Prominent oddsmaker says it’s ‘not unreasonable’ that Arkansas soon will be No. 2 in SEC

Chad Morris has enough pressure as Arkansas’ new coach as it is, but USA Today oddsmaker Danny Sheridan may have just bumped up expectations a couple of notches for the former SMU coach.

During an appearance on Sports Talk with Bo Mattingly on Friday, Sheridan made some pretty bold statements on his expectations for the Morris era in Fayetteville.

“It’s not unreasonable to think that in 3-4 years, Morris will be No. 2 in the SEC,” Sheridan said. “Maybe right behind Alabama and as good as Georgia. That’s not unreasonable if this trend continues and he gets those Texas guys [in recruiting].

“Four years from now I say Morris is right up at the top with Alabama.”

The radio host pushed Sheridan to reaffirm his prediction by asking if that meant Arkansas would have a 10-win season by the time Year 4 roles around for the new Arkansas regime.

“Yeah, I’ll go with 10,” Sheridan said confidently. “I was going to say 9.5 and give you an over-under, but I’ll take 10 wins four years from now. Now, five [years from now], for sure.”

Now that’s a bold statement backed by a very strong prognostication.

Arkansas has not won 10 games in a season since Bobby Petrino led the Hogs to a Cotton Bowl victory and an 11-win season during 2011. It was his second consecutive year of that level of production, claiming 10 wins and a trip to the Sugar Bowl during the 2010 season. Everyone in Arkansas knows what happened on a motorcycle in early 2012 that made the 11-win season Petrino’s last in Fayetteville.

The Razorbacks have had just three 10-win seasons in the SEC era (1992-present), so predicting Morris will get there at all in his tenure is quite a compliment to his upside as a coach. Morris has been working hard on the recruiting trail, but he inherits an Arkansas team that won just one conference game during a 4-8 season in Bret Bielema’s final year on campus. There’s a reason Sheridan thinks it will take three or four years for Morris to reach his potential.

You can listen to Sheridan’s comments here:

Oddsmaker Danny Sheridan has high praise for Chad Morris, thinks he may end up one of the best in the SEC pic.twitter.com/wvGk0wrWgy

— Bo Mattingly (@SportsTalkwBo) January 12, 2018