Hootens.com Top 10 Recruits
Hootens.com staff
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Recruiters Converge on Camden
Hootens.com staff The recruiting trail…
Fairview Assistant Pickett Dies
Hootens.com staff Camden Fairview varsity…
Razorbacks Post-Spring Depth Chart Released
First Team Offense
Marcus Monk - SE
Jose Valdez - LT
Mitch Petrus - LG
Jonathan Luigs - C
Robert Felton - RG
Nate Garner - RT
Andrew Davie - TE
Robert Johnson or London Crawford - FL
Casey Dick - QB
Darren McFadden - RB
Peyton Hillis - FB
First Team Defense
Malcolm Sheppard - DE
Ernest Mitchell - LT
Marcus Harrison - RT
Antwain Robinson - DE
Ryan Powers - WLB
Weston Dacus - MLB
Freddie Fairchild - SLB
Jerell Norton - CB
Matt Hewitt - SS
Michael Grant - FS
Matterral Richardson - CB
First Team Special Teams
Brian Vavra - KO
Brian Vavra - PK
Jeremy Davis - P
Nathan Huffer - Deep Snapper
Clark Irwin - Holder
2007 Arkansas Post-Spring Football Depth Chart (PDF)
AAA releases reclassification numbers for 2008-2010
By BARRY GROOMES Hootens.com…
Jeff Stewart returns to Hermitage
By CHRIS HOOTEN Hootens.com…
Isaac Brown fills last remaining position on Pelphrey’s staff
Isaac Brown, who has 10 years of collegiate coaching experience at the NCAA Division I and junior college levels, has joined the staff at Arkansas as an assistant to head coach John Pelphrey.
Pelphrey’s staff includes Brown, Rob Evans and Tom Ostrom as assistant coaches, and Matt Figger as the director of basketball operations.
Brown, Ostrom and Figger were with Pelphrey at South Alabama with Brown a part of Pelphrey’s staff all five years where he assisted in recruiting and on-floor coaching.
“I’m very excited and ready to get started,” Brown says. “This is like the dream of a lifetime for me. I’ve always wanted to be a coach in the SEC. I played against Arkansas back when the Razorbacks were in the Southwest Conference (at Texas A&M). I’ve been familiar with and a fan of Arkansas for a long time.”
As a player, Brown had one of his best games against the Razorbacks, but not while playing at Texas A&M. After transferring to Northeast Louisiana (now Louisiana-Monroe) for his senior season, his team upset No. 9 Arkansas, 87-79, in Little Rock on Dec. 30, 1992. Brown was five-of-eight shooting, including three-of-four on threes, finishing with 14 points.
“I’m very excited about the addition of Isaac,” Pelphrey says. “He has recruited, coached and been involved with the young men we had (at USA) away from the court, both in terms of helping them graduate and in helping them be the best they can be.
“Isaac has lived, coached and played along the Gulf Coast for a number of years,” Pelphrey says. “Several of those states touch Arkansas, and those are important areas for us in recruiting. From the standpoint of talent, understanding our style of play, work ethic and loyalty, Isaac has all those attributes and will be very beneficial to us.”
He helped the Jaguars record the best turnaround in the nation in 2006. South Alabama went 14-14 in 2003, 12-16 in 2004 and 10-18 in 2005, but went 24-7 in 2006. USA won the Sun Belt Conference West Division title and the tournament championship to send the Jaguars to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1998.
The 2006 team, which lost in the first round of the NCAA Tournament to eventual national champion Florida, led the league in scoring margin (+8.1) and three-point defense (.300), and was second in steals (8.52) and scoring defense (65.6). USA hit 267-of-728 threes, an average of 8.6 per game.
In making the biggest turnaround in the nation, USA improved from 62.3 points in 2005 to 73.6 in 2006, from a .416 field-goal percentage to .453, a .646 free-throw percentage to .703, a .351 defensive three-point percentage to .300, 16.0 turnovers to 13.4, 11.0 assists to 14.1, 13.9 turnovers forced to 16.8, 7.6 steals to 8.5 and 207 made three-pointers to 267.
