Link: Arkansas Sports 360..Coaching Search List For The Hogs Next HC

[capnfrog]

For selfish reasons, I hope they don't come after Kirby Smart. Charlie Strong would make the most sense though. They can forget about Peterson and Patterson I think but most people said that about CNS when Bama went after him. I still remember the laughs we got from the barn as well as others when it was mentioned that we were talking to Coach Saban. How quickly the laughs turned to scowls and whines. LOL

 

[Florida Tom]

They're gonna hire Gus Malzhan

As usual Mack is the wise one! I don't even think there is any question about it.

 

[Clubfitter]

Who is an alumnus of Arkansas and a proven head coach and is available??? Butch Davis. NCaa never charged him with any wrong doing at NC State. Might be a little stretch post Petrino affair. Arkansas might want a squeaky clean coach with no past baggage. That might exclude Davis.

 

[TidefaninOS]

Chris Petersen is my favorite choice for the Hogs. He's a really good coach and would be a significant improvement over what they have now. Although I don't see him leaving Boise State anytime soon, he's very successful there.

You could say that about everybody on that list.

I agree that Peterson is not leaving BSU. I'd have to say they go after C. Strong, too. Not sure about Gus M. - he's only been a HC for 4 games, and really only out of HS coaching for 4-5 years(?). JMO.

 

[crimsonaudio]

They're gonna hire Gus Malzhan

I suspect this is right.

Arky should go get Mario Crisotbal.

I've wondered why more folks don't talk about him - this guy is going to be a superstar at some point in the future...

 

[FitToBeTide]

JMHO like everyone else, but if Gus turns in a good report card this year, then I agree with Wmack4Bama. The question is how forgiving the Arkyites are willing to be for the previous fiasco concerning him.

Others mention Charley Strong. I believe he could be a very strong candidate.

Don't look for him to leave TCU, but thought it was interesting that Patterson has no buy-out in his contract.

 

[GrayTide]

Tommy Tubberville, Phil Fulmer, Dennis Franchione, Terry Bowden, and Mike Dubose just a few I think they should consider!

Fixed it for you; I know you inadvertenly left Dubose out.

 

[bamapuppy]

Who is an alumnus of Arkansas and a proven head coach and is available??? Butch Davis. NCaa never charged him with any wrong doing at NC State. Might be a little stretch post Petrino affair. Arkansas might want a squeaky clean coach with no past baggage. That might exclude Davis.

I live in North Carolina, and one of the local radio announcers mentioned Butch Davis for the Arkansas job. I think Butch Davis would be a good fit for Arkansas. He was doing good up here @ UNC until the issues came up. I hate it that UNC let him go, because I liked Butch. And if he had done some wrong doing @ NC State, they might have celebrated him as a hero. He was a Tarheel .

 

[Alakablamo]

With the instability of the Big East, I think Charlie Strong is the most likely candidate.

 

[GrayTide]

Mack may be right about Malzahn and I know his roots to Arkansas HS football, Arkansas and now Arkansas State, but outside of falling into the Newton deal what has he really accomplished? I don't intend to start another one of those offensive scheme vs talent threads, but IMO his offensive philosophy will only guarantee him 3rd or 4th place in the SEC West. As I said before, Jeff Long isn't going to ask for my opinion but I would hope the Arkansas PTD have moved on from Malzahn. I also did not realize Charlie Strong was 52. If the vetting of Butch Davis gives him a clean bill of health then he would be a good hire with Arkansas roots like Charlie Strong. Did I say anything wrong?

 

[rtcjny]

I think that should keep John L. Smith. He has made Arkanasas football an entertaining soap opera this year.

 

[crimsonaudio]

JMHO like everyone else, but if Gus turns in a good report card this year, then I agree with Wmack4Bama. The question is how forgiving the Arkyites are willing to be for the previous fiasco concerning him.

I think most blame Nutt for that.

I'd LOVE to see Gus @ Arky!

 

[Dallas4Bama]

I actually feel bad for the Arkansas players at this point. BP made a poor decision and its cost them. O hope this list and knowledge that the coaching search is going strong will give them some hope for their future. I don't think it will help them in recruiting though so I don't worry about that.

 

[Arkytider68]

I think most blame Nutt for that.

I'd LOVE to see Gus @ Arky!

FitToBeTide is right. A lot of people in the state think that Gus kinda used Mitch Mustain and Damien Williams as leverage to get an "in" into the college game. Some believed Nutt was pressured to take Gus M. to get the three big recruits in 2005. The two coaches obviously didn't agree philosophically. I don't think many really know what went on behind the scene but it could have gone either way. It could have been Nutt's stubbornness that made the situation bad and ultimately brought his reign to an end at Arkansas or it could have been a case of Gus M. and selfish ambition gone crazy. Either way Gus is a divisive figure in this state. Some of it might be a matter of perception but it still exists.

 

[imauafan]

They're gonna hire Gus Malzhan

Agreed.

 

[graydogg85]

Charlie Strong hasn't done poorly at Louisville, but he hasn't exactly blown the lid off the place, either. By all counts he's an excellent defensive coach and a good man, but I'm not sure he'd be high on my list if I were Arkansas.

Butch Davis is an interesting thought, especially if he has a clean bill of health from the NCAA. The guy recruits incredibly well and puts excellent defenses on the field. Pretty much the antithesis of Bob Petrino.

A few names I would consider if I were Jeff Long: Butch Jones at Cincinnati, Mike London at Virginia, and Pat Fitzgerald at Northwestern. All very underrated coaches IMO.