Spring Break
Time for Razorbacks to clean house
Keeping up with Jones
Matt Jones
Issue date: 1/17/07 Section: Sports
- Page 1 of 1
Only in Arkansas can a 10-4 season be considered a failure. Only here can an SEC Western division championship be met with discontent and only for the Razorbacks can two 1,000-yard rushers cause concern with parents about the future of the offense, sparking a parent-teacher conference with the athletic director.
Only here can success and harmony be viewed as oil and water.
Goodbye, Gus Malzahn and Mitch Mustain. Your little visor, whiny comments and tricky gadget plays will be missed, but your contribution to the demise of the Arkansas football program will not.
Malzahn wisely bolted for Tulsa's co-offensive coordinator position in what most around the state of Arkansas consider a demotion. But really, how can you go any lower than the mess Razorback football has become?
Arkansas has won more football games since Malzahn was hired than it did in 2004 and 2005 combined. However, the program has been under more scrutiny and criticism since that time than back-to-back losing seasons could ever have thought of producing.
Even at the height of Arkansas' success this season, there was a dark cloud of uncertainty hanging over the hill. Was Malzahn really calling the plays? Was the golden-boy Mitch Mustain unhappy?
Of course all of these questions were raised by a biased Arkansas fan base, which repels coaches and recruits like no other in the nation. Who can blame Malzahn for leaving for Tulsa when winning wasn't enough for an incompetent bunch of fans? And the fans wonder why recruiting is so difficult at Arkansas.
Unfortunately, Malzahn isn't the only Razorback assistant looking for greener grass.
Long-time offensive line coach Mike Markuson intently eyed the head coaching opening at the University of Minnesota. Markuson has coached under Houston Nutt since 1993 at Murray State and his offensive lines have consistently been among the best in the nation.
Alex Wood has already interviewed for a head coaching job at Florida International and an assistant coaching job at North Carolina. The Razorbacks' quarterbacks coach looks like he'll hop the first train out of Fayetteville.
So what can Nutt do to right this ship that is sinking? First, he will have to hire a new offensive coordinator that will "please" fans.
The initial choice looks to be David Lee, the current quarterbacks coach for the Dallas Cowboys.
Lee has strong ties to Arkansas and has already served two stints as the Arkansas quarterbacks coach under Ken Hatfield and Nutt.
One of Lee's major draws to the UA was Mustain, whom Lee had tutored at a young age. With Mustain leaving, Lee's candidacy in Fayetteville looks dimmer.
Former Miami coach Larry Coker has also surfaced as a candidate for OC. Coker was the offensive coordinator for the Hurricanes before taking over as head coach in 2001. Coker has plenty of experience with angry fans and university officials and should fit right in at Arkansas.
It shouldn't be too hard to hire a new OC to come to Fayetteville, especially not with the front-runner for the 2007 Heisman Trophy sitting in the Razorbacks' backfield. Still yet, it wasn't too hard for the old offensive coordinator to leave that front-runner and three other former high school players behind.
It is another horrible public relations hit for the Razorback football program. Why does the national coordinator of the year leave? Why does an all-conference receiver suddenly bolt for USC? Does Nutt really have any control left over the program?
Too many questions. Not enough answers.
Even what Coker left behind at Miami laughs at the joke Arkansas football has become.
One thing is for sure, Malzahn's marriage with Arkansas did not go as planned. The Springdale Four did more bad for the Razorbacks than good - at least this year. Mustain, Williams and Malzahn are gone and it is still to be determined if Ben Cleveland will be back next season.
The divorce from Malzahn will be a nasty one. Its ramifications will be felt long after he is roaming the sidelines in Tulsa gold and blue.
It's time to clean house, Mr. Nutt. Arkansas football will not survive another season like this one and neither will you. Ten wins, division titles and individual accolades obviously mean nothing when the program is falling in shambles around you.
Malzahn and Mustain are gone. That's a step toward harmony. The powers-that-be will be sure not to make a hire or promises like that again.
Goodbye, Gus Malzahn and Mitch Mustain, and good luck. But most of all, good riddance.
Matt Jones is the sports editor for The Arkansas Traveler.
Only here can success and harmony be viewed as oil and water.
Goodbye, Gus Malzahn and Mitch Mustain. Your little visor, whiny comments and tricky gadget plays will be missed, but your contribution to the demise of the Arkansas football program will not.
Malzahn wisely bolted for Tulsa's co-offensive coordinator position in what most around the state of Arkansas consider a demotion. But really, how can you go any lower than the mess Razorback football has become?
Arkansas has won more football games since Malzahn was hired than it did in 2004 and 2005 combined. However, the program has been under more scrutiny and criticism since that time than back-to-back losing seasons could ever have thought of producing.
Even at the height of Arkansas' success this season, there was a dark cloud of uncertainty hanging over the hill. Was Malzahn really calling the plays? Was the golden-boy Mitch Mustain unhappy?
Of course all of these questions were raised by a biased Arkansas fan base, which repels coaches and recruits like no other in the nation. Who can blame Malzahn for leaving for Tulsa when winning wasn't enough for an incompetent bunch of fans? And the fans wonder why recruiting is so difficult at Arkansas.