Despite losing the top three scorers off that 2006 squad, Brown and the Jaguars posted a 20-12 record in 2007, won the Sun Belt regular season title and lost a 79-73 decision at Syracuse in the first round of the NIT. The 2007 team led the Sun Belt in turnover margin (+2.53), assist-to-turnover ratio (1.12) and three-point defense (.325), and was second in steals (7.22) and scoring defense (67.3). The Jaguars also made 272-of-749 three-pointers, an average of 8.5 per game.
Brown began his coaching career at Pearl River Community College in Poplarville, Miss., in 1997. After two years, we went to his hometown school as an assistant at Pascagoula (Miss.) High School. Following one season, he moved back into the junior college ranks at Okaloosa-Walton Community College in Niceville, Fla. At OWCC, he recruited and coached Kedric Brown, who in 2001 became the first junior college player selected as an NBA lottery pick. Fifteen OWCC players signed Division I scholarships while Brown was on the staff.
Brown earned his bachelor’s in health and physical education from Louisiana-Monroe in 1995. He played two years at Mississippi Gulf Coast CC (1989-90), spent one season at Texas A&M (1991), transferred to ULM and sat out the 1992 season before helping his team win the 1993 Southland Conference title at 17-1, finish 27-4 overall and earn an NCAA Tournament bid.
Source - UA Sports Information
NCAA Rules Committee approves moving back three point line
Finally, the NCAA made a decision that looks to be a good move. Starting in the 2008-09 season the college three point line will be pushed back 12 inches. Now college shooters will have to sink the long ball from 20 foot, 9 inches away. The line for women's hoops will stay at 19 feet, 9 inches.
Players, like Alex Dillard from Arkansas past, will still be able to make the outside shot. Others, such as Darrell Robinson to keep with the former Hog thoughts, will think twice before lofting up the bucket.
Towards the end of the season you could see Michael Washington make a three ball, notably in the early going against Florida in the SEC. While the value of that shot decreases it will still cause problems for defenses. The lane won't get any wider, but there will be more area of the floor to cover in the "post." Big guys will have more room to operate on the floor, causing some better match ups, think of Amare Stoudemire for the Phoenix Suns. Some say zone defenses will make a comeback, slowing down the game. I'm not too worried about that problem.
The good is after an initial decrease in three-point percentage and an increase in poor shot selection everything will pan out. It will also make our college players better prepared to professional ball in any capacity, be it NBA or International, if they move on.
The move comes 20 years after the inception of the three point shot. Happy Anniversary, we're making it more of a skill shot again and not just for anyone on the court.
Players, like Alex Dillard from Arkansas past, will still be able to make the outside shot. Others, such as Darrell Robinson to keep with the former Hog thoughts, will think twice before lofting up the bucket.
Towards the end of the season you could see Michael Washington make a three ball, notably in the early going against Florida in the SEC. While the value of that shot decreases it will still cause problems for defenses. The lane won't get any wider, but there will be more area of the floor to cover in the "post." Big guys will have more room to operate on the floor, causing some better match ups, think of Amare Stoudemire for the Phoenix Suns. Some say zone defenses will make a comeback, slowing down the game. I'm not too worried about that problem.
The good is after an initial decrease in three-point percentage and an increase in poor shot selection everything will pan out. It will also make our college players better prepared to professional ball in any capacity, be it NBA or International, if they move on.
The move comes 20 years after the inception of the three point shot. Happy Anniversary, we're making it more of a skill shot again and not just for anyone on the court.
Looking back at the NFL Draft
The first day of the NFL Draft is a holiday at my house; whenever possible I take the day off to watch every selection through the first two rounds. Sunday is more of a casual affair, I just stop by when it gets close to a Green Bay Packers pick, or just to check in during a commercial break of whatever baseball game has my attention (generally St. Louis).
I've had a few days to let the draft sink in, heard the pundits, and the critical comments by Joe Theisman on Brady Quinn. Here are my thoughts:
1. Theisman, you were a great player and a good commentator, but his comments on Quinn were a little ridiculous. First, I am not a big Quinn fan, however, it was still painful to watch his slide from "Top-5 to who wants me?" ala Aaron Rodgers two years ago. Theisman blasted Quinn for his appearance, gum chewing, and excitment upon the stage. If you want to read the exact quote here's a link : http://braves.aolsportsblog.com/2007/05/01/joe-theismann-bashes-brady-quinns-gum-tie/.
