A Little Unrest in "Rebel Land" concerning Recruiting

[Bob from Dumas]

Bob from Dumas has brought up a great point that I did not realize. BP on his second full day on the job was out driving the state for recruiting while Hooten was using the excuse of waiting on a staff and he needed to evaluate the talent. The question I have is does the CIA work for BP because it seems to be there was no pre-evaluation of talent. BP trusted Horton concerning the talent.

BP, in his opening press conference said he planned to honor all prior commitments.  HDN when asked the same question at his presser waffled by saying they needed to evaluate the commitments.  This is why people constantly question Nutt's ethics. 

[rogershogfan16]

I saw TCTWF last Friday night picking up dinner in Fayetteville. People were very polite to him. He was grinning from ear to ear. Very friendly to all of the customers... chatting it up. Laughing.

I threw up a little in my mouth.

good luck Ole Miss.

[RazorsEdge]

Brandon Burlsworth was Danny Ford's walk-on and was a Senior with plenty of non-Nutt related accolades going into the '98 season,  Nutt's first at Arkansas.

Nutt gets ZERO credit (or Markuson for that matter) in the development of Burlsworth.

That is correct, Mike Bender had the biggest hand (other than Brandon's tireless work ethic) in the development of All-American Brandon Burlsworth.  Mike Bender was a member of the '64 Razorbacks and was shown the door by Nutt.  He went on to coach in NFL Europe.

Regarding Nutt's chances of success in Oxford, the fact that Sylvester has Miss State improving will make Nutt's job much harder.  Sylvester can recruit better than Nutt and can beat Nutt at his own game on the field.  My experience with Mississippi football fans has been 30% of them are for Ole Miss, 15% are for State, 5% are for Southern Miss and 50% are for whoever is winning that year.  Mississippi State is winning now and will have the support of most of the state.

[RazorsEdge]

I saw TCTWF last Friday night picking up dinner in Fayetteville. People were very polite to him. He was grinning from ear to ear. Very friendly to all of the customers... chatting it up. Laughing.

I threw up a little in my mouth.

good luck Ole Miss.

A friend of mine saw him at The Catfish Hole on Saturday.  He said it was pretty weird like going to a restaurant and having your ex-girlfriend there.

[hogsanity]

That is correct, Mike Bender had the biggest hand (other than Brandon's tireless work ethic) in the development of All-American Brandon Burlsworth.  Mike Bender was a member of the '64 Razorbacks and was shown the door by Nutt.  He went on to coach in NFL Europe.

Regarding Nutt's chances of success in Oxford, the fact that Sylvester has Miss State improving will make Nutt's job much harder.  Sylvester can recruit better than Nutt and can beat Nutt at his own game on the field.  My experience with Mississippi football fans has been 30% of them are for Ole Miss, 15% are for State, 5% are for Southern Miss and 50% are for whoever is winning that year.  Mississippi State is winning now and will have the support of most of the state.

If MSu improves again next year, Croom likely gets serious looks for a much bigger job, especially with the emphasis being put on "minority hires"  so that may not be an issue.

Look, Ole misses went 0-8 in the SEC, if they just improve by a game or 2 for 3 years, they will be at 5-3 in the SEC, which likel gets him an extension, whether you like it or not, or, more importantly, whether OM fans like it or not.

[Boarcephus]

Look, Ole misses went 0-8 in the SEC, if they just improve by a game or 2 for 3 years, they will be at 5-3 in the SEC, which likel gets him an extension, whether you like it or not, or, more importantly, whether OM fans like it or not.

from 0-8 to 5-3 is one helluva jump.  Not going to happen under Nutt's watch.

[hogsanity]

from 0-8 to 5-3 is one helluva jump.  Not going to happen under Nutt's watch.

Really?  In a 3 or 4 year span?  Why Not?  Time may prove you right, but college fb is a strange beast.

[Boarcephus]

Really?  In a 3 or 4 year span?  Why Not?  Time may prove you right, but college fb is a strange beast.

It takes some pretty salty recruiting classes to go 5-3 in the SEC and I don't think Nutt can pull that off at Ole Miss.  I think he'll find recruiting to Ole Miss is an entirely different animal than recruitng here requiring much more than he's willing to offer.

[Albert Einswine]

It takes some pretty salty recruiting classes to go 5-3 in the SEC and I don't think Nutt can pull that off at Ole Miss.  I think he'll find recruiting to Ole Miss is an entirely different animal than recruitng here requiring much more than he's willing to offer.

I think it's funny that the "posse" were speculating last year that Dale was wanting a job (Bama) that recruits itself...  and in desperation he winds up landing at a place that's harder to recruit to than Arkansas.

[Boarcephus]

I think it's funny that the "posse" were speculating last year that Dale was wanting a job (Bama) that recruits itself...  and in desperation he winds up landing at a place that's harder to recruit to than Arkansas.

hadn't heard that but great point.  It takes a special coach to win at Ole Miss and I'm not meaning to slight Ole Miss in the least.  Mississippi produces talent but it's split by 3 instate colleges plus huge name programs border it.   It takes some young, energetic coach out to make a name for himself running a fanstastic scheme to get players to buy into it and Nutt is not that guy.   You have to work your butt off for every quality recruit and I don't think Nutt's heart is into it.

