Anyone want join my Nutt fan club?
Commentary
Matt Stephens
Issue date: 2/1/07 Section: Sports
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Gus Malzahn has left us for the University of Tulsa. He is now the co-offensive coordinator for a team that changed their name from "Tornadoes" to "Golden Hurricane" after a sports writer referred to the team as one. Good for him. Smile and wave because he's not coming back here.
Tulsa has some major things to prove this season with first- year Head Coach Todd Graham now that Steve Kragthorpe has left for Louisville. I wish for Gus that he does great things for our neighbors to the west.
Sure, maybe he came up with the Wildcat formation that now has variations being run in the National Football League; maybe he has set his mark in football history. I hope he did, because if 20 years from now, I can look back when I'm watching Monday Night Football and say "the man who created that play coached at Arkansas while I attended," I'll be pretty happy.
And that's the great thing about Malzahn making such an impact. We're still going to have all those plays next season plus whatever new offensive coordinator David Lee throws in the mix. It's not like Malzahn went to a patent office this off-season so that no one but Tulsa could run his plays.
You have a problem with Nutt's up the middle philosophy? With the best running back tandem in the nation and an offensive line who doesn't get near the credit it deserves (Tony Ugoh was an All-American and played in the Senior Bowl Saturday), why not?
Arkansas did go 10-4 this season, coming within reaching distance of defeating the Sugar Bowl champions, the BCS National champions and the No. 7 team in the country in the Capital One Bowl.
Now granted, a loss is a loss, and the Hogs ended the season on a three game slide, but that's beside the point. The point is, Arkansas has a coach who "loves the helmet," loves everything about being an Arkansas Razorback, showing no sign of running when the going gets tough, as at times it has been, and how do we repay him?
We blast him daily on the message boards because we all know exactly what we're talking about because we all get paid the big bucks to coach SEC football. Have any of you ever coached D-I football? And look at all this from a recruiting standpoint, if you were a high school senior and knew that the majority of your so-called fan base is almost rooting for your team's failure, would you want to go play ball there?
I don't blame people like Broderick Green and Lee Ziemba for not wanting to come to the hill.
I'll never forget what Houston Nutt told me last year after the Auburn game. He told me if being a Razorback doesn't mean that much to you, you probably shouldn't be one. I agree without any argument whatsoever.
What happened to that unified Razorback nation I grew to know and love?
Tulsa has some major things to prove this season with first- year Head Coach Todd Graham now that Steve Kragthorpe has left for Louisville. I wish for Gus that he does great things for our neighbors to the west.
Sure, maybe he came up with the Wildcat formation that now has variations being run in the National Football League; maybe he has set his mark in football history. I hope he did, because if 20 years from now, I can look back when I'm watching Monday Night Football and say "the man who created that play coached at Arkansas while I attended," I'll be pretty happy.
And that's the great thing about Malzahn making such an impact. We're still going to have all those plays next season plus whatever new offensive coordinator David Lee throws in the mix. It's not like Malzahn went to a patent office this off-season so that no one but Tulsa could run his plays.
You have a problem with Nutt's up the middle philosophy? With the best running back tandem in the nation and an offensive line who doesn't get near the credit it deserves (Tony Ugoh was an All-American and played in the Senior Bowl Saturday), why not?
Arkansas did go 10-4 this season, coming within reaching distance of defeating the Sugar Bowl champions, the BCS National champions and the No. 7 team in the country in the Capital One Bowl.
Now granted, a loss is a loss, and the Hogs ended the season on a three game slide, but that's beside the point. The point is, Arkansas has a coach who "loves the helmet," loves everything about being an Arkansas Razorback, showing no sign of running when the going gets tough, as at times it has been, and how do we repay him?
We blast him daily on the message boards because we all know exactly what we're talking about because we all get paid the big bucks to coach SEC football. Have any of you ever coached D-I football? And look at all this from a recruiting standpoint, if you were a high school senior and knew that the majority of your so-called fan base is almost rooting for your team's failure, would you want to go play ball there?
I don't blame people like Broderick Green and Lee Ziemba for not wanting to come to the hill.
I'll never forget what Houston Nutt told me last year after the Auburn game. He told me if being a Razorback doesn't mean that much to you, you probably shouldn't be one. I agree without any argument whatsoever.
What happened to that unified Razorback nation I grew to know and love?
Viewing Comments 1 - 10 of 12
russ
posted 2/01/07 @ 9:26 AM CST
Well said! You are either a Razorback or your not. Root hard or get the hell out of the way. 40
years after graduation and I still follow the Hogs with the zeal of a freshman. (Continued…)
Jamey McGaugh
posted 2/01/07 @ 11:17 AM CST
No one man is bigger than the program. Did you ever think the reason Green and Ziemba didn't come to Arkansas was because the HC is a big fat liar?
jason
posted 2/01/07 @ 11:18 AM CST
No, Broderick Green didn't want to come to Arkansas because he felt Houston didn't show interest until 10-11 out of state schools visited him. Green even stated on television that the recruiting process by Arkansas was "horrible". (Continued…)
Joe Miller
posted 2/01/07 @ 11:19 AM CST
I don't agree with you about the hog fans. There are many sports in the HOG Kingdom and Football is only one of them. A true HOG fan is loyal to all sports. (Continued…)
HArold MAnn
posted 2/02/07 @ 10:52 AM CST
Very good comments, i support the hogs, i am a season ticket holser of four seats , i live in Omaha, NE and travel to all home games. Waiting on the big day for Arkansas to play and beat Nebraska. (Continued…)
Robert Rapier
posted 2/02/07 @ 12:03 PM CST
I live in Homewood, Alabama, just 50 miles from the University of Alabama campus and 120 miles from Auburn University campus. If you think that the controversy at the University of Arkansas is unique, then you must be living under a mushroom and in the dark, because with the internet and talk radio shows, everyone has a convenient venue with which to expres his or her viewpoint. (Continued…)
Theresa Sims
posted 2/04/07 @ 7:59 AM CST
I have to agree with Matt Stephens, these so called "couch" coaches need to either apply for the job or move on. We are season ticket holders and so is the "couch" coach who sits next to us and all season I want to ask her why she is not down on the sidelines coaching. (Continued…)
scuba steve
posted 9/22/07 @ 9:34 PM CST
it is time to hire someone to call plays, and get out of the obsolete wishbone. Also, IN THIS DAY AND AGE, IF YOU CAINT PASS YOU CANT COMPETE....
Brian
posted 9/24/07 @ 11:06 AM CST
I started school here when Nutt started (yes, I'm finishing a doctorate). I'm still here and so is Nutt. I've increased in wisdom and stature, I wish I could say the same about Nutt. (Continued…)
Jean Neuberger
posted 9/25/07 @ 1:22 PM CST
You know why fans should be upset at Houston Nutt?
Think about it. We have the two greatest running backs ever to wear an Arkansas jersey, and we can't help them pave the way to a SEC title. (Continued…)
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