Theisman says Quinn should have kept his cool. Okay, but he was the only guy on camera losing about $1.5 million dollars every 15 minutes. If you do the math that was a free fall of around $17 mill! When Cleveland, the team he watched growing up by the way, finally moved back into the first round to select him, how was he supposed to act? I'd be excited to go any place at that point. Nothing mention means that Quinn will be a poor field general. I'm still not sold on him, but hey, I thought Ryan Leaf was a good pick for the Chargers all those years ago.
2. This is a sore spot for me personally. The Buffalo Bills stole the Green Bay Packers logical pick of Marshawn Lynch at the 12 spot. As a Packers' fan, I knew Adrian Peterson would be gone, so Lynch was my bright spot. Okay, time to regroup. Still thinking offense would be an early key in the draft, after all they need to supply help for Brett Favre, I was going for Robert Meachem to join the Green and Gold. Instead, DT Justin Harrell who played with Meachem at Tennessee got the call. My thought then moved to the fact there were still many quality receivers and we still need a running back, lets look at Round 2. RB Brandon Jackson from Nebraska. Got the RB, but he's not big enough to be a No. 1.
If I had the option, I'd have gone with Meachem in Rd 1, Quentin Moses from Georgia at DE in Rd 2, and Michael Bush from Louisville at RB in Rd 3 even with the injury from last season. But again, what do I know.
3. Did anyone see Ted Ginn, Jr. being taken by the Dolphins? And did anyone like this pick. I made mention during that pick that the Texans would take Ginn because, they are so bad a many positions maybe getting further down the field to start the offense would be a plus. Well, that pick is what threw the draft into the spiral, maybe even costing Green Bay Lynch.
At that point, I had Amobi Okoye to the 'Fins and Ginn to the Texans. That just lost my selection mojo for the day. I feel sorry for Cam Cameron who was booed for the pick. You know, I change my mind. I don't feel sorry for him. His only explaination to Dolphins fans was wait until you see him return punts. Great! I'm sure they are all excited to see their top pick fielding punts, while Chris Chambers is double teamed and Ronnie Brown is being squashed.
4. Finally, I think for the most part the Razorbacks selected were very fortunate. I've interviewed all of these guys and couldn't be happier. Jamaal Anderson is great guy, he and Chris Houston being able to move onto the NFL together will help out tremendously. Good luck to them in Atlanta.
Tony Ugoh got the deal of the century when the Colts moved up in the 2nd round to call his name. I think they quietly had one of the best drafts, also taking Anthony Gonzales in Rd. 1 (the perfect pick for them) and Michael Coe in Rd 5.
I was excited to find out Keith Jackson, Jr. was drafted. So what if it's the seventh round. He's a great guy, and that's a great accomplishment. Jackson always has a smile on his face and loves the game of football. I think he'll be a great contributor to the Rams. It's not always the size of a player, it's the size of his heart. Jackson is huge in that category.
Anyone else have any takes. I was going to wait a week to let it all sink in, but Theisman got me thinking. Let me know your take on the NFL Draft. Leave your comment here, or on the Sports Talkback on our website: http://www.kfsm.com/Global/link.asp?L=225219 .
Thanks.
I've had a few days to let the draft sink in, heard the pundits, and the critical comments by Joe Theisman on Brady Quinn. Here are my thoughts:
1. Theisman, you were a great player and a good commentator, but his comments on Quinn were a little ridiculous. First, I am not a big Quinn fan, however, it was still painful to watch his slide from "Top-5 to who wants me?" ala Aaron Rodgers two years ago. Theisman blasted Quinn for his appearance, gum chewing, and excitment upon the stage. If you want to read the exact quote here's a link : http://braves.aolsportsblog.com/2007/05/01/joe-theismann-bashes-brady-quinns-gum-tie/.
Theisman says Quinn should have kept his cool. Okay, but he was the only guy on camera losing about $1.5 million dollars every 15 minutes. If you do the math that was a free fall of around $17 mill! When Cleveland, the team he watched growing up by the way, finally moved back into the first round to select him, how was he supposed to act? I'd be excited to go any place at that point. Nothing mention means that Quinn will be a poor field general. I'm still not sold on him, but hey, I thought Ryan Leaf was a good pick for the Chargers all those years ago.
