Hello fine ffolkes!

Just to drop a line for those that might be interested on the Arkansas coaching search.

a. Patterson, Gundy, Strong, Sonny Dykes and Mahlzan are the names getting play with one exception. More on that in a minute.

b. Patterson was all "no", until he saw the fan support in Ft Worth for arguably the biggest games of TCU season. Not even selling out a 45K stadium. And he goes to texas(spit), oklahoma, etc.. and see's 80K plus in the stands. He mentions in the Ft Worth paper how nice it is to play in front of big crowds like 80-90k.
Am not saying he is going to take the Ark job, but the fan support issue is one of many that had caused him to at least listen to some of the stuff the contacts for Arkansas are saying.

c. Gundy is a bit of an enigma. Is he really interested or is he using his agent Jimmy Sexton to wheedle more money out of T-Boone and Okie State? One thing.. Sexton better be careful. T-Boone has bludgeoned far better opponets than little old Jimmy Sexton.

d. Strong is way interested, but he may be merely a fallback if Patterson and Gundy don't pan out.

e. Dykes and Mahlzan get a mention togther. Not that they will coach together at Arkansas, Rather than a number of boosters may have said.. if you going CUSA/SunBelt, we will throw our support into hiring Mahlzan over any other candidate at that level.

f. Now the exception. Any number of inside sources indicate there is a mystery candidate closing fast on the top two (Patterson and Gundy). The only name I can glomm up is Jim Mora at UCLA. I would be surprised indeed, but his name keeps drifting into the conversation. Same problem as Patterson at TCU.. fan support?

g. Yes there are Hawg fans beyond the pale who insists the Gruden has been hired. Gonna be tuff for Gruden to coach Arkansas, Tennessee, and Auburn in the same day in the SEC.

Last item... some on the Arkansas BOT were hesistant about extending Long's contract due to the way the season has gone off.

Well.. earlier today the BOT gave Long a raise, a bonus, and a contract extension to 2017.

AD Long's windfall tells me he does have a coach hired or nearly so.

TL: DR - Arkansas may have hired a coach but only AD Long knows who it is.

[This message has been edited by Born (edited 11/16/2012 6:27p).]

[This message has been edited by Born (edited 11/16/2012 6:27p).]

[This message has been edited by Born (edited 11/16/2012 6:35p).]

Thanks for the info. I for one am fascinated by this subject.

Gundy isn't going anywhere...will use Arky to get what he wants.

You guys should keep your current coach. He has your program headed the right direction. Solid. Persevere.

I live this on the local radio daily...ready for them to get a coach...

Thinking maybe Tubbs' name got scratched off the list after today.

Todd Graham seems like a perfect fit

I'm thinking Ellis from Southern Miss

Jim Mora

For as much as you folks call yourselves loyal fans and how important fan support is, I would take a better look. The Tulsa game two weeks ago had about 55,000 from the looks of it on TV. Patterson, Gundy, nor Strong are leaving. Your best bets are Butch Davis and Gus.

I think Patterson is acting interested to get a pay raise and contract extension following a mediocre season. He has done this before.

Has Briles been mentioned? I think his name gets thrown out there after last nights game. and I think he would take it.

Gundy would be a good hire. I hope that doesn't happen.

Briles is done at Baylor. Without rg3, that program is a 0.500 perennial team with an eventual firing for art.

He'll take the first decent program that calls him.

Only 38,000 fans for the #1 team in the country.

Pathetic.

He's probably listing his house for sale today just to 'get ready'.

Yeah, briles needs to be rescued badly. He'd be a great fit at ark.

I've also heard Briles before. From that same mouth, I also heard Tuberville to an SEC school and Briles to tceh...

It seems some of your fans really want Gruden.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MoOJB1uzpdw

[This message has been edited by newarmy2014 (edited 11/19/2012 12:12a).]

Is Jessie Mach available these days?

Gruden being a good coach is really more myth than anything. It will be fun watching Sumlin and KK take his lunch money every year if he goes to Ark.

Gruden isn't going to Arkansas and have to deal with SEC West opponents.

Easier pickings elsewhere.

Gruden to Arky? Nah.

Gundy MIGHT go, but I am getting the same feeling I had whenever the conversation about Richt coming to A&M. In my opinion, the Hogs can end up with a good coach, but they sure as heck better not think that they can pull anyone they want.

ok.. back with a very thin update, as far as news..

a. On various pay sites as well as the pot-banging rabble boards, one thing is agreed on. AD Long knows who his target is, and may indeed have a "hand-shake" agreement in place as well as a preliminary LOI ready to be signed.

b. As for who that target is, nobody and nobody knows who it is. Even the Arkansas BOT is *****ing through back channels about how they are out of the loop.

c. I hereby apologise for that gruden video by Hawg fans. Methinks some of them need to move out of daddy's basement, get laid, and spend a weekend in Juarez just to really see life. BTW, Gruden will not be the coach at Ark, or Tenn, or any other school that has an opening. Just my opinion.

d. an interesting rumor concerning that SASIA (sorry ass school in Austin). It seems some heeled sip boosters have told Patterson to not take the Ark job if offered, as Mack won't be around forever.

e. The usual mix of candidates remain, exclduign the pipe dream of Gