The infamous Intramural QB story...

[Monk-N-Dunk]

Was wondering if someone could fill me in on the story, I have heard a lot about it but wasn't in Arkansas when it happened.  Did the guy play at all, how did he do, just stuff like that so I can actually know whats going on when I hear about it.

[Dwight_K_Shrute]

I'm not sure about the specifics but the guy's name was John Rutledge.  I think the year was 2000.  This was the year that like 3 qbs got hurt in the SC game and Zack Clark had to finish the game on 1 leg.  I don't think Rutledge ever started by might have seen some time in a game or two.

[Silver Hog]

From what I gather he had quit the team and nutt had to go hunt him down due to injuries. Ended up being the better player during that game he played. 

[Boog41]

Rutledge had been a walk-on QB for the HOGS for 1-3 years (I don't know how long) and knew the offense. This particular season he had decided to leave the team. He was asked to come back in a back-up capacity because of injuries to the three before mentioned QBs. He did get into a game and led the team on a drive that I believe resulted in a field goal. I do not remember who the opponent was, but I believe it was a conference game....Ole Miss maybe??? I don't recall him ever getting into another game because of the injured healing.

It wasn't as far fetched of a situation as some have made it seem.

[razorbrock]

- 2000 Season
- Stoerner graduated; holdover QBs were Hampton, McBride, Brashears, and newcomer Zak Clark
- Brashears quit the team in Aug; Hampton, McBride, and Clark were all injured against USC
- John Rutlidge (sp?) was invited from the intramural team to be QB for Ole Miss game in Fayetteville

If I remember correctly, John had been a previous walkon QB for the Hogs (may have even had a scholarship), so it wasn't too bad.  He actually played "OK" against Ole Miss.

[Acer3102]

Everybody got hurt.  Johnny Rutt got called back in from the intramural fields and played against UGA.  Did a hell of a lot better than the others, but got pulled.

[hogSGreer]

These are the game notes from hogwired

http://www.hogwired.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=30723&SPID=2419&DB_OEM_ID=6100&ATCLID=183001

          "I'm very disappointed," Arkansas head coach Houston Nutt said. "I expected to win this game. It started the right way. That kickoff return flipped it the other way. It was a bad kickoff and we missed two critical tackles. They took the momentum away from us. They have a lot of seniors and experience, and that's where youth versus experience gets you."
    Zak Clark, UA's injured backup quarterback who was forced to start with starter Robby Hampton unavailable, was knocked from the game briefly during Arkansas' third possession. Walk-on John Rutledge, who was two-of-eight for 17 yards, came in and had both of his completions on his first series as Arkansas took an early 7-0 lead on a 30-yard run by Fred Talley.
    Arkansas held Ole Miss to 29 yards of total offense in the first quarter, but Williams' touchdown return on the kickoff following UA's score gave the Rebels (6-2, 3-2) momentum.
    Ole Miss drove 80 yards in 11 plays and took the lead on its first possession of the second quarter on a nine-yard pass from Romero Miller to Doug Zeigler.
    Clark, who finished the game 14-of-29 for 164 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions, was picked off by Syniker Taylor at the UA 35. Three plays later, McAllister scored from eight yards out.
    "They crowded the line of scrimmage to make our quarterbacks beat them," Nutt said. "Zak got knicked up on that first series. I liked his courage. He went it, got re-taped and came back out. John played well and gave us a spark, but he doesn't know everything. He's had a three-day crash course. We just didn't get it done."
    Each team added a field goal before the half, but the Rebels opened the second half by driving 79 yards in nine plays to take a 31-10 lead on a 27-yard pass from Miller to Grant Heard. Miller was 10-of-25 for 109 yards with two scores.
    Ole Miss built the lead to 38-10 on a 57-yard run by McAllister with 7:46 to play before Arkansas rallied with a pair of scores.
    Talley, who had 161 yards on 26 carries last week at Auburn, broke loose for a 69-yard score with 5:44 remaining. The sophomore finished with the third-best single-game effort in the Southeastern Conference this year, 214 yards and two TDs on 29 rushes.
    The Razorbacks (4-4, 1-4), who travel to Tennessee next week, added another score with 1:12 left on a 10-yard pass from Clark to Boo Williams, who had seven catches for 75 yards and the score.