2. This is a sore spot for me personally. The Buffalo Bills stole the Green Bay Packers logical pick of Marshawn Lynch at the 12 spot. As a Packers' fan, I knew Adrian Peterson would be gone, so Lynch was my bright spot. Okay, time to regroup. Still thinking offense would be an early key in the draft, after all they need to supply help for Brett Favre, I was going for Robert Meachem to join the Green and Gold. Instead, DT Justin Harrell who played with Meachem at Tennessee got the call. My thought then moved to the fact there were still many quality receivers and we still need a running back, lets look at Round 2. RB Brandon Jackson from Nebraska. Got the RB, but he's not big enough to be a No. 1.
If I had the option, I'd have gone with Meachem in Rd 1, Quentin Moses from Georgia at DE in Rd 2, and Michael Bush from Louisville at RB in Rd 3 even with the injury from last season. But again, what do I know.
3. Did anyone see Ted Ginn, Jr. being taken by the Dolphins? And did anyone like this pick. I made mention during that pick that the Texans would take Ginn because, they are so bad a many positions maybe getting further down the field to start the offense would be a plus. Well, that pick is what threw the draft into the spiral, maybe even costing Green Bay Lynch.
At that point, I had Amobi Okoye to the 'Fins and Ginn to the Texans. That just lost my selection mojo for the day. I feel sorry for Cam Cameron who was booed for the pick. You know, I change my mind. I don't feel sorry for him. His only explaination to Dolphins fans was wait until you see him return punts. Great! I'm sure they are all excited to see their top pick fielding punts, while Chris Chambers is double teamed and Ronnie Brown is being squashed.
4. Finally, I think for the most part the Razorbacks selected were very fortunate. I've interviewed all of these guys and couldn't be happier. Jamaal Anderson is great guy, he and Chris Houston being able to move onto the NFL together will help out tremendously. Good luck to them in Atlanta.
Tony Ugoh got the deal of the century when the Colts moved up in the 2nd round to call his name. I think they quietly had one of the best drafts, also taking Anthony Gonzales in Rd. 1 (the perfect pick for them) and Michael Coe in Rd 5.
I was excited to find out Keith Jackson, Jr. was drafted. So what if it's the seventh round. He's a great guy, and that's a great accomplishment. Jackson always has a smile on his face and loves the game of football. I think he'll be a great contributor to the Rams. It's not always the size of a player, it's the size of his heart. Jackson is huge in that category.
Anyone else have any takes. I was going to wait a week to let it all sink in, but Theisman got me thinking. Let me know your take on the NFL Draft. Leave your comment here, or on the Sports Talkback on our website: http://www.kfsm.com/Global/link.asp?L=225219 .
Thanks.
THE HISTORY
Mitch Mustain committed to play football for the University of Arkansas on August 16, 2005 after a long and grueling recruitment. While trying to make an important life decision, Mustain became one of the most scrutinized, analyzed, and debated recruits in Arkansas’ history. The press coverage was immense and his personal life became the subject of thousands of articles and many sports talk shows in the local and national media. To say it was insane would be an understatement. It was a circus built and constructed by the media and the fans flocked in groves to witness.
There was no question that Mustain was viewed as the “future” of Arkansas football. He was the highest ranked recruit ever to come out of the state of Arkansas and by season end he was the top quarterback in the nation. He was awarded every national honor a high school football player can be awarded. It would have been a travesty had he left the state and possibly the end of any coach who allowed it to happen.
He had visited at least 12 universities in less than a year, and on more than one occasion had come close to committing to another school. While he truly wanted to stay in his home state, he had serious concerns about Coach Houston Nutt. His history with the treatment and development of quarterbacks (or lack thereof), his inability to develop a balanced offense, and other issues that had come to the surface during recruiting. But ultimately he felt it was important to make a decision prior to his senior season, and he desperately wanted to play for Arkansas. So he took Nutt at his word that things would be “different” and committed.
