Muschamp almost Arkansas’ coach
Had Bobby Petrino decided to remain in Atlanta, 36-year-old Will Muschamp would have been Arkansas’ coach. That’s what Mark Schlabach of ESPN.com reported today. Instead, Petrino put on the Razorbacks’ cap and called the Hogs while Muschamp left Auburn to become the defensive coordinator at Texas:
On Dec. 7, four days before Petrino would ultimately leave the Falcons after only 13 games to become Nutt’s surprising successor, Long called Muschamp to inquire about his interest in the Arkansas job. Muschamp worked as an assistant coach at Eastern Kentucky in 1999 when Long was the athletic director there.
The only candidate standing in Muschamp’s way was Petrino, who couldn’t make up his mind after initially telling the Razorbacks he didn’t want the job. After meeting with Falcons owner Arthur Blank, Petrino called Long on Dec. 10 and said he was going to remain with the Falcons. With Petrino seemingly out of the picture, Muschamp was at the top of Long’s list.
Long was scheduled to interview Arkansas interim coach/defensive coordinator Reggie Herring on Dec. 11, but the meeting was nothing more than a formality. After Herring was interviewed, Muschamp would be named the Hogs’ new coach — or so both sides believed.
Things changed when the Falcons were embarrassed by the New Orleans Saints 34-14 on Monday Night Football on Dec. 10, the same day former Falcons quarterback Michael Vick was sentenced to nearly two years in prison for dogfighting. Petrino called Long the following morning and told him he wanted the Arkansas job. Long canceled Herring’s interview and began negotiations with Petrino. That night, Petrino was introduced as Nutt’s successor during an impromptu news conference.
Muschamp, who had earlier declined an offer to become Southern Mississippi’s head coach, declined to comment on the Arkansas situation.
8 Responses to “Muschamp almost Arkansas’ coach”
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What’s the point?
Interesting read. Muschamp is a excellent, up and coming DC - and, UT is fortunate to get him - but I’m glad Petrino changed his mind.
Oops.. Muschamp is “an” excellent, up and coming DC…. etc. The right guy landed in Hogville, however. Petrino will deliver. GO HOGS!
Is this really newsworthy?? Honestly, who gives a d—
ESPN takes another jab at UA - I agree, who gives a D—!!
too bad we have to “allow” them to televise our games….
Hogs up 44-43 on S Carolina, 2nd half…..GO HOGS!
I WONDER IF THIS IS BEING PUSHED BY ESPN’S CHRIS MORTENSEN-WHO THINK’S NUTT HUNG THE MOON. IT AMAZE’S ME NOBODY HAS JUMPED ON NUTT FOR THE WAY HE LEFT US.
GO HOGS BEAT TEXAS!!!!
I agree, this story is not newsworthy. We hired a big-name coach, but I doubt he will be here very long. Let’s face it, except to a very few coaches (and I think Houston Nutt was one of them), the University of Arkansas job is not a “destination” job - that is, a job where a coach goes to finish his career to retirement. Without ties to AR, it would be hard for someone to stay here that long. And why would anyone jump on Nutt for “the way he left us”?! He endured a nightmare that I dare say none of us would ever think was justified if it were happening to us. To go through the public humiliation he went through was simply wrong; and I won’t buy the argument that since he was a “public employee,” we have the right, as the public, to know everything about his personal life. We were not competitive in the SEC before Nutt arrived, but by the time he was forced out, we were competitive in most SEC games. I will agree that we might have reached the pinnacle of where we could go with Houston Nutt as coach, but he still should not have been treated the way he was by the fans and the media.
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