What does Nutt have in common with.....

[HogInMemphis]

Frank Broyles and Fred Thomsen?


I think Frank is getting worse at picking head coaches as he ages - both in basketball and in football. That and/or he's lost pull with the chancellor's office and has to give way more to political correctness and hire by committee than he used to.

Sutton and Nolan - good hires
Heath - so far, not good at all
Holtz and Hatfield - good hires
Since Hatfield - awful to mediocre hires. (Crowe, Kines, Ford, Nutt)

[DevilHog]

I still think that Ford was an excellent hire. He was not allowed as much control over the program as Houston has. I also think that we are on the verge of a turnaround. Albeit, well into HDN's tenor. I think the next 2-3 years will tell the tale on Houston's legacy at Arkansas. I think, against what appears to be popular belief, that right now would be an awful time to replace either Heath or Nutt. Both programs appear to be on the verge of a reawakening.

[Jim Harris]

Frank Broyles and Fred Thomsen?


I think Frank is getting worse at picking head coaches as he ages - both in basketball and in football. That and/or he's lost pull with the chancellor's office and has to give way more to political correctness and hire by committee than he used to.

Sutton and Nolan - good hires
Heath - so far, not good at all
Holtz and Hatfield - good hires
Since Hatfield - awful to mediocre hires. (Crowe, Kines, Ford, Nutt)

I know exactly what he has in common with "Tommy." Big splash early, but stayed and the record and program progressively declined, until the money men in Little Rock had to buy him out and bring in a real program builder. Some good articles on Gazette microfilm by Orville during that coaching crisis.

[HogInMemphis]

I still think that Ford was an excellent hire. He was not allowed as much control over the program as Houston has. I also think that we are on the verge of a turnaround. Albeit, well into HDN's tenor. I think the next 2-3 years will tell the tale on Houston's legacy at Arkansas. I think, against what appears to be popular belief, that right now would be an awful time to replace either Heath or Nutt. Both programs appear to be on the verge of a reawakening.

I couldn't disagree with you more on every point you make in your post. I'd love to see your support for your positions. I will tell you that you are in the extreme minority regarding Ford. You do know that, don't you?

Verge of a turnaround? Why? Just your gut feel? HDN is a tenor? I didn't even know he could sing.

Next 2 to 3 years will tell the tale? Hmmmm. Let me ask you this since you went out on a limb there, do you think the sun will set tonight?

You think that both bball and fball about to reawaken? Can't wait for that. You've got me all fired up now. Woo Pig Sooie!?!?

[HogInMemphis]

Frank Broyles and Fred Thomsen?


I think Frank is getting worse at picking head coaches as he ages - both in basketball and in football. That and/or he's lost pull with the chancellor's office and has to give way more to political correctness and hire by committee than he used to.

Sutton and Nolan - good hires
Heath - so far, not good at all
Holtz and Hatfield - good hires
Since Hatfield - awful to mediocre hires. (Crowe, Kines, Ford, Nutt)

I know exactly what he has in common with "Tommy." Big splash early, but stayed and the record and program progressively declined, until the money men in Little Rock had to buy him out and bring in a real program builder. Some good articles on Gazette microfilm by Orville during that coaching crisis.

You seem to have about the same take as I do, no?   But why do your posts get mostly ignored by the nut jobs and they come out of the wood work when I say basically the same thing? Hmmmm.

[Jim Harris]

Frank Broyles and Fred Thomsen?


I think Frank is getting worse at picking head coaches as he ages - both in basketball and in football. That and/or he's lost pull with the chancellor's office and has to give way more to political correctness and hire by committee than he used to.

Sutton and Nolan - good hires
Heath - so far, not good at all
Holtz and Hatfield - good hires
Since Hatfield - awful to mediocre hires. (Crowe, Kines, Ford, Nutt)

I know exactly what he has in common with "Tommy." Big splash early, but stayed and the record and program progressively declined, until the money men in Little Rock had to buy him out and bring in a real program builder. Some good articles on Gazette microfilm by Orville during that coaching crisis.