His concerns regarding the commitment to the University of Arkansas began to surface early in the 2005 season. As Arkansas struggled, Mustain watched. He watched as Arkansas lost to the traditional “bottom feeders” in the SEC. He watched as Nutt failed, again, to develop even a hint of a respectable passing game. He watched the receivers block and the quarterbacks “hand off.” He watched as, in desperation, Coach Nutt pulled freshman quarterback Casey Dick’s red-shirt with only 4 games left in the season and struggled to end his first season 2-2 as the starter.
For the first time ever, he intently watched Arkansas football and clearly understood their past, and dreaded his future.
On December 5, 2005 after Arkansas’ dismal 4-7 season, Mustain decommitted. He informed Nutt of his decision in a private meeting, however within two hours the media was aware of their conversation.
For several months during 2005, several key individuals within the Arkansas program discussed hiring Mustain’s high school coach, Gus Malzahn, as a position coach. An Arkansas booster and Board of Trustee member, Jim Lindsey, approached Mustain's family regarding this issue on no less than three occasions.
After the news that Mustain would not be attending the UofA was made public by someone in the administration and announced by the press on December 6th, Malzahn made the decision not to go to work for Arkansas.
He knew that if he were to go on staff as a position coach, he would have little influence over the offense. His “football philosophy” differed greatly from what Nutt had produced during his 8 years at Arkansas. And he and Mustain each privately shared the same concerns regarding the future of the Arkansas program.
On Tuesday, December 6 Head Coach Malzahn presided over an assembly at Springdale High School for Mustain’s Gatorade POY award. Wednesday December 7, 2005, still employed as the AD and coach at Springdale, Malzahn flew to New York to join Mitch Mustain during a Parade Player of the Year photo shoot.
On Thursday, December 8th Malzahn and his wife abruptly left a day earlier than scheduled to return to Fayetteville.
Nutt announced at a press conference on December 9th, four days after Mustain’s decommitment, that Malzahn was the offensive coordinator, and would have full control of the offense.
Arkansas was coming off two straight losing seasons and the threat of losing several of the top recruits in the state, one being a top national recruit, put added pressure on the program.
The “powers-that-be” understood that this was the only way Malzahn would come to work for the program and the only hope Mustain might reconsider. So with no college experience, Malzahn was hired and it was immediately made known that he was the “offensive coordinator,” the program would change their offensive philosophy and he would have control. Houston Nutt, after very publicly proclaiming for 8 straight years that he did not need or want an offensive coordinator and that it was the greatest part of his job as a coach, turned control over to a high school coach.
However, in a Morning News article dated February 18, 2007 Nutt stated,
"Q: Let’s just start with the hiring of Gus and the recruiting of the Springdale group. Was it clear from Coach Broyles that you needed to hire an offensive coordinator?
A: Yes, it was clear after two tough seasons of 5-6 and 4-7 that (we) really thought the direction that needed to go in was to get an offensive coordinator. And so we sought out on that search, and actually hired Gus before that, before the offensive coordinator was in place. Hired him first and with the intention of either being quarterback or receiver coach and then getting a guy like we pursued David Cutcliffe, David Lee...
Q: Those were the three I heard-Cutcliffe, David Lee and Wittke. Did you offer any of those?
A: I offered David Cutcliffe and David Lee. "
David Cutcliffe has never acknowledged an offer from the University of Arkansas and no offer has ever been reported. Cutcliffe was named the offensive coordinator at the University of Tennessee and was on staff as of November 23. 2005.
Nutt also stated in a radio interview on February 21,2007 with Drive Time Sports that Gus was originally hired as a position coach only, either as the quarterback or wide receiver coach. He said he and Gus attempted to “recruit” David Lee together to come back as the QB coach and the offensive coordinator.
Had Arkansas hired him as an assistant coach prior to late December 8th with the intention of conducting a search for an offensive coordinator, the University would have been in violation of NCAA regulations prohibiting coaches from contact with recruits.
When exactly was Gus Malzahn hired and for what position? Nutt’s time line of the events do not make any sense. It appears as if he may be attempting to re-write history.
Many fans questioned the sincerity of Nutt’s commitment to Malzahn and whether he wanted Malzahn as the offensive coordinator. Nutt had said for some time that he wanted Malzahn on staff “in some capacity,” but turning over his responsibilities with the offense went against every proclamation he had previously made. It was not surprising that Nutt and his staff harbored a resentment towards the decision that was forced on their program.
