Davis lets the rumor mill churn

Why won’t Butch Davis quash the rumors about his possible hook-up with Arkansas in the near future? That’s what Mike Duprez of the Lexington Dispatch, a paper based in North Carolina, wants to know.

Duprez is suspicious of Davis’ intentions after signing on to coach the Tar Heels before this season. A lot of people in and around Chapel Hill seem to be of the same mind. Here’s his take:

While it hasn’t been widely reported by North Carolina media, Davis is being linked to the Arkansas job.

Didn’t take long, did it?

Arkansas has a coach, Houston Nutt. But the Razorbacks’ faithful are clamoring for his dismissal. Davis played for Arkansas, and everybody knows the emotional pull one has for his alma mater. When Nutt was on the hot seat two years ago, Davis’ name was being dropped by more than a few people.

I was skeptical about the Davis hiring precisely because of his track record. No, he isn’t the Larry Brown of football. But it’s easy to envision him using UNC as a stepping stone to some place like Penn State if Joe Paterno ever retires. Carolina needs someone for the long term. My choice would have been Navy’s Paul Johnson.

So here we are with the rumor mill. The best thing Davis could do is issue a clear statement that he just got to Chapel Hill, he’s building something and he’s absolutely not interested in another job. But college football coaches are often like politicians and act evasively. Sure, it’s wise to do what’s best for oneself, but contracts ought to be honored.

Filed under: Arkansas Football by Rainer Sabin. Posted on: November 15, 2007 at 7:46 pm