Analysts and casual watchers alike are tired of beating the same drum beat over and over again. Is John Calipari’s time done? His name earns him a certain respect because he has coached schools from the bottom to the top. Four decades later, it’s expected that the results will come faster rather than slower but with an 11-5 record on the season, the Arkansas Razorbacks look less likely than ever to make it to the NCAA tournament.

Discussing coach Cal’s shortcomings as of late, especially after the third SEC loss to Florida, the hosts of The Field of 68: After Dark believe Calipari leaving Kentucky was the best thing he did for them. “The writing was on the wall at the end of Kentucky,” Rob Dauster declares. “What happened at the end of Cal’s career? Did we kind of overlook some things because of the fact that it was Cal? Because of the fact that it was Kentucky? Because of the fact that they had a certain level of past success there?”

The coach is lauded as a veteran talent on the college scene but the numbers cannot be avoided either. Under Calipari, the Kentucky Wildcats won only one championship in 2012 in his 15 years there, and the last few seasons were some of their worst. Now, Arkansas’ 71-63 loss to the Gators was almost expected at this point because of how the Razorbacks have fared against top ranked teams this season. With this loss, they’ll be out of the top 25.

“I don’t know if this team’s good enough to make it,” Dauster continues. “Well, they’re good enough but I don’t know if this team’s going to make the tournament…It’s a good thing they got that comeback win against Michigan because if they didn’t get that, there would be nothing on this resume. Their best win other than Michigan is Lipsum at home.”

The Razorbacks might have 11 wins but almost half as many losses is nothing to boast about, as Dauster says. It’s not as if the school lacks good players. A mix of freshman, transfers, and guys who followed Calipari from Kentucky are peppered on the roster. But the Razorbacks don’t have an identity of their own right now.

Terence Ogelsby also points out, “The game got complicated, it became five out, he couldn’t beat you up, and he can’t clog the lane anymore. So therefore you’re going to struggle a little bit.”

After the loss to Florida, Calipari had a few roster changes to suggest; now it’s as if he is not confident in his own coaching.

“Are we playing the right way?” asks John Calipari, amid team confidence issues

Florida receiving cheers at the Razorbacks’ home was not something John Calipari wanted to see. Urging his team to play with emotion, ‘chest-bumping’, and generally being a good team, the coach wondered what he’s doing wrong.

“I gotta look and say, Are we playing the right people? Are we playing the right way?” he said in the post game conference. “I think part of it is, if someone doesn’t play well, they can’t get out of their own way. But you don’t have to play great. You don’t even have to play good. Just defend. Dive on the floor, talk. Be a great teammate.”

Acknowledging his own shortcomings as well as his team’s Calipari continued, “We haven’t learned that yet. I got to do a better job.” The lineup will have to change, the shooting will have to be better, and the confidence in the team built up. Three losses in a row right at the beginning of conference is play is not the best way to boost a team’s morale, sure, but they’ll have to figure out a way fast before Arkansas goes on the road to face LSU and Missouri next.