[rebelhogdog]

He played on my flag football team in Rogers that same year,  he went from flag football to the SEC, needless to say it wasn't a very good year for the Hogs, it was probably the only year I can't blame Numbnutts for the season we had.

[razorbrock]

These are the game notes from hogwired

http://www.hogwired.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=30723&SPID=2419&DB_OEM_ID=6100&ATCLID=183001

          "I'm very disappointed," Arkansas head coach Houston Nutt said. "I expected to win this game. It started the right way. That kickoff return flipped it the other way. It was a bad kickoff and we missed two critical tackles. They took the momentum away from us. They have a lot of seniors and experience, and that's where youth versus experience gets you."
    Zak Clark, UA's injured backup quarterback who was forced to start with starter Robby Hampton unavailable, was knocked from the game briefly during Arkansas' third possession. Walk-on John Rutledge, who was two-of-eight for 17 yards, came in and had both of his completions on his first series as Arkansas took an early 7-0 lead on a 30-yard run by Fred Talley.
    Arkansas held Ole Miss to 29 yards of total offense in the first quarter, but Williams' touchdown return on the kickoff following UA's score gave the Rebels (6-2, 3-2) momentum.
    Ole Miss drove 80 yards in 11 plays and took the lead on its first possession of the second quarter on a nine-yard pass from Romero Miller to Doug Zeigler.
    Clark, who finished the game 14-of-29 for 164 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions, was picked off by Syniker Taylor at the UA 35. Three plays later, McAllister scored from eight yards out.
    "They crowded the line of scrimmage to make our quarterbacks beat them," Nutt said. "Zak got knicked up on that first series. I liked his courage. He went it, got re-taped and came back out. John played well and gave us a spark, but he doesn't know everything. He's had a three-day crash course. We just didn't get it done."
    Each team added a field goal before the half, but the Rebels opened the second half by driving 79 yards in nine plays to take a 31-10 lead on a 27-yard pass from Miller to Grant Heard. Miller was 10-of-25 for 109 yards with two scores.
    Ole Miss built the lead to 38-10 on a 57-yard run by McAllister with 7:46 to play before Arkansas rallied with a pair of scores.
    Talley, who had 161 yards on 26 carries last week at Auburn, broke loose for a 69-yard score with 5:44 remaining. The sophomore finished with the third-best single-game effort in the Southeastern Conference this year, 214 yards and two TDs on 29 rushes.
    The Razorbacks (4-4, 1-4), who travel to Tennessee next week, added another score with 1:12 left on a 10-yard pass from Clark to Boo Williams, who had seven catches for 75 yards and the score.

Wow!  I had forgotten how much talent Tommy T left for Cutcliffe at Ole Miss.  Ole Miss was actually good that year.

[Silver Hog]

reading that game report... once again special teams and quarterbacks hosed us.  and that was from a long time ago and has not improved!

[paraloma]

"They crowded the line of scrimmage to make our quarterbacks beat them," Nutt said.

Seven

Freaking

Years

Later.

[deucea729]

I was there - Ole Miss, 2000.  Deuce McAllister took a kickoff back for a TD, and it was Katie bar the door from there.  We got killed, but it was fun in the student section when John came in and led us down the field.  Deuce stinking dominated us that day, though.  Wow.

[Hoot72]

The rest of that story was that at halftime, there was an argument between two of the coaches about whether Rutledge ought to play in the second half.  One pulled rank, and that was the beginning of the end for the other.

[press ham]

The rest of that story was that at halftime, there was an argument between two of the coaches about whether Rutledge ought to play in the second half.  One pulled rank, and that was the beginning of the end for the other.

hmmm... wonder who had the nerve to question nutt?

[HawgAdvocate]

Joe Ferguson.

He was PO'd that Nutt put Clark back in to finish the first half after Rutledge led the offense down the field. Clark was hurt and Rut had momentum. But Nutt screwed the pooch one more time.