You seem to have about the same take as I do, no? But why do your posts get mostly ignored by the nut jobs and they come out of the wood work when I say basically the same thing? Hmmmm.

it's a charisma thang. You've got it. Kinda like how Clinton could rile all the right wing nut jobs. Al Gore just made them yawn.

[HogDodging]

Just as JFB does not like having someone smarter than him working for him, Nutt is the same way.  Either their egos are too big for their own good, or they are awfully insecure around people who just may be smarter than they are.  It may be a combination of both.
Sure, Holtz and Hatfield were successful here but, look what happened when they started overshadowing their boss; they left.
Since then, look at the clowns JFB has hired in football.
But, since JFB realizes he does not know how to coach other sports, he gets the absolute best coaches he can find, stays out of their way, and lets them do their job.  As a result, John McDonnell has engineered a gazillion national championships,  Eddie and Nolan took the basketball program to great heights.  (The book is still out on Heath).  Norm DeBryn (sp?) and Dave VanHorn have done and are doing well with baseball.
He is just too close to the football program.  It's his baby and he doesn't want to let it go.

[Biggus Piggus]

My scenario for the football turnaround goes like this.

This season's OK, back in a minor bowl, recruiting adds 20+ good bodies with improved overall quality and one really good QB.

Next year the offense starts to get more diversified with a veteran Oline, better athletes on the line overall, and better QBs.

Next year the defense gets better with more athletes at LB, some help at the ends, and a veteran secondary.

String together four decent recruiting classes, 2004-07, and the '07 season gets really interesting after marked improvement in '06.

All that has to happen?  Don't let the season fall apart in 2005.

[DevilHog]

HIm, The reason I think that Ford was a very good hire is this. We were coming off a a time when we had become mediocre to unsuccessful in the SWC. We could no longer compete there. A move to the SEC seemed like the death sentence. We had just fired a coach after the first game of the season (before you correct me, I realize that I'm speaking about a period of more than one year). Interest in the football team was very low. We, in Ford, hired a coach that had won a national championship and had almost doubled attendance at his previous job (Clemson). JFB also had, and still has, a reputation as an AD who meddles with his coaches. If you can remember the situation, you will know that the situation I have described is the way it was. Coaches were not beating down the door for the Arkansas job. Ford won a division title, and recruited the players that allowed Houston to achieve his most success here. The opinion that I have is the opinion of most people that I know that have followed the hogs for at least 20 years or so.
Recruiting the past two years, as well as, what appears to be a good class this year, along with the hiring of a proven D-Coor is why I think that we are moving in the right direction (or on the verge of a turnaround). Same with Heath, I believe that we had crap for players when he took over 3 yrs ago, he hired a proven assit. and is recruiting better players.
Houston is a terrific singer. Sound like across between Vince Gill and Barbara Streistand.
The sun will in fact set tonight.
Glad I could fire you up. WPS back at ya.
Check this for proper useage and let me know how I did.

[Chief Mac]

My scenario for the football turnaround goes like this.

This season's OK, back in a minor bowl, recruiting adds 20+ good bodies with improved overall quality and one really good QB.

Next year the offense starts to get more diversified with a veteran Oline, better athletes on the line overall, and better QBs.

Next year the defense gets better with more athletes at LB, some help at the ends, and a veteran secondary.

String together four decent recruiting classes, 2004-07, and the '07 season gets really interesting after marked improvement in '06.

All that has to happen? Don't let the season fall apart in 2005.

But is Nutt going to:

A) Hire Malzahan
B) let him have some significant influence on the offense
C) stay out of Reggie's way and let him get some players for Def

Also:
A) is Malzahan all that and a bag of chips as some have proclaimed
B) Ditto for Herring


These two, if they are as good as advertised and Nutt keeps them/gets them, will DRAMATICALLY influence a resurgence.

WPS

Chris

[jrh68]

But is Nutt going to:

A) Hire Malzahan
B) let him have some significant influence on the offense
C) stay out of Reggie's way and let him get some players for Def

Also:
A) is Malzahan all that and a bag of chips as some have proclaimed
B) Ditto for Herring


These two, if they are as good as advertised and Nutt keeps them/gets them, will DRAMATICALLY influence a resurgence.

