LAST YEAR COULD NOT HAVE BEEN CLOSER, with a tie at the top and Arkansas just a point back. This time around would be different, the Razorbacks vowed. Under new head coach Doug Case, the team came in heavily favored to win by nearly 30 points.
Of course, all sorts of disasters struck — isn’t everybody’s surprise victory someone else’s disaster? But through it all, Case’s squad kept plugging away, nickel-and-diming their way to the first Hog team title outdoors in 23 years.
On Day 1 a surprise runner-up finish in the long jump from Juriad Hughes started the ball rolling. And Ernest Cheruiyot came through with 6 points in the 10,000. But disaster #1 struck when Brian Masai didn’t make the 1500 final. Disaster #2 hit when favored Jelani Watkins eased up before the line and missed the 200 final. The Razorbacks ended the day with 14 points, tied for 4th as Nebraska and Oregon led at 18.
Day 2 started rough for Case’s crew. Disaster #3 came when the 4×1 was unable to get the stick around. “We had to fight, we had to claw our way back,” said the coach. “From that point on, we were fighting.”
Case added, “This meet is brutal, man. It’s about survival and everybody brings these great teams and great individuals in here and you really have to nail it to win this thing. You can’t win this with 1-2 people, you’ve got to come in here with a team.”
Scottie Vines lived up to his billing with a 2nd in the high jump. Watkins ran 3rd in the 100. Transfer Jordan Pierre scored 4 in the 400.
The team hoped for big points in the 800 from Tyrice Taylor and Rivaldo Marshall, who went 1-2 indoors. While Colin Sahlman stole the win, the Razorbacks still scored 14 off of a 2-3 finish. Then Cheruiyot came back with a 5th in the 5000.
That all added up to 50 points, meaning the trophy couldn’t be guaranteed until the 4×4 was run. Arkansas led, but Tennessee had 44 and could win if another disaster struck the Razorbacks.
Earlier in the day Case had suggested the meet might come down to the climactic relay. “I actually didn’t believe it at the time, but that’s how it ended up.”
“There’s about 144 teams at a championship like this and you’re competing against the best in the world in some events,” said Case. “If you look at the results, incredible in every single event. You’ve got to come in here ready for that. Nothing’s going to be handed to you. We talked about that all year. You’ve got to fight for every point.”
Fight they did, the squad hitting 2:59.87 for 3rd with anchor Pierre passing two in the stretch on his 43.84 to leave Tennessee far back despite running a school record 3:00.74. “The guys just did it. They went out there and ran hard. They knew what they had to do. They’re not afraid of the challenge.”
Trophy finally secured, Case said, “It’s a team effort, it’s a great coaching staff, it’s a great group of athletes, and if you don’t have that, you can’t do things like this. We’ve got a tradition here at Arkansas and I’ve been telling the guys we want to keep that going.”
The Georgia men got 2nd on the strength of their 4×4 win. That finish is their best since the Bulldogs won in ’18.
The win is the eleventh in Arkansas history, and the 44th when counting cross country and indoor track. Even more significant is that Case’s squad swept the conference and NCAA trophies indoors and out. The last school to do that? UTEP in ’82.
MEN’S TEAM SCORES
1. Arkansas 56;
2. Georgia 49;
3. Tennessee 46;
4. LSU 42;
5. Oregon 40;
6. Auburn 33;
7. Louisville 32;
8. Kansas State 30;
9. Nebraska 28;
10. USC 27;
11. Texas A&M 23; 12. tie, Alabama & North Carolina A&T 21; 14. New Mexico 20; 15. Florida 18; 16. tie, Oklahoma & Oklahoma State 16; 18. Minnesota 14; 19. tie, Air Force & Virginia 13; 21. tie, BYU & Ohio State 12; 23. tie, Northern Arizona, Penn State & Purdue 11; 26. tie, Iowa, Texas, Michigan & Princeton 10; 30. tie, Texas Tech, Utah State, Middle Tennessee, Tulane & Wake Forest 8;
35. tie, Illinois & Indiana 7; 37. tie, Cal Poly SLO, Kansas, Eastern Kentucky & Virginia Tech 6; 41. Mississippi State 5½; 42. tie, Long Beach State, Oral Roberts, Florida State, Kentucky & Villanova 5; 47. tie, Wisconsin, Appalachian State, Liberty & Samford 4; 51. tie, Baylor, Iowa State, Northern Iowa, TCU, UTSA & Washington State 3; 57. tie, Arizona, Cal State Fullerton, UCLA, Cornell, Georgetown & Miami 2; 63. FDU 1½; 64. tie, UConn & Ole Miss 1.