Up to Rut's drive, the offense had done zilch.

[whitecohogg]

John was an all-state QB at Searcy. He was an invited walk-on for the Hogs in '97 so it wasn't like he had never taken a real game snap before. That being said, it was a pretty interesting story.

[moehog]

Was wondering if someone could fill me in on the story, I have heard a lot about it but wasn't in Arkansas when it happened.  Did the guy play at all, how did he do, just stuff like that so I can actually know whats going on when I hear about it.

I remember it well. McBride was the one I always thought would be a great one. (Didn't work out) He got like 2 plays before being hurt.
Not as bad as when we had to get one out of the band who started in the weedwacker bowl I think against Georgia under either Crowe, Kines, or Ford

Anyone remember his name?

And I still for the life of me can't understand us not being able to recruit a quarteback in 10 years in the SEC

[razorback903]

These are the game notes from hogwired

http://www.hogwired.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=30723&SPID=2419&DB_OEM_ID=6100&ATCLID=183001

          "I'm very disappointed," Arkansas head coach Houston Nutt said. "I expected to win this game. It started the right way. That kickoff return flipped it the other way. It was a bad kickoff and we missed two critical tackles. They took the momentum away from us. They have a lot of seniors and experience, and that's where youth versus experience gets you."
    Zak Clark, UA's injured backup quarterback who was forced to start with starter Robby Hampton unavailable, was knocked from the game briefly during Arkansas' third possession. Walk-on John Rutledge, who was two-of-eight for 17 yards, came in and had both of his completions on his first series as Arkansas took an early 7-0 lead on a 30-yard run by Fred Talley.
    Arkansas held Ole Miss to 29 yards of total offense in the first quarter, but Williams' touchdown return on the kickoff following UA's score gave the Rebels (6-2, 3-2) momentum.
    Ole Miss drove 80 yards in 11 plays and took the lead on its first possession of the second quarter on a nine-yard pass from Romero Miller to Doug Zeigler.
    Clark, who finished the game 14-of-29 for 164 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions, was picked off by Syniker Taylor at the UA 35. Three plays later, McAllister scored from eight yards out.
    "They crowded the line of scrimmage to make our quarterbacks beat them," Nutt said. "Zak got knicked up on that first series. I liked his courage. He went it, got re-taped and came back out. John played well and gave us a spark, but he doesn't know everything. He's had a three-day crash course. We just didn't get it done."
    Each team added a field goal before the half, but the Rebels opened the second half by driving 79 yards in nine plays to take a 31-10 lead on a 27-yard pass from Miller to Grant Heard. Miller was 10-of-25 for 109 yards with two scores.
    Ole Miss built the lead to 38-10 on a 57-yard run by McAllister with 7:46 to play before Arkansas rallied with a pair of scores.
    Talley, who had 161 yards on 26 carries last week at Auburn, broke loose for a 69-yard score with 5:44 remaining. The sophomore finished with the third-best single-game effort in the Southeastern Conference this year, 214 yards and two TDs on 29 rushes.
    The Razorbacks (4-4, 1-4), who travel to Tennessee next week, added another score with 1:12 left on a 10-yard pass from Clark to Boo Williams, who had seven catches for 75 yards and the score.

And now you know...the rest of the story. 

Interesting I never knew about this.  2000 was the first year I lived in Texas and didn't get to watch any of the Hog games that year.

On an added note sort of related to this thread.  I am still living in Texas and work with Robbie Hampton's brother.  I got to play softball with Robbie last year during a company softball tournament. 

[ballhog88]

I was at the game and Deuce ran up and down the field on us with a bad hamstring. Our D sucked that game. Fred Talley was the man that day and still is one of my favorite razorbacks. Pound for pound one of the toughest players to ever put on razorback uniform. Zac Clark would have been a great qb if he had stayed.

[NuttinItUp]

Here was Wally Hall's article on it:
http://www.ardemgaz.com/special/sports/UA/FB2000/11042000/C01wally5.html

..and here was one of the initial news stories on it (written by Scott Cain apparently):
http://www.ardemgaz.com/special/sports/UA/FB2000/11042000/C1cainflagq3.html

[PigPusher]

My wife and I were there also. John did just march the team down the field and he looked very comfortable.  .

