“There’s gotta be easier teams out there to play”: John Calipari gives sarcastic response as Arkansas tries to find success
New Arkansas Razorbacks coach John Calipari has the Hogs at 3-1 after dismantling the Pacific Tigers 91-72 on Monday. Despite being above .500, Calipari said there's still much work to do for the 20th-ranked Razorbacks to carve out a successful season.
After beating the Troy Trojans 65-49 on Nov. 13, Calapari sarcastically expressed his sentiments (Timestamp: 4:00):
"There's gotta be easier teams out there to play. But – you know what? – I needed it because I gotta learn about these guys, and we're all together for the first time."
The factor that he mentioned that they needed were the first two games of their season, a 76-60 victory over the Lipscomb Bisons and a 72-67 loss to the then-No. 8 Baylor Bears. Through his first taste of Razorbacks basketball, Calipari shared that he is asking for more from his new team than it has shown in the first few outings.
He added "It's more about the process than the results," as Calipari said that the Baylor loss is one he can live with knowing that he and his team have work to do, even with Calapari preferring a winning outcome.
The Razorbacks now look to their Saturday game against the visiting Little Rock Trojans in the Bud Walton Arena.
Coach Calipari sets his focus on his new team after long tenure at Kentucky
John Calipari, the ninth-winningest coach of all time in NCAA Division I men's basketball, is going through his first few runs at Arkansas. From 2009 to 2024, he was the Kentucky Wildcats' coach, leading the program to the 2012 national title over the Kansas Jayhawks.
During his University of Arkansas introduction ceremony, Calipari expressed how hard it was to leave Kentucky after 15 successful years. But he has shifted his focus on the Razorbacks (Timestamp: 15:10):
"I'm not the guy that has a magic wand. That's not who I am. I'm the grinder that comes in every day, and when you watch my team from the beginning until the end, you say, 'Wow, they got better.'"
As Coach Cal is learning more about the Razorbacks, he can look forward to his return game against the Wildcats, who are ranked No. 9, on Feb. 2.