WPS

Chris

Betting the future on two assistant coaches one of whom has never yet coached a down here and the other who has never coached a college team of any sort indicates to me justy how little reality base there is for the assertion that a resurgence is right around the corner. Personally I don't invest here .I short it.

[HogInMemphis]

HIm, The reason I think that Ford was a very good hire is this. We were coming off a a time when we had become mediocre to unsuccessful in the SWC. We could no longer compete there. A move to the SEC seemed like the death sentence. We had just fired a coach after the first game of the season (before you correct me, I realize that I'm speaking about a period of more than one year). Interest in the football team was very low. We, in Ford, hired a coach that had won a national championship and had almost doubled attendance at his previous job (Clemson). JFB also had, and still has, a reputation as an AD who meddles with his coaches. If you can remember the situation, you will know that the situation I have described is the way it was. Coaches were not beating down the door for the Arkansas job. Ford won a division title, and recruited the players that allowed Houston to achieve his most success here. The opinion that I have is the opinion of most people that I know that have followed the hogs for at least 20 years or so.
Recruiting the past two years, as well as, what appears to be a good class this year, along with the hiring of a proven D-Coor is why I think that we are moving in the right direction (or on the verge of a turnaround). Same with Heath, I believe that we had crap for players when he took over 3 yrs ago, he hired a proven assit. and is recruiting better players.
Houston is a terrific singer. Sound like across between Vince Gill and Barbara Streistand.
The sun will in fact set tonight.
Glad I could fire you up. WPS back at ya.
Check this for proper useage and let me know how I did.

Hogs were not exactly unsuccessful their last few years in the SWC - they went to the Cotton after the '88 and '89 seasons. Then Hogs had a bad year in SWC Grovey's senior year - '90. Then we went to the SEC for the '91 season - am I off a year there?

You did pretty good. I still disagree that Ford was a good hire. And I think 4 years for Heath and 7 for Nutt is plenty to show what their potential is. We are never going to be measurably better in football than we are now as long as Nutt is the HC. As for Heath, he can't have any worse results than he's had so far, so by default his record will improve a little. But, Heath will never win even the West, much less take the Hogs deep into the NCAAT.

[Jim Harris]

HIm, The reason I think that Ford was a very good hire is this. We were coming off a a time when we had become mediocre to unsuccessful in the SWC. We could no longer compete there. A move to the SEC seemed like the death sentence. We had just fired a coach after the first game of the season (before you correct me, I realize that I'm speaking about a period of more than one year). Interest in the football team was very low. We, in Ford, hired a coach that had won a national championship and had almost doubled attendance at his previous job (Clemson). JFB also had, and still has, a reputation as an AD who meddles with his coaches. If you can remember the situation, you will know that the situation I have described is the way it was. Coaches were not beating down the door for the Arkansas job. Ford won a division title, and recruited the players that allowed Houston to achieve his most success here. The opinion that I have is the opinion of most people that I know that have followed the hogs for at least 20 years or so.
Recruiting the past two years, as well as, what appears to be a good class this year, along with the hiring of a proven D-Coor is why I think that we are moving in the right direction (or on the verge of a turnaround). Same with Heath, I believe that we had crap for players when he took over 3 yrs ago, he hired a proven assit. and is recruiting better players.
Houston is a terrific singer. Sound like across between Vince Gill and Barbara Streistand.
The sun will in fact set tonight.
Glad I could fire you up. WPS back at ya.
Check this for proper useage and let me know how I did.

may I please butt in before HiM does: We announced we were leaving the SWC in the midst of having just won the past two conference championships, one with an unbeaten league record. We had finished now worse than second or third the previous four seasons. How in the hell do you deduce that we were unsuccessful in the SWC and moving to the SEC was considered a death sentence? Not a person thought that was the case in June 1990. At most, it was considered a challenge that Broyles and others stated they believed we would rise to, as has been the nature of Arkansas sports since Broyles first arrived.