Malzahn would experience the disdain and defiance shortly after joining the staff.
Fans were already in an uproar following the dismal 2004 and 2005 seasons and Mustain’s decommittment added fuel to the raging fire. They had lost faith in their coach during the prior two seasons and now they had lost faith in his ability to recruit the top kids in their own state. Three other top Arkansas recruits from Springdale were already headed to other schools where no promises had to be made. The coaches had proven records, their players were developed and their teams won games.
With his reputation and ego seriously bruised from the daily fallout and speculations, Nutt personally visited with Frank Broyles and convinced him to allow Nutt to pull Mustain’s offer. His rationale was that Mustain would be a distraction, both during the remainder of the recruiting period and on the team if he indeed changed his mind. He no longer wanted him even if Mustain wanted them. He was personally insulted and appalled by the player’s scorn. After all, Nutt had been the first to offer the home-state player before he ever started a high school game. However Malzahn convinced those close to Broyles that all was not lost and that he truly believed that given the opportunity to convince Mustain that the program was sincere, he would stay home. After all, he really did want to be a Razorback. He just needed a reason.
The road to convincing Mustain that the program was sincere in their bold commitment, one they intended to keep, was difficult. He did not believe Broyles and Nutt were sincere in their hiring of Malzahn. But several very powerful individuals close to the program, including Jim Lindsey made specific assurances. There would be no question as to the path Arkansas’ future would take. Nutt had been given 8 years to prove he was capable of making a transition and had failed. Malzahn would have control of the direction and development of the offense and the promises would be kept.
On January 16, 2006, with his trust placed in the hands of those he believed powerful enough to keep those promises, Mitch Mustain recommitted to the University of Arkansas.
Placing his own integrity on the line, he immediately went to work on his best friend, Damian Williams who had committed to Florida, as well as several other key recruits. He became the University’s biggest advocate, convincing key recruits that with the talent in place on the team, the addition of their skills and talents and with the determination and ability of Malzahn to revitalize the program, Arkansas would soon be contending with the top schools in the nation. His convictions were strong and he shared the vision and confidence Malzahn had instilled in him with the recruits. Much of that confidence came from the belief that they had all the support they would need to take Arkansas football to a new level in division 1 football.
On signing day, Arkansas landed the top pro-style QB and seven of the top receivers and tight ends in the nation.
Houston Nutt has maintained in all his post 2006 season interviews that Gus was allowed to run the offense. However, he repeatedly stated that it was a “collective effort” and that the offense was actually structured by the entire staff during the coach meetings throughout game weeks.
There seems to be a contradiction in those two assertions.He has stated that it was Malzahn’s decision not to run his signature offense.
When asked in the press conference when he was hired as the OC in December 2005 Malzahn stated, “I am what I am. We will run the hurry up.”
Malzahn has stated privately that initially the staff seemed “reluctantly open” to running a spread offense and a “hurry-up offense” however, by midseason little to no effort was made to incorporate his offensive philosophy into the game plans.
After the Auburn game, Houston Nutt had regained complete control and Malzahn was seriously limited.
The only time the offense ran a hurry up, no huddle offense was during the USC game. It resulted in a successful 80-yard touchdown drive in 1 ½ minutes.The Hurry-Up spread offense has been Gus Malzahn’s signature offense.
It was what he was hired to bring to the Arkansas Razorbacks as stated by Nutt during the press conference in December 2005. According to the statements made by Nutt during his radio and newspaper articles, it would appear that Malzahn abandoned “who” he is in favor of an offense by committee.
Malzahn has not spoken publicly regarding his time at Arkansas. However, it should be obvious to any fan of Arkansas football that he was not hired for the purposes stated by Nutt and the University administration.
There was no question that Mustain was viewed as the “future” of Arkansas football. He was the highest ranked recruit ever to come out of the state of Arkansas and by season end he was the top quarterback in the nation. He was awarded every national honor a high school football player can be awarded. It would have been a travesty had he left the state and possibly the end of any coach who allowed it to happen.
