Did the USC series do Nutt in as much as anything else?

[crescentcityhog]

actually, in my eyes, it was the 93 times he lead my hogs out on the field in: 82 SEC contests, 7 Bowl games, and 4 OOC games against USC/Texas, and won 45 of those ( yes, that's 45-48 or .483 winning %). After witnessing these results for an entire decade, I realized we would not be absorbing a huge amount of risk in replacing him, and at a minimum duplicating the .483 winning %. The "upside" would be that the replacement could actually out produce.

[hawgsav1]

His laziness combined with his ego did him in.  He was happy with 7-5 and a bowl game.  He didn't want to recruit hard.  He didn't want to do any work.

I can understand not wanting to kill yourself after a 7-5 season.  Hey, sometimes these things happen.  You have a team and they underform and go 7-5 or whatever.  However, you have not reached the pinnacle at 7-5.  Nutt didn't realize that.  The goal of every year should be a national championship.  Of course you won't reach that goal, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't try.

It's ok if you don't recruit with the best, IF you can win without it.  A lot of very solid mid majors don't have all top notch recruits, and they do quite well (Boise State, Utah, TCU, BYu, etc.).  Nevertheless, if you don't have the X's and O's ability or the ability to develop players, then you can't slack off on the recruiting trail.  Again, Nutt didn't realize that. 

For all of his "national championship under construction" talk, there were never any steps up beyond that.  Don't make promises you can't keep or don't believe in.  If you think we're "8th in the SEC" (I know Frank said that), then why are you going to make these promises that you cannot keep?

[old grouch]

Houston Dale Nutt orchestrated his downfall at UA. He may have had a supporting cast that included Donna, Teresa, Mitch, Gus, Danny, a overbearing AD, and a very well used cell phone but HDN and his over inflated ego was the primary reason for his demise.

I took some kids and drove to Orlando to watch us get beat by a team we should have blown away but even with my post game blues I was very optimistic about the next season because of what we had coming back and believing that Gus would have another year to get his system installed and the type of players his system required up to speed. The chaos that followed was nothing short of a nightmare and I was elated when it all came to an end.

Anyone that can not see that our program is now well on the way to substantial improvement is blind as a bat (in my opinion) and I am not only excited about the coming season but any season to follow as long as the current coach and leadership is there.

My blood pressure has risen 10% just thinking about the Orlando trip and later finding out that HDN was busy typing stuff on his cell phone minutes before the game and all the stupid nonsense that resulted in Gus, Damien and Mitch leaving before the next season began.


Let me ask this: Why is HDN even a subject for this board?  Please, please, please, let it rest and give my blood pressure a break.

[HognotinMemphis]

Houston Dale Nutt orchestrated his downfall at UA. He may have had a supporting cast that included Donna, Teresa, Mitch, Gus, Danny, a overbearing AD, and a very well used cell phone but HDN and his over inflated ego was the primary reason for his demise.

I took some kids and drove to Orlando to watch us get beat by a team we should have blown away but even with my post game blues I was very optimistic about the next season because of what we had coming back and believing that Gus would have another year to get his system installed and the type of players his system required up to speed. The chaos that followed was nothing short of a nightmare and I was elated when it all came to an end.

Anyone that can not see that our program is now well on the way to substantial improvement is blind as a bat (in my opinion) and I am not only excited about the coming season but any season to follow as long as the current coach and leadership is there.

My blood pressure has risen 10% just thinking about the Orlando trip and later finding out that HDN was busy typing stuff on his cell phone minutes before the game and all the stupid nonsense that resulted in Gus, Damien and Mitch leaving before the next season began.


Let me ask this: Why is HDN even a subject for this board?  Please, please, please, let it rest and give my blood pressure a break.

I am trying to kill you.

[Justifiable Hogicide]

finding out that HDN was busy typing stuff on his cell phone minutes before the game 

Yes, "nutt" was a busy little beaver just moments before the bowl kickoff.
And then he reverted into to his clueless and embarrassing chinese fire drill sideline demeanor.
And of course he lost.

[pigture perfect]

What if USC has to foerfeit those two games when the Reggie Bush investigation gets over. does that mean HDN needs to be back here?







NOT! I think it was just time, no matter had he won those games. One of the first rules of coaching is "Don't let the fans choose your QB." The fans just didn't like his choice, so he had to go.

