Ivan Maisel of ESPN comments on Razorback coach Houston Nutt:
This feels different. Arkansas lost five of its last seven last season, missing a bowl for the first time in Nutt’s tenure. Three of the next four games are against ranked opponents: at No. 20 Alabama on Saturday, Auburn on Oct. 15, and at No. 7 Georgia on Oct. 22.
While much is being made of the support shown in the press by Coach Broyles, let us not forget what was going on a while back when the HogBlogger was a young blogger. From the archives…
Thursday, December 30, 2004
Houston Dale, we have a problem . . . .
Houston Dale Nutt, the coach of the Arkansas Razorbacks, recently declined to immediately decline the opportunity to discuss the head football coach opening at Louisanna State University, prompting Arkansas Athletic Director Frank to observe (as quoted from the Arkansas Demozette), “it’s been my experience through the years in watching other coaches and so forth that if you look like you’re interested in another job . . . you lose about 10 to 15 percent of your fan base.”
Actually, Coach Broyles indicated that it was the coach that would lose the fan base, saying, “If Houston did lose some [fans] over this, we hope he can win them back.”
Coach Broyles apparently was ready with his short list of coaching candidates and was moving to begin forming a search committee. Apparently he goes to Augusta National prepared to multi-task. I wonder what he shot on the back nine while pondering these things?
The Demozette also states, “Broyles said he had mixed emotions about how Nutt handled the situation after being contacted . .”, and that Houston would be, “the one to have to suffer the consequences, if there are any.”
Coach Broyles could be speaking loudly and proudly about our coach rather than expressing such concern. After all, a really good coach’s name should come up in regard to high profile openings. The University of Arkansas should be proud to have such a coach, and this type of interest from a high profile University with a head football coaching vacancy should be expected every year. There should probably be no surprise if Houston’s name comes up in regard to openings in professional football. Coach Broyles has used this type of positioning before regarding Arkansas head coaches in similar cases. (Nolan, many times)
But not this time. This story played loudly in the press for the better part of 48 hours. The NWA television press played the story loudly at 5, 6 and 10. Was it possible that LSU, last year’s National Champion, actually wanted to take away our football coach?
Remembering how the Razorback press basically functions as an agent of Coach Broyles (yes, I grew up reading Orville . . ), I firmly believe the press play and the comments of Coach Broyles were designed to alter the “tone” of the overall conversation around Houston as coach across the Razorback nation.
So, Houston Dale, we have a problem. Actually, you have a problem. Better fix all of those second and nines at the same time you are working on your defense. Much will be expected of you in recruiting even though you have the Athletic Director expressing concern in the press with the head coach losing up to 15% of his fan base because he appears to be interested in other jobs that come open. Identifying that one player that our offense will hang its whole season on as was previously done with Matt Jones, and Cedric Cobbs before him could prove challenging in the next couple of years.
We’ve seen this play before. The stage is set, the lights are on and the curtain is up. Enjoy the show. This will take awhile, but you can already see where this is headed.