He had visited at least 12 universities in less than a year, and on more than one occasion had come close to committing to another school. While he truly wanted to stay in his home state, he had serious concerns about Coach Houston Nutt. His history with the treatment and development of quarterbacks (or lack thereof), his inability to develop a balanced offense, and other issues that had come to the surface during recruiting. But ultimately he felt it was important to make a decision prior to his senior season, and he desperately wanted to play for Arkansas. So he took Nutt at his word that things would be “different” and committed.
His concerns regarding the commitment to the University of Arkansas began to surface early in the 2005 season. As Arkansas struggled, Mustain watched. He watched as Arkansas lost to the traditional “bottom feeders” in the SEC. He watched as Nutt failed, again, to develop even a hint of a respectable passing game. He watched the receivers block and the quarterbacks “hand off.” He watched as, in desperation, Coach Nutt pulled freshman quarterback Casey Dick’s red-shirt with only 4 games left in the season and struggled to end his first season 2-2 as the starter.
For the first time ever, he intently watched Arkansas football and clearly understood their past, and dreaded his future.
On December 5, 2005 after Arkansas’ dismal 4-7 season, Mustain decommitted. He informed Nutt of his decision in a private meeting, however within two hours the media was aware of their conversation.
For several months during 2005, several key individuals within the Arkansas program discussed hiring Mustain’s high school coach, Gus Malzahn, as a position coach. An Arkansas booster and Board of Trustee member, Jim Lindsey, approached Mustain's family regarding this issue on no less than three occasions.
After the news that Mustain would not be attending the UofA was made public by someone in the administration and announced by the press on December 6th, Malzahn made the decision not to go to work for Arkansas.
He knew that if he were to go on staff as a position coach, he would have little influence over the offense. His “football philosophy” differed greatly from what Nutt had produced during his 8 years at Arkansas. And he and Mustain each privately shared the same concerns regarding the future of the Arkansas program.
On Tuesday, December 6 Head Coach Malzahn presided over an assembly at Springdale High School for Mustain’s Gatorade POY award. Wednesday December 7, 2005, still employed as the AD and coach at Springdale, Malzahn flew to New York to join Mitch Mustain during a Parade Player of the Year photo shoot.
On Thursday, December 8th Malzahn and his wife abruptly left a day earlier than scheduled to return to Fayetteville.
Nutt announced at a press conference on December 9th, four days after Mustain’s decommitment, that Malzahn was the offensive coordinator, and would have full control of the offense.
Arkansas was coming off two straight losing seasons and the threat of losing several of the top recruits in the state, one being a top national recruit, put added pressure on the program.
The “powers-that-be” understood that this was the only way Malzahn would come to work for the program and the only hope Mustain might reconsider. So with no college experience, Malzahn was hired and it was immediately made known that he was the “offensive coordinator,” the program would change their offensive philosophy and he would have control. Houston Nutt, after very publicly proclaiming for 8 straight years that he did not need or want an offensive coordinator and that it was the greatest part of his job as a coach, turned control over to a high school coach.
However, in a Morning News article dated February 18, 2007 Nutt stated,
"Q: Let’s just start with the hiring of Gus and the recruiting of the Springdale group. Was it clear from Coach Broyles that you needed to hire an offensive coordinator?
A: Yes, it was clear after two tough seasons of 5-6 and 4-7 that (we) really thought the direction that needed to go in was to get an offensive coordinator. And so we sought out on that search, and actually hired Gus before that, before the offensive coordinator was in place. Hired him first and with the intention of either being quarterback or receiver coach and then getting a guy like we pursued David Cutcliffe, David Lee...
Q: Those were the three I heard-Cutcliffe, David Lee and Wittke. Did you offer any of those?
A: I offered David Cutcliffe and David Lee. "
David Cutcliffe has never acknowledged an offer from the University of Arkansas and no offer has ever been reported. Cutcliffe was named the offensive coordinator at the University of Tennessee and was on staff as of November 23. 2005.
Nutt also stated in a radio interview on February 21,2007 with Drive Time Sports that Gus was originally hired as a position coach only, either as the quarterback or wide receiver coach. He said he and Gus attempted to “recruit” David Lee together to come back as the QB coach and the offensive coordinator.
Had Arkansas hired him as an assistant coach prior to late December 8th with the intention of conducting a search for an offensive coordinator, the University would have been in violation of NCAA regulations prohibiting coaches from contact with recruits.