[Biggus Piggus]

The USC games were remarkable in that, when Pac 10 coaches watched the film, they couldn't believe what our defense let the Trojans do.  We were laughably bad, horrible, and it wasn't explained by personnel.  It was preparation.  Our players were totally freaked out.  One week after our game in 2006, a mediocre Nebraska team went to USC and held them to 28 points, then the next a shabby Arizona team held them to 20.  In 2005, they were really great, but people who prepared to play them were mystified by our game tape.

[12247]

The Mississippi Moron aka The Tupelo T-rd had ego problems, was never a good coach, and should never have been hired much less allowed to stay 10 years.  IMHO the man lost more games through his failure to prepare and his insane in game playcalling and decision making than he ever lost by having inferior players on the field.  He is gone and the Hogs are far better for it. 

[Choctaw Hog]

Nutt did Nutt in at Arkansas and the same will happen at Ole Miss.  It's just a matter of time.

[hawgsav1]

The USC games were remarkable in that, when Pac 10 coaches watched the film, they couldn't believe what our defense let the Trojans do.  We were laughably bad, horrible, and it wasn't explained by personnel.  It was preparation.  Our players were totally freaked out.  One week after our game in 2006, a mediocre Nebraska team went to USC and held them to 28 points, then the next a shabby Arizona team held them to 20.  In 2005, they were really great, but people who prepared to play them were mystified by our game tape.

The defense was absolutely atrocious.  I remember the first play of the game, Fred Fairchild lined up on the wrong side.  Bush went to the house for a TD.  All of my fellow SC friends just laughed at me.  I had to turn my phone off for the rest of the game.

[dhornjr1]

I don't think that you can point to any one thing as the reason Nutt was finally ousted.

There are a multitude of things that built up to a crescendo:

2-5 in bowls
The two year pass
42-38 in conference play
0 for October
The two rapings at the hands of USC
Mitch Mustain, Gus Malzahn, and Damien Williams
Text-gate
FOI's
Planes flying banners

So, yes the USC games were certainly an integral part of Nutt's demise, but it took all those things and more to finish him off.

However, what really finished him off was the power-play made by certain people to get rid of Broyles. When that happened, and Jeff Long was named the new athletic director, I believe Nutt's days were numbered.

This also signaled the end for John White, one of Nutt's biggest supporters. Of course, White's last big move regarding the athletic department was to orchestrate the great train robbery in which he removed Nutt's "golden handcuffs" in order to save face for Nutt.

Thankfully, White is gone as well.

[NWASooner]

Someone mentioned it earlier but what got me about the USC games is how it really woke Arkansas fans up to where Nutt had them in the college football universe.

I had some local lawyer type tell me in the summer before the 1st USC game that he was convinced Arkansas was going to go out there and give them all they wanted.  "Houston rarely gets blown out of a game," he said.  Keep in mind that 6 months prior, USC totally destroyed a very good OU team in the Orange Bowl and most of that USC team was back.

Maybe it was at that point that Arkansas fans finally realized that Arkansas wasn't "just one play away," like Nutt used to say.

[hawgsav1]

Someone mentioned it earlier but what got me about the USC games is how it really woke Arkansas fans up to where Nutt had them in the college football universe.

I had some local lawyer type tell me in the summer before the 1st USC game that he was convinced Arkansas was going to go out there and give them all they wanted.  "Houston rarely gets blown out of a game," he said.  Keep in mind that 6 months prior, USC totally destroyed a very good OU team in the Orange Bowl and most of that USC team was back.

Maybe it was at that point that Arkansas fans finally realized that Arkansas wasn't "just one play away," like Nutt used to say.

I did my undergrad at SC, and I did the same thing.  Boy I got laughed at for the next 2 years until I graduated.

[Hawg Balling]

Regarding that first USC game...remember? The one where they hung SEVENTY on us? I still cannot believe someone—anyone—didn't get fired after that game. Hell, fire the entire defensive coaching staff. The U of A should have done something, then made a statement saying this kind of performance is unacceptable and will not be tolerated. Instead, they just took that colossal ass-whooping in stride.

Based on this, I'm not sure those 2 big losses hurt Nutt that much. They seem to have been brushed off like so many of Nutt's blunders.