Unfortunately, Malzahn isn't the only Razorback assistant looking for greener grass.
Long-time offensive line coach Mike Markuson intently eyed the head coaching opening at the University of Minnesota. Markuson has coached under Houston Nutt since 1993 at Murray State and his offensive lines have consistently been among the best in the nation.
Alex Wood has already interviewed for a head coaching job at Florida International and an assistant coaching job at North Carolina. The Razorbacks' quarterbacks coach looks like he'll hop the first train out of Fayetteville.
So what can Nutt do to right this ship that is sinking? First, he will have to hire a new offensive coordinator that will "please" fans.
The initial choice looks to be David Lee, the current quarterbacks coach for the Dallas Cowboys.
Lee has strong ties to Arkansas and has already served two stints as the Arkansas quarterbacks coach under Ken Hatfield and Nutt.
One of Lee's major draws to the UA was Mustain, whom Lee had tutored at a young age. With Mustain leaving, Lee's candidacy in Fayetteville looks dimmer.
Former Miami coach Larry Coker has also surfaced as a candidate for OC. Coker was the offensive coordinator for the Hurricanes before taking over as head coach in 2001. Coker has plenty of experience with angry fans and university officials and should fit right in at Arkansas.
It shouldn't be too hard to hire a new OC to come to Fayetteville, especially not with the front-runner for the 2007 Heisman Trophy sitting in the Razorbacks' backfield. Still yet, it wasn't too hard for the old offensive coordinator to leave that front-runner and three other former high school players behind.
It is another horrible public relations hit for the Razorback football program. Why does the national coordinator of the year leave? Why does an all-conference receiver suddenly bolt for USC? Does Nutt really have any control left over the program?
Too many questions. Not enough answers.
Even what Coker left behind at Miami laughs at the joke Arkansas football has become.
One thing is for sure, Malzahn's marriage with Arkansas did not go as planned. The Springdale Four did more bad for the Razorbacks than good - at least this year. Mustain, Williams and Malzahn are gone and it is still to be determined if Ben Cleveland will be back next season.
The divorce from Malzahn will be a nasty one. Its ramifications will be felt long after he is roaming the sidelines in Tulsa gold and blue.
It's time to clean house, Mr. Nutt. Arkansas football will not survive another season like this one and neither will you. Ten wins, division titles and individual accolades obviously mean nothing when the program is falling in shambles around you.
Malzahn and Mustain are gone. That's a step toward harmony. The powers-that-be will be sure not to make a hire or promises like that again.
Goodbye, Gus Malzahn and Mitch Mustain, and good luck. But most of all, good riddance.
Matt Jones is the sports editor for The Arkansas Traveler.
Viewing Comments 1 - 10 of 11
Malcolm
posted 1/16/07 @ 11:16 PM CST
Hey Matt!
Not a hawg fan but I am a lover of college football and I often follow the Razorbacks. However, you absolutely show no class. It is totally obvious that you do not know any of the people that you diss. (Continued…)
Hogaddict
posted 1/16/07 @ 11:40 PM CST
Matt don't you think it's funny that we've had drama after pretty much every season for the past 6 or 7 seasons, much longer than any of the Springdale clan has been around. (Continued…)
Brer Hog
posted 1/16/07 @ 11:46 PM CST
Fire Houston Nutt and retire Broyles, even if you have to burn the house down to do it. Nutt couldn't clean house if his life depended on it.
Andrew
posted 1/16/07 @ 11:47 PM CST
You're saying good riddance to Gus and Mitch? How the hell did you get a sports writer job anwyay? You ask the right questions, but assume the wrong answers. (Continued…)
D. Fayad
posted 1/17/07 @ 5:10 AM CST
Your points are well-taken...your delivery is classless.
R. Harris
posted 1/17/07 @ 7:40 AM CST
First article I've read that said what I thought. We made a deal with the devil and are now paying for it. You are right on in dealing with the subject of our fans. (Continued…)
Joe Miller
posted 1/17/07 @ 7:59 AM CST
Well, the situation doesn't seem that good, but look at it in a different light and you can see the truth. It is obvious that the talented gentlemen that we got from Springdale last year were not very mature and that would stand to reason. (Continued…)
Joe Vestal
posted 1/17/07 @ 8:47 AM CST
Matt Jones hit the nail on the head. Arkansas will be better off without the confusion and controversy caused by this group. Freshmen players no matter how talented have to pay their dues and wait their turn to help the TEAM. (Continued…)
Phil Boyce
posted 1/17/07 @ 10:40 AM CST
I think Matt Jones hit his head on a nail.
Here is another writer trying to find excuses for the failures, demise and mediocracy at Arkansas. Why is it we get people saying that every few years a 9,10,11 win season is a success and fans should be happy. (Continued…)
John Plumber
posted 1/17/07 @ 11:39 AM CST
Matt, where have you been? You read like a PR man for Frank. It is time for a cleaning from top to bottom. Its obvious you have done little to find out what is really going on. (Continued…)
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