[booogaga]

"They crowded the line of scrimmage to make our quarterbacks beat them," Nutt said.

Seven

Freaking

Years

Later.

sums it up

[press ham]

Joe Ferguson.

He was PO'd that Nutt put Clark back in to finish the first half after Rutledge led the offense down the field. Clark was hurt and Rut had momentum. But Nutt screwed the pooch one more time.

Up to Rut's drive, the offense had done zilch.

yep, i was at that game too. i couldn't understand why he pulled rutledge after a scoring drive. then he put in an injured zach clark. how could hdn not listen to a former nfl qb?

[PigPusher]

Joe Ferguson.

He was PO'd that Nutt put Clark back in to finish the first half after Rutledge led the offense down the field. Clark was hurt and Rut had momentum. But Nutt screwed the pooch one more time.

Up to Rut's drive, the offense had done zilch.

yep, i was at that game too. i couldn't understand why he pulled rutledge after a scoring drive. then he put in an injured zach clark. how could hdn not listen to a former nfl qb?

Guess for a similiar reason that he pulled Mitch. It has to do with a really weird life philosophy guarded jealously by Nutt.

[Houston h]

Wasn't Dick on the practice team at one time?  I can't imagine MM, CS, QG or MJ pulling practice duty!

[Hawgballz]

Everybody got hurt.  Johnny Rutt got called back in from the intramural fields and played against UGA.  Did a hell of a lot better than the others, but got pulled.

You must have cheered for a different Arkansas Razorback team than I did that year. 

[darkhogfan]

These are the game notes from hogwired

http://www.hogwired.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=30723&SPID=2419&DB_OEM_ID=6100&ATCLID=183001

          "I'm very disappointed," Arkansas head coach Houston Nutt said. "I expected to win this game. It started the right way. That kickoff return flipped it the other way. It was a bad kickoff and we missed two critical tackles. They took the momentum away from us. They have a lot of seniors and experience, and that's where youth versus experience gets you."
    Zak Clark, UA's injured backup quarterback who was forced to start with starter Robby Hampton unavailable, was knocked from the game briefly during Arkansas' third possession. Walk-on John Rutledge, who was two-of-eight for 17 yards, came in and had both of his completions on his first series as Arkansas took an early 7-0 lead on a 30-yard run by Fred Talley.
    Arkansas held Ole Miss to 29 yards of total offense in the first quarter, but Williams' touchdown return on the kickoff following UA's score gave the Rebels (6-2, 3-2) momentum.
    Ole Miss drove 80 yards in 11 plays and took the lead on its first possession of the second quarter on a nine-yard pass from Romero Miller to Doug Zeigler.
    Clark, who finished the game 14-of-29 for 164 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions, was picked off by Syniker Taylor at the UA 35. Three plays later, McAllister scored from eight yards out.
    "They crowded the line of scrimmage to make our quarterbacks beat them," Nutt said. "Zak got knicked up on that first series. I liked his courage. He went it, got re-taped and came back out. John played well and gave us a spark, but he doesn't know everything. He's had a three-day crash course. We just didn't get it done."
    Each team added a field goal before the half, but the Rebels opened the second half by driving 79 yards in nine plays to take a 31-10 lead on a 27-yard pass from Miller to Grant Heard. Miller was 10-of-25 for 109 yards with two scores.
    Ole Miss built the lead to 38-10 on a 57-yard run by McAllister with 7:46 to play before Arkansas rallied with a pair of scores.
    Talley, who had 161 yards on 26 carries last week at Auburn, broke loose for a 69-yard score with 5:44 remaining. The sophomore finished with the third-best single-game effort in the Southeastern Conference this year, 214 yards and two TDs on 29 rushes.
    The Razorbacks (4-4, 1-4), who travel to Tennessee next week, added another score with 1:12 left on a 10-yard pass from Clark to Boo Williams, who had seven catches for 75 yards and the score.

And now you know...the rest of the story. 