I'm with you on this one.  And don't forget that Carroll pretty much called off the dogs after that first-half onslaught.  The fact that Reggie Herring still had a job after that game is beyond me. 

I think the Vandy loss in Fayetteville initiated the widespread alienation of the fan base, and it was facilitated by continuous mediocrity in conference play and bowl games, idiotic and elementary playcalling in down-to-the-wire situations, and his "play to not lose" mentality that infected the coaching staff and the team.

That being said, I'd have to say that his overall record at Arkansas would be downright awful if he had year-by-year nonconference schedules that weren't loaded with creampuffs (with the notable exceptions of USC and Texas).  He made a living off of games against stallwart opponents such as Troy, Southwest Missouri State, Tennessee-Chattanooga, Utah State, Louisiana-Monroe, Lousiana-Lafayette, Weber State, and New Mexico State.  When huggers point to his overall win total and win percentage, you can just cut and paste these gems. 

[ImissDale]

Can't let it go...I miss Dale.

Bring it.

[GuvHog]

I'm with you on this one.  And don't forget that Carroll pretty much called off the dogs after that first-half onslaught.  The fact that Reggie Herring still had a job after that game is beyond me. 

I think the Vandy loss in Fayetteville initiated the widespread alienation of the fan base, and it was facilitated by continuous mediocrity in conference play and bowl games, idiotic and elementary playcalling in down-to-the-wire situations, and his "play to not lose" mentality that infected the coaching staff and the team.

That being said, I'd have to say that his overall record at Arkansas would be downright awful if he had year-by-year nonconference schedules that weren't loaded with creampuffs (with the notable exceptions of USC and Texas).  He made a living off of games against stallwart opponents such as Troy, Southwest Missouri State, Tennessee-Chattanooga, Utah State, Louisiana-Monroe, Lousiana-Lafayette, Weber State, and New Mexico State.  When huggers point to his overall win total and win percentage, you can just cut and paste these gems. 

You're kidding right??? Pete Carroll didn't pull his 1st team offense off of the
field until they had scored more than 50 points. He fully intended to make
an example of Arkansas to embarrass the SEC. The man has no class and
I look for to the day when Bobby Petrino's Hogs repay him and the Trojans
in spades!!

[DEVIL DOG HOG]

He should never have been hired.
Nutt was a 4-7 coach with only one year in Div 1.
His interview/audition should have only been a courtesy to help his career along, no way he and that insignificant staff of his were qualified to be coaching the Razorbacks.
Then he got here and we learned of his many character flaws.
The consecutive nationally televised USC beatdowns of "nutt" were embarrassments that proved he was totally incompetent.

Amen and +1

[DEVIL DOG HOG]

What if USC has to foerfeit those two games when the Reggie Bush investigation gets over. does that mean HDN needs to be back here?

NO!  HELL NO!!

[felixjonesfan]

You're kidding right??? Pete Carroll didn't pull his 1st team offense off of the
field until they had scored more than 50 points. He fully intended to make
an example of Arkansas to embarrass the SEC. The man has no class and
I look for to the day when Bobby Petrino's Hogs repay him and the Trojans
in spades!!

I don't think Carroll is classless, it was the first game of the season and well they were running for a national title. Pete Carroll has class. The only time we may see them is in next years NCAA Championship Game.

[old hog]

As many have pointed out, it was "nutt"s:
lack of coaching ability and
his insecurity complex;
his insatiable ego;
his lack of any semblance of character;
his tent-revival preacher persona;
his inability to act like an adult;
his zipper problems;
his out of control "family posse";
his frequent lying;
his laziness;
his lack of recruiting;
his constant excuses;
his lack of progress after ten years of being given every advantage possible;
all combined to cause him to be literally run out of the state one step ahead of a lynch party.
The two USC embarrassments were colossal, they should never have happened to the UA, but it was so much more that finally rid of us that darned despicable man.

That just about sums it up. We should be very thankful of what we got now.
Oh yea, you forgot the constant nail-biting on national TV. Even the announcers noticed that.

To sum it up: He's just a Big Dummy!

I can think of worse to call him.

[Wild Bill Hog]

What if USC has to foerfeit those two games when the Reggie Bush investigation gets over. does that mean HDN needs to be back here?

What Reggie Bush investigation?  It was over before it started.

TCTWF doesn't need to be back here except as a defendant in some kind of court proceeding.