Arkansas Business

This story is from the archives of ArkansasSports360.com.

This football season marks the 21st for the Razorbacks as members of the SEC. Having completed two decades in the league it seemed worth reflecting on how far the program has come. Which victories over the last 20 years were the sweetest? Were there losses that hurt more than others? What coaching decisions still have folks scratching their heads? ArkansasSports360.com assembled a panel aimed at answering these questions. We have our list and we'd love to hear yours.

No. 1 on our moments you'd love to forget ...

Bad
The Citadel Loss
When it happened: Sept. 5, 1992
Who we remember: Jack Crowe, J.B. Grimes, E.D. Jackson, Frank Broyles, Joe Kines
Why you'd like to forget: Then-athletic director Frank Broyles, when he pushed to move Arkansas to the SEC in 1990, no doubt expected a more potent team for the Razorbacks' debut as league members in 1992. But with Jack Crowe at the helm, Arkansas was 9-14 over the previous two seasons, though the Hogs were expected to cruise over Division I-AA The Citadel at Razorback Stadium in the 1992 season opener.

Also that year, the NCAA refined a rule that allowed the defense to return fumbles recovered behind the line of scrimmage, but who knew it would figure on this strange Saturday?

A third event happened weeks earlier that affected the game: Arkansas turned itself in for an NCAA violation when offensive line coach J.B. Grimes was seen coaching his players during a non-coaching period; as a self-imposed penalty, the linemen, Grimes and Crowe were suspended from August practices for one week.

So, Razorback fans squirmed as the teams moved into the fourth quarter with Arkansas leading 3-0. Then, with the ball near midfield, Arkansas running back E.D. Jackson was hit behind the line and fumbled, and The Citadel took it the other way for the go-ahead score. The Citadel added a field goal to finish the Hogs, 10-3.

A stunned crowd exited quietly that Labor Day weekend. Chants of “Crowe Must Go” echoed throughout, but firing a head coach one game into the season seemed highly unlikely. Except Broyles made it so the next day and elevated defensive coordinator Joe Kines to head coach.

Surprisingly, Razorbacks took the field sky-high the next week in Columbia, S.C., and dumped South Carolina 45-7 in the SEC opener for both schools. Arkansas, after a 1-4 start, also upset No. 4 ranked Tennessee in Knoxville, 25-24, leading Broyles to proclaim “The Razorbacks are BACK!”

No, they weren’t, finishing the year 3-7-1, and turning the head coaching over to Danny Ford, who went 26-30-1 over the next five years.

Up Next: Arkansas opens the 2012 season — its 21st in the SEC — against Jacksonville State and Jack Crowe. Yes, the same Jack Crowe who coached Arkansas to a loss against the Citadel in the opening game of the SEC era.