[HogInMemphis]

But is Nutt going to:

A) Hire Malzahan
B) let him have some significant influence on the offense
C) stay out of Reggie's way and let him get some players for Def

Also:
A) is Malzahan all that and a bag of chips as some have proclaimed
B) Ditto for Herring


These two, if they are as good as advertised and Nutt keeps them/gets them, will DRAMATICALLY influence a resurgence.

WPS

Chris

Betting the future on two assistant coaches one of whom has never yet coached a down here and the other who has never coached a college team of any sort indicates to me justy how little reality base there is for the assertion that a resurgence is right around the corner. Personally I don't invest here .I short it.

Your technical posting skills are not encouraging, but I like the way you think.

[HogInMemphis]

HIm, The reason I think that Ford was a very good hire is this. We were coming off a a time when we had become mediocre to unsuccessful in the SWC. We could no longer compete there. A move to the SEC seemed like the death sentence. We had just fired a coach after the first game of the season (before you correct me, I realize that I'm speaking about a period of more than one year). Interest in the football team was very low. We, in Ford, hired a coach that had won a national championship and had almost doubled attendance at his previous job (Clemson). JFB also had, and still has, a reputation as an AD who meddles with his coaches. If you can remember the situation, you will know that the situation I have described is the way it was. Coaches were not beating down the door for the Arkansas job. Ford won a division title, and recruited the players that allowed Houston to achieve his most success here. The opinion that I have is the opinion of most people that I know that have followed the hogs for at least 20 years or so.
Recruiting the past two years, as well as, what appears to be a good class this year, along with the hiring of a proven D-Coor is why I think that we are moving in the right direction (or on the verge of a turnaround). Same with Heath, I believe that we had crap for players when he took over 3 yrs ago, he hired a proven assit. and is recruiting better players.
Houston is a terrific singer. Sound like across between Vince Gill and Barbara Streistand.
The sun will in fact set tonight.
Glad I could fire you up. WPS back at ya.
Check this for proper useage and let me know how I did.

may I please butt in before HiM does: We announced we were leaving the SWC in the midst of having just won the past two conference championships, one with an unbeaten league record. We had finished now worse than second or third the previous four seasons. How in the hell do you deduce that we were unsuccessful in the SWC and moving to the SEC was considered a death sentence? Not a person thought that was the case in June 1990. At most, it was considered a challenge that Broyles and others stated they believed we would rise to, as has been the nature of Arkansas sports since Broyles first arrived.

You beat me to it. 

P.S. Wait, no you didn't. I posted reply before yours!

[mikeirwin]

Frank's power base has significantly weakened over the past few years. It took Jim Lindsey to save him from John White. Lindsey's position on the Board of Trustees will keep Frank on the job for about three more years. That's about the time Frank's current contract runs out.
At some point the lack of success in football and basketball will have to shift away from Nutt and Heath and onto Frank. I think we are at that point. Translation: Both coaches have to win or Frank will risk his own job by failing to act.

[Jim Harris]

HIm, The reason I think that Ford was a very good hire is this. We were coming off a a time when we had become mediocre to unsuccessful in the SWC. We could no longer compete there. A move to the SEC seemed like the death sentence. We had just fired a coach after the first game of the season (before you correct me, I realize that I'm speaking about a period of more than one year). Interest in the football team was very low. We, in Ford, hired a coach that had won a national championship and had almost doubled attendance at his previous job (Clemson). JFB also had, and still has, a reputation as an AD who meddles with his coaches. If you can remember the situation, you will know that the situation I have described is the way it was. Coaches were not beating down the door for the Arkansas job. Ford won a division title, and recruited the players that allowed Houston to achieve his most success here. The opinion that I have is the opinion of most people that I know that have followed the hogs for at least 20 years or so.
Recruiting the past two years, as well as, what appears to be a good class this year, along with the hiring of a proven D-Coor is why I think that we are moving in the right direction (or on the verge of a turnaround). Same with Heath, I believe that we had crap for players when he took over 3 yrs ago, he hired a proven assit. and is recruiting better players.
Houston is a terrific singer. Sound like across between Vince Gill and Barbara Streistand.
The sun will in fact set tonight.
Glad I could fire you up. WPS back at ya.
Check this for proper useage and let me know how I did.

