MM....ESPN college football top story

[OUgradHOGFAN]

SPRINGDALE, Ark. -- Quarterback Mitch Mustain, who had committed to the Razorbacks, has reopened his recruitment, a newspaper reported.

Mustain told The Morning News that he's met with Arkansas head coach Houston Nutt and offensive coordinator, Gus Malzahn whom the Razorbacks have just hired to run the offense. To make room for Malzahn, the Razorbacks had quarterbacks coach Roy Wittke step down.

"I knew that if Coach Nutt was going to hire an offensive coordinator, regardless of who he chose, it would likely mean the firing of Coach Wittke," Mustain said of the coach who recruited him at Arkansas.

Earlier, reports surfaced that Mustain was looking at schools other than Arkansas.

Mustain won't name the schools on his list or detail his reasons for backing out of his commitment to the Razorbacks.

"Out of respect for the people involved, I don't want to get into details about it," Mustain told the newspaper.

Mustain, who threw for 3,817 yards and 47 touchdowns this season, has several weeks to make a decision. National signing day is Feb. 1.

Mustain, the Gatorade National Football Player of the Year, is a highly sought after recruit and the Razorbacks thought they'd wrapped up a prize when the QB orally committed last August. Mustain said he meant it when he committed to the Razorbacks, but his outlook has changed.

Nutt and Malzhan can't comment on Mustain because it is against NCAA rules to discuss any recruit.