[Bob from Dumas]

I think it's funny that the "posse" were speculating last year that Dale was wanting a job (Bama) that recruits itself...  and in desperation he winds up landing at a place that's harder to recruit to than Arkansas.

hadn't heard that but great point.  It takes a special coach to win at Ole Miss and I'm not meaning to slight Ole Miss in the least.  Mississippi produces talent but it's split by 3 instate colleges plus huge name programs border it.   It takes some young, energetic coach out to make a name for himself running a fanstastic scheme to get players to buy into it and Nutt is not that guy.   You have to work your butt off for every quality recruit and I don't think Nutt's heart is into it.

I think these are great points.  Time will tell, but it seems HDN has been spotted in Fayetteville eating takeout more than in Oxford recruiting.  I know it is the dead period right now, but you would think he would be down there working.

[havok]

BP, in his opening press conference said he planned to honor all prior commitments.  HDN when asked the same question at his presser waffled by saying they needed to evaluate the commitments.  This is why people constantly question Nutt's ethics. 

I am of the mind, that the best way to evaluate these guys would be to meet them face-to-face.  look them in the eyes, and talk to the coaches, Principles, guidance councellors....not just look at a stat sheet or an edited Highlight film that makes everyone look like a blue chip player.

But that is just me...

Maybe nutt is a better liar over the phone, on camera and by blackberry texting.  Maybe he was afraid to look those recruits and the people around them in the eyes, and try to sell them the old one owner, little ole lady who just drove it to church on Sunday POS sedan...  (the one that has had 200,000 miles rolled back on it..

[notreseveredname]

Yeah, Like Ryan Mallett at TE

I am curious on how well Jevan Sneed will develop at Ole Miss,

At TE or QB?

It's never been clear to me whether that rumor was true or not, but I've heard that HN recruited RM here to be TE not a QB, anyone know the truth?

[LuckyGiraffe]

someone can go into greater detail, but I believe Mallett and Mustain were at the same camp and Nutt put Mustain at QB and Mallett at TE because Mustain had already committed to the Hogs.

[notreseveredname]

someone can go into greater detail, but I believe Mallett and Mustain were at the same camp and Nutt put Mustain at QB and Mallett at TE because Mustain had already committed to the Hogs.

Yeah, thats right.  I remember now....  smarty

[natehog]

The "lazy" recruiter part of your post hits the nail on the head. 

Compare HDN's hiring at Ole Miss to BP here at Arkansas.  Nutt immediately tried to get 5 assistant coaches to come down there for a full week to "help" him with recruiting.  When BP was hired he was out the next day canvassing the state to personnally speak to each of our top recruits.  He did this with one other coach (Horton) until brother Paul joined the staff right before the quiet period.

Nutt wanted our assistants (at least until the bowl game) down there to do his work.  Nevermind that it created a huge conflict of interest.  All that matters to Nutt is what is best for Nutt.  Thank goodness Long and the Ole Miss chancellor stepped in and nipped that problem in the bud.

I thought when HDN left and we got a great coach that I wouldn't care about him or what happened to him.  Wrong.  I think I despise him more.  I want to beat Ole Miss every year.  I want their recruits and ours.  I want him walked out of there in shame like he should have been here.

Why in the hell would Frank Broyles go along with the charade of Nutt taking the Arkansas assistants to help him to recruit in Mississippi?  That is the dumbest of a lot of dumb things that went on at the BAC in the past few years.  Seriously, what was Frank thinking??

[Bob from Dumas]

Why in the hell would Frank Broyles go along with the charade of Nutt taking the Arkansas assistants to help him to recruit in Mississippi?  That is the dumbest of a lot of dumb things that went on at the BAC in the past few years.  Seriously, what was Frank thinking??

Here on the eve of the Cotton Bowl, I am glad this has, for the most part, been defused.  However, at the time, I was of the strong opinion that those 5 assistant coaches should have been shown the door.  Immediately.  Don't pass go, don't collect your $200.  Just Go.  It just defies logic.  A few years ago when David Cuttcliffe (sp?) took over at Ole Miss, his new staff actually coached the team in their bowl game.  Tuberville fed to Auburn and took most of the staff with him.  Now, we have PawPaw cutting deals to make it easier on HDN, who, by the way, is going to be coaching an SEC West team now.  Why do we want to help him???

[cosmodrum]

That didn't take long.  Nutt already has his detractors and he hasn't even called a draw on 3rd and long.  I can't wait till they see his two minute offense.

LOL! Yeah, the problem is, his offense is a two-minute offense in REAL TIME.

[aar0n]

Those poor, poor people.  This is enjoyable to read.  They still have that "our new coach will never lead us wrong" attitude that we had the first couple seasons with Nuttster.  You can already almost see the beginnings of a dark side, and they haven't even played a game.  Good stuff.

[hogsanity]

This whole Mallett at TE thing is urban legend.  Yes, RM did line up at TE in some drills, but, even from accounts posted here, it was at his request as many of th campers were lining up at odd ball positions just goofing around. 

[disGUSted]

Ole Miss will be OK for 2-3yrs., then watch the downhill slide!
My only concern is the occaisional recruit stolen from within Ar. But all in all, I've hated both UT's, Miss St., A&M, and Ole Miss so now I have one more reason!

[wholehog92]

Ole Miss will be OK for 2-3yrs., then watch the downhill slide!
My only concern is the occaisional recruit stolen from within Ar. But all in all, I've hated both UT's, Miss St., A&M, and Ole Miss so now I have one more reason!

I thought so too until they had so many not qualify.