Hogs were not exactly unsuccessful their last few years in the SWC - they went to the Cotton after the '88 and '89 seasons. Then Hogs had a bad year in SWC Grovey's senior year - '90. Then we went to the SEC for the '91 season - am I off a year there?

You did pretty good. I still disagree that Ford was a good hire. And I think 4 years for Heath and 7 for Nutt is plenty to show what their potential is. We are never going to be measurably better in football than we are now as long as Nutt is the HC. As for Heath, he can't have any worse results than he's had so far, so by default his record will improve a little. But, Heath will never win even the West, much less take the Hogs deep into the NCAAT.

I will never be convinced that Ford initially wanted the UA job. He needed a job. But the simple tone he took in accepting the job was one of, "OK, I guess I'll be y'all's football coach, I need to buy feed for my cows." For having served as a consultant, it was surprising to hear him later say privately that he didn't realize how poor Arkansas high school football was and the dearth of linemen and overall talent produced in the state. I think he really thought, even with less population than the other southern states, that he could recruit a core of players from within Arkansas to build with and complement them out of state (maybe this was possible in the "white era" when Broyles was successful; obviously it's not now). Ford gave a yoemen's effort, after a staggering start, at recruiting well out of state, much better than Nutt has accomplished, imo. His haul in February 1996 and followed up with some skill players in 1997 helped set the stage for Nutt's first two years.
I also don't believe Ford understood how much offensively the game was changing from the 1970s-1980s option football during his finaly couple of years at Clemson and his time out of coaching. He could still run the option, if he could find the right quarterback, and beat the teams with average or worse talent here, but he came in given two decent quarterbacks whose skills were in passing.
There were far too many days where the team seemed to take the field as unenthused as Ford appeared to be when he accepted the job in Dec. 1992: Memphis games in 1993 and 1994 (slightly better), SMU 1995-97, South Carolina several times (despite everyone else seemingly noting that it was THE swing game of the year). He might have gone 9-2 just like Nutt did in 1998 if given a sixth year, but the excitement for Hog football was about as low as it could be the day of one of his biggest wins, beating a ranked Mississippi State team in Fayetteville in 1997. To the people who really understood, this and the great effort the week before against Tennessee in LR, plus the effort shown in Baton Rouge in a loss the final week, were hints that 1998's squad would be good, but it didn't appear that most of the fans would care.
There was little or no search for the RIGHT coach made by Broyles in 1992. He had Danny Ford in town, saw some positives Danny Ford made to Kines' team in 1992, particularly in the kicking game, and Danny had a winning track record at Clemson and fans there loved him. But he didn't want the job, Broyles has to woo him like a star recruit, and hired him without looking for the possible Kirk Ferentz or Bob Stoops out there.

[HogInMemphis]

Frank's power base has significantly weakened over the past few years. It took Jim Lindsey to save him from John White. Lindsey's position on the Board of Trustees will keep Frank on the job for about three more years. That's about the time Frank's current contract runs out.
At some point the lack of success in football and basketball will have to shift away from Nutt and Heath and onto Frank. I think we are at that point. Translation: Both coaches have to win or Frank will risk his own job by failing to act.

That JFB has lost some of his power is very obvious, even to those like me who don't have any clue what's going on behind closed doors up there. Thus, it's probably even weaker than it appears.

3 more years for JFB? He'll be gone at the end of that, if not before, whether results in bball and fball are bad or not...heck he'll be 83 or 84 then. I doubt anyone would say he should remain AD at that age, assuming JFB is still alive then.

[Jim Harris]

Frank's power base has significantly weakened over the past few years. It took Jim Lindsey to save him from John White. Lindsey's position on the Board of Trustees will keep Frank on the job for about three more years. That's about the time Frank's current contract runs out.
At some point the lack of success in football and basketball will have to shift away from Nutt and Heath and onto Frank. I think we are at that point. Translation: Both coaches have to win or Frank will risk his own job by failing to act.

