 and some key members of the remaining two-thirds of the roster don't seem to be on board with the re-brand.

The class of 2019, which currently has 14 4-star commits/signees, is the highest quality class Arkansas has ever recruited, and to get them the coaching staff sold early playing time and a chance to turn the program around. It takes special athletes with elite mindsets to take the chance and join the class that could return Arkansas to former glory, instead of going to an already well-established win-machine.

Naturally, the thought that a bunch of freshmen are going to come in and take over doesn't sit right with the Razorbacks who battled through the 2-10 2018 season. Though "battled" is not the word I would use for their final performances of the season.

Chad Morris is already implementing new tactics to change the team's mindset like taking away the team's nice Nike workout gear and the strength staff is instilling a new mantra "EVERY," which encourages players not to take a single rep off because they all count.

The responses from the current players come off as a bit petty and they shouldn't be so resistant to change, after all, they all want the same thing: more wins next season. Like it or not, more competition is coming and current players can either get right or get left, Morris has already shed at least 13 "Old Arkansas" players pre-graduation.

"The New Arkansas," "Arkansas 2.0," "Chad Morris's Arkansas," call it whatever you want, but change is coming.

Update: In response to this column, team leader Scoota Harris wants fans to know they're bonding well with the new guys on campus.

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