When exactly was Gus Malzahn hired and for what position? Nutt’s time line of the events do not make any sense. It appears as if he may be attempting to re-write history.
Many fans questioned the sincerity of Nutt’s commitment to Malzahn and whether he wanted Malzahn as the offensive coordinator. Nutt had said for some time that he wanted Malzahn on staff “in some capacity,” but turning over his responsibilities with the offense went against every proclamation he had previously made. It was not surprising that Nutt and his staff harbored a resentment towards the decision that was forced on their program.
Malzahn would experience the disdain and defiance shortly after joining the staff.
Fans were already in an uproar following the dismal 2004 and 2005 seasons and Mustain’s decommittment added fuel to the raging fire. They had lost faith in their coach during the prior two seasons and now they had lost faith in his ability to recruit the top kids in their own state. Three other top Arkansas recruits from Springdale were already headed to other schools where no promises had to be made. The coaches had proven records, their players were developed and their teams won games.
With his reputation and ego seriously bruised from the daily fallout and speculations, Nutt personally visited with Frank Broyles and convinced him to allow Nutt to pull Mustain’s offer. His rationale was that Mustain would be a distraction, both during the remainder of the recruiting period and on the team if he indeed changed his mind. He no longer wanted him even if Mustain wanted them. He was personally insulted and appalled by the player’s scorn. After all, Nutt had been the first to offer the home-state player before he ever started a high school game. However Malzahn convinced those close to Broyles that all was not lost and that he truly believed that given the opportunity to convince Mustain that the program was sincere, he would stay home. After all, he really did want to be a Razorback. He just needed a reason.
The road to convincing Mustain that the program was sincere in their bold commitment, one they intended to keep, was difficult. He did not believe Broyles and Nutt were sincere in their hiring of Malzahn. But several very powerful individuals close to the program, including Jim Lindsey made specific assurances. There would be no question as to the path Arkansas’ future would take. Nutt had been given 8 years to prove he was capable of making a transition and had failed. Malzahn would have control of the direction and development of the offense and the promises would be kept.
On January 16, 2006, with his trust placed in the hands of those he believed powerful enough to keep those promises, Mitch Mustain recommitted to the University of Arkansas.
Placing his own integrity on the line, he immediately went to work on his best friend, Damian Williams who had committed to Florida, as well as several other key recruits. He became the University’s biggest advocate, convincing key recruits that with the talent in place on the team, the addition of their skills and talents and with the determination and ability of Malzahn to revitalize the program, Arkansas would soon be contending with the top schools in the nation. His convictions were strong and he shared the vision and confidence Malzahn had instilled in him with the recruits. Much of that confidence came from the belief that they had all the support they would need to take Arkansas football to a new level in division 1 football.
On signing day, Arkansas landed the top pro-style QB and seven of the top receivers and tight ends in the nation.
Houston Nutt has maintained in all his post 2006 season interviews that Gus was allowed to run the offense. However, he repeatedly stated that it was a “collective effort” and that the offense was actually structured by the entire staff during the coach meetings throughout game weeks.
There seems to be a contradiction in those two assertions.He has stated that it was Malzahn’s decision not to run his signature offense.
When asked in the press conference when he was hired as the OC in December 2005 Malzahn stated, “I am what I am. We will run the hurry up.”
Malzahn has stated privately that initially the staff seemed “reluctantly open” to running a spread offense and a “hurry-up offense” however, by midseason little to no effort was made to incorporate his offensive philosophy into the game plans.
After the Auburn game, Houston Nutt had regained complete control and Malzahn was seriously limited.
The only time the offense ran a hurry up, no huddle offense was during the USC game. It resulted in a successful 80-yard touchdown drive in 1 ½ minutes.The Hurry-Up spread offense has been Gus Malzahn’s signature offense.
It was what he was hired to bring to the Arkansas Razorbacks as stated by Nutt during the press conference in December 2005. According to the statements made by Nutt during his radio and newspaper articles, it would appear that Malzahn abandoned “who” he is in favor of an offense by committee.
Malzahn has not spoken publicly regarding his time at Arkansas. However, it should be obvious to any fan of Arkansas football that he was not hired for the purposes stated by Nutt and the University administration.
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