Mike, eventually the power players are going to have to go to Broyles and spell it out for him. Right now, it appears to be Jim Lindsey in one corner (thinking football here) and the other power players in the other. The former players who have any pull, the big-hitting fans who have the money pull, are going to have to tell Broyles either you make the change or we're not contributing.
One famous Hog who has in the past donated a couple of hundred thousand to the program has pulled out, claiming he won't be back until a change is made in the football direction. He was never in favor of the current direction, anyway, so his feelings are kind of poo-poohed. A few more of those, however, will dictate it.
Broyles wants to be AD so bad and stay in that job, he'll do anything Lindsey says right now. But I have to think that personally, Broyles is teetering on the fence over Nutt, and he just wished he could have had a few more come over the fence in terms of his feeling about Heath.

[Jim Harris]

HIm, The reason I think that Ford was a very good hire is this. We were coming off a a time when we had become mediocre to unsuccessful in the SWC. We could no longer compete there. A move to the SEC seemed like the death sentence. We had just fired a coach after the first game of the season (before you correct me, I realize that I'm speaking about a period of more than one year). Interest in the football team was very low. We, in Ford, hired a coach that had won a national championship and had almost doubled attendance at his previous job (Clemson). JFB also had, and still has, a reputation as an AD who meddles with his coaches. If you can remember the situation, you will know that the situation I have described is the way it was. Coaches were not beating down the door for the Arkansas job. Ford won a division title, and recruited the players that allowed Houston to achieve his most success here. The opinion that I have is the opinion of most people that I know that have followed the hogs for at least 20 years or so.
Recruiting the past two years, as well as, what appears to be a good class this year, along with the hiring of a proven D-Coor is why I think that we are moving in the right direction (or on the verge of a turnaround). Same with Heath, I believe that we had crap for players when he took over 3 yrs ago, he hired a proven assit. and is recruiting better players.
Houston is a terrific singer. Sound like across between Vince Gill and Barbara Streistand.
The sun will in fact set tonight.
Glad I could fire you up. WPS back at ya.
Check this for proper useage and let me know how I did.

may I please butt in before HiM does: We announced we were leaving the SWC in the midst of having just won the past two conference championships, one with an unbeaten league record. We had finished now worse than second or third the previous four seasons. How in the hell do you deduce that we were unsuccessful in the SWC and moving to the SEC was considered a death sentence? Not a person thought that was the case in June 1990. At most, it was considered a challenge that Broyles and others stated they believed we would rise to, as has been the nature of Arkansas sports since Broyles first arrived.

You beat me to it.

P.S. Wait, no you didn't. I posted reply before yours!

dammit. My lack of brevity once again has left me behind. I wanted to be first.

I'm glad we agree on all this.

[bknight33]

Ford won the SEC West with BL Jr. at QB, in the SEC heyday...I say that he did okay...especially at a time when no one was interested in coming to the U of A....the year he was fired, Eric Friggin Branch was the TB. The team was decimated with injuries..Ford had a great group of assistant teachers

[HogInMemphis]

5-6 last year. MAYBE 6-5 this year. What in '06? Better be at least 9-3 in '06 given the schedule.

If anything worse than that in '06, I can't imagine the fans filling stadiums for any games, just like it was at the end when Ford was coach - '96 and '97 seasons. U of A cannot afford to let fan interest dwindle with the financial commitment that has been made over the past 4 years - new stadium, big screen, weight room, etc.

[bknight33]

HiM, wasn't most of that donated, meaning no bill?

[Jim Harris]

Ford won the SEC West with BL Jr. at QB, in the SEC heyday...I say that he did okay...especially at a time when no one was interested in coming to the U of A....the year he was fired, Eric Friggin Branch was the TB. The team was decimated with injuries..Ford had a great group of assistant teachers

The story about schedule strength that ran in the paper Sunday says a ton. Ford went 2-4 against SIX teams ranked on the top 25, the most the UA has played in one season. All those teams were SEC teams, the SEC was strongest in 1997 than it was at any time. He went 4-7 at the SEC's high point, but he was about to catch the SEC in an easier year when Broyles decided he had to make a change and go to Boise State to hire a 4-7 coach.

