The transition to Arkansas hasn't been easy for John Calipari.
In his first season as head coach, the Razorbacks are 15-10 through their first 25 games—but are just 4-8 in the SEC. After losing a relatively close one to Texas A&M on Saturday in College Station, Calipari wanted his players to know that it's not okay to accept defeat:
"For us to bust through, we're gonna have to beat somebody," he told reporters after the game. "We can say what we want, I want to make sure that [the players] weren't happy [and thinking] 'We're gonna be okay,' no!"
"It's not okay to say, 'We'll be alright,'"Calipari continued. "Now you're gonna have to go get somebody else."
John Calipari was NOT pleased postgame:
— The Field of 68 (@TheFieldOf68) February 15, 2025
"IT'S NOT OKAY TO SAY WE'LL BE ALRIGHT... But I didn't wanna put that on them, because I've got some guys that are a little fragile"pic.twitter.com/OjXNepeKg2
The veteran head coach—best known for his success at the University of Kentucky—went on to say that he doesn't want to put that pressure on his players because some are "a little bit fragile."
"I'm having to hold them accountable but keep picking them up," Calipari said.
It won't get any easier for Arkansas over the next week. They'll take on the No. 1 Auburn Tigers—in Auburn—on Wednesday before returning home to Fayetteville on Saturday for a matchup against the No. 21 Missouri Tigers.
As things sit right now, the Razorbacks are projected to nab an 11-seed in the NCAA tournament as one of bracketologist Joe Lunardi's "last four in."
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as John Calipari Goes on Angry Rant Following Arkansas Loss to Texas A&M.