Interesting I never knew about this.  2000 was the first year I lived in Texas and didn't get to watch any of the Hog games that year.

On an added note sort of related to this thread.  I am still living in Texas and work with Robbie Hampton's brother.  I got to play softball with Robbie last year during a company softball tournament. 

Cool.  I went to high school with John Rutledge at Searcy.  He was our starting QB.  We weren't like best friends or anything but he was a pretty nice guy.  Always seemed to treat everyone with the same amount of respect.

[Bomis Hawg]

Rutledge played between Clark's snaps.  If I remember right, Clark threw an interception while driving for the lead.

[oxhog24]

Was wondering if someone could fill me in on the story, I have heard a lot about it but wasn't in Arkansas when it happened.  Did the guy play at all, how did he do, just stuff like that so I can actually know whats going on when I hear about it.

I remember it well. McBride was the one I always thought would be a great one. (Didn't work out) He got like 2 plays before being hurt.
Not as bad as when we had to get one out of the band who started in the weedwacker bowl I think against Georgia under either Crowe, Kines, or Ford

Anyone remember his name?

And I still for the life of me can't understand us not being able to recruit a quarteback in 10 years in the SEC

Wade Hill

[311Hog]

"They crowded the line of scrimmage to make our quarterbacks beat them," Nutt said.

Seven

Freaking

Years

Later.

wow man just wow


Even rats dosed with crack cocaine learn faster then Nutt.

[moehog]

Was wondering if someone could fill me in on the story, I have heard a lot about it but wasn't in Arkansas when it happened.  Did the guy play at all, how did he do, just stuff like that so I can actually know whats going on when I hear about it.

I remember it well. McBride was the one I always thought would be a great one. (Didn't work out) He got like 2 plays before being hurt.
Not as bad as when we had to get one out of the band who started in the weedwacker bowl I think against Georgia under either Crowe, Kines, or Ford

Anyone remember his name?

And I still for the life of me can't understand us not being able to recruit a quarteback in 10 years in the SEC

Wade Hill

Thanks. Was he a beater or a blower?

[Hoot72]

Joe Ferguson.

He was PO'd that Nutt put Clark back in to finish the first half after Rutledge led the offense down the field. Clark was hurt and Rut had momentum. But Nutt screwed the pooch one more time.

Up to Rut's drive, the offense had done zilch.

yep, i was at that game too. i couldn't understand why he pulled rutledge after a scoring drive. then he put in an injured zach clark. how could hdn not listen to a former nfl qb?

     Because he did not want Joe Ferguson to get credit for helping John Rutledge go from the intramural field to the SEC field in one week.  It would be harmful to his ego.

[HumpyHog]

"They crowded the line of scrimmage to make our quarterbacks beat them," Nutt said.

Seven

Freaking

Years

Later.

Truest post I've ever read on here. Unfrigginbelievable.

[knowholesbarred]

 why didn't they have fred talley run the wildcat since it was all danny's idea I feel certain they knew about it back then ? guess they decided to save it for six more years ?

[moehog]

why didn't they have fred talley run the wildcat since it was all dany's idea I feel certain they knew about back then ? guess they decided to save it for six more years ?

good point

[hawgwilde]

why didn't they have fred talley run the wildcat since it was all dany's idea I feel certain they knew about back then ? guess they decided to save it for six more years ?

You know the drill.  They didn't have ALL the personnel needed to run that formation!

[RazorsEdge]

The thing I remember most about that season was the Georgia game.  Nutt always started the games with a pass into the flat for no yards to get the quarterback a completion and "confidence".  Anyway, I guess Georgia had somebody smart enough to scout us.  The CB jumped the route and scampered 20 yds for a touchdown.  It went downhill from there.

[knowholesbarred]

The thing I remember most about that season was the Georgia game.  Nutt always started the games with a pass into the flat for no yards to get the quarterback a completion and "confidence".  Anyway, I guess Georgia had somebody smart enough to scout us.  The CB jumped the route and scampered 20 yds for a touchdown.  It went downhill from there.

But he didn't call that play brotha, it was some other boob on the sidelines. Prolly Joe Ferguson got the blame for that one ?