[HogInMemphis]

HiM, wasn't most of that donated, meaning no bill?

Yes, I'm sure most of it was donated. But that kind of money, $20 million from Reynolds Foundation for stadium for example, is still an "investment". You can't go back to them again if you don't do well with the $ they gave you before. Said another way, they lose any ability to get funds from that source. The U of A does not want that.  They can't afford to keep improving without big money donors "investing".

[bknight33]

The one nice thing about it though is where else are they going to invest their money? ASU?

[HogInMemphis]

The one nice thing about it though is where else are they going to invest their money? ASU?

Probabaly in academics instead of in athletics.  Music to the ears of Chancellor White, but not to many Hog fans or those who work for the athletic dept and for Razorback Foundation.

Reynolds Foundation gave $6 or $7 million to the Business school a few years ago, about the same time they gave $20 million to the athletic dept to build Reynolds Razorback Stadium. That's 3 to 1. It could reverse in the future if JFB and/or Nutt & co. can't do better than 7-4 and a loss in a minor bowl.

[DevilHog]

HIm, The reason I think that Ford was a very good hire is this. We were coming off a a time when we had become mediocre to unsuccessful in the SWC. We could no longer compete there. A move to the SEC seemed like the death sentence. We had just fired a coach after the first game of the season (before you correct me, I realize that I'm speaking about a period of more than one year). Interest in the football team was very low. We, in Ford, hired a coach that had won a national championship and had almost doubled attendance at his previous job (Clemson). JFB also had, and still has, a reputation as an AD who meddles with his coaches. If you can remember the situation, you will know that the situation I have described is the way it was. Coaches were not beating down the door for the Arkansas job. Ford won a division title, and recruited the players that allowed Houston to achieve his most success here. The opinion that I have is the opinion of most people that I know that have followed the hogs for at least 20 years or so.
Recruiting the past two years, as well as, what appears to be a good class this year, along with the hiring of a proven D-Coor is why I think that we are moving in the right direction (or on the verge of a turnaround). Same with Heath, I believe that we had crap for players when he took over 3 yrs ago, he hired a proven assit. and is recruiting better players.
Houston is a terrific singer. Sound like across between Vince Gill and Barbara Streistand.
The sun will in fact set tonight.
Glad I could fire you up. WPS back at ya.
Check this for proper useage and let me know how I did.

may I please butt in before HiM does: We announced we were leaving the SWC in the midst of having just won the past two conference championships, one with an unbeaten league record. We had finished now worse than second or third the previous four seasons. How in the hell do you deduce that we were unsuccessful in the SWC and moving to the SEC was considered a death sentence? Not a person thought that was the case in June 1990. At most, it was considered a challenge that Broyles and others stated they believed we would rise to, as has been the nature of Arkansas sports since Broyles first arrived.

What???We were 6-10 in our last two SWC seasons. We lost 3 of our last four games in conference in 91. We were terrible. If you did not think the SEC was a death sentence it kindof proved to be 3-7-1. We had two coaches between Hatfield and Ford and they were crappy years. Maybe I'm crazy , but everyone I was in contact with at the time realized we had a long way to go to compete in the SEC. Between Ford and Nutt we have been able to compete well on a semi regular basis. This is some of the craziest stuff I have heard, 1-7 and 5-3 closing your season losing 3 of 4 is success. If that is the case Houston is a great coach

[HogFanLR]

Probably in academics instead of in athletics. Music to the ears of Chancellor White, but not to many Hog fans or those who work for the athletic dept and for Razorback Foundation.

I really don't think so.  Hog fb has survived some ups and downs and regardless of the coach is well positioned once winning begins.  I see HDN as in a pretty good position to win and win big over the next few years.  (echo some of BP reasons) however, if he does not and (insert coach) is hired next year interest will still be there.  This is really a case where the overall program is way bigger than any of these issues. 

Man I cannot wait till the season starts.

[HogInMemphis]

Probably in academics instead of in athletics. Music to the ears of Chancellor White, but not to many Hog fans or those who work for the athletic dept and for Razorback Foundation.

Man I cannot wait till the season starts.

I can't either. Problem is, 3 of last 4 seasons I couldn't wait for it to end after Hogs were 1/2 to 2/3's into the schedule.

[Biggus Piggus]

The story about schedule strength that ran in the paper Sunday says a ton. Ford went 2-4 against SIX teams ranked on the top 25, the most the UA has played in one season. All those teams were SEC teams, the SEC was strongest in 1997 than it was at any time. He went 4-7 at the SEC's high point, but he was about to catch the SEC in an easier year when Broyles decided he had to make a change and go to Boise State to hire a 4-7 coach.

I am glad somebody in the media finally caught up with that story that drake and I have been volleying back and forth on the message boards for about five years now.  The schedules Ford faced in 1996-97 were the two toughest in SCHOOL HISTORY.  Ford overall faced tougher schedules than any other Arkansas coach, period.  The schedules Houston Nutt walked into in 1998-99 were easier than any that Ford had to handle.  Only since 2000 has the schedule strength cranked up, and it still hasn't matched the worst that Ford dealt with.

[HogFanLR]

I can't either. Problem is, 3 of last 4 seasons I couldn't wait for it to end after Hogs were 1/2 to 2/3's into the schedule.

yes I do understand that feeling.  However, hope springs eternal.  The curse of being a fan.

[PigPusher]

Coach Broilers became a famous man being a good delegater.  If Coach Nutt ever buries his ego and looks to Broyles accomplishments he too will become famous as he has the personality to make it so.

[cityhog]

Just as JFB does not like having someone smarter than him working for him, Nutt is the same way. Either their egos are too big for their own good, or they are awfully insecure around people who just may be smarter than they are. It may be a combination of both.
Sure, Holtz and Hatfield were successful here but, look what happened when they started overshadowing their boss; they left.
Since then, look at the clowns JFB has hired in football.
But, since JFB realizes he does not know how to coach other sports, he gets the absolute best coaches he can find, stays out of their way, and lets them do their job. As a result, John McDonnell has engineered a gazillion national championships, Eddie and Nolan took the basketball program to great heights. (The book is still out on Heath). Norm DeBryn (sp?) and Dave VanHorn have done and are doing well with baseball.
He is just too close to the football program. It's his baby and he doesn't want to let it go.

I agree w/ you 100%!!  I truly believe that the change in direction in the FOOTBALL, and only the FOOTBALL program, that we are all looking for ie. WINS and CHAMPIONSHIPS, will happen only after JFB retires, and we leave that era behind.  Please do not take this as a criticism of JFB's leadership and accomplishments as AD.  However, his shadow still stands VERY tall over all things footabll in Arkansas. 

[PigPusher]

Just as JFB does not like having someone smarter than him working for him, Nutt is the same way. Either their egos are too big for their own good, or they are awfully insecure around people who just may be smarter than they are. It may be a combination of both.
Sure, Holtz and Hatfield were successful here but, look what happened when they started overshadowing their boss; they left.
Since then, look at the clowns JFB has hired in football.
But, since JFB realizes he does not know how to coach other sports, he gets the absolute best coaches he can find, stays out of their way, and lets them do their job. As a result, John McDonnell has engineered a gazillion national championships, Eddie and Nolan took the basketball program to great heights. (The book is still out on Heath). Norm DeBryn (sp?) and Dave VanHorn have done and are doing well with baseball.
He is just too close to the football program. It's his baby and he doesn't want to let it go.

I agree w/ you 100%!! I truly believe that the change in direction in the FOOTBALL, and only the FOOTBALL program, that we are all looking for ie. WINS and CHAMPIONSHIPS, will happen only after JFB retires, and we leave that era behind. Please do not take this as a criticism of JFB's leadership and accomplishments as AD. However, his shadow still stands VERY tall over all things footabll in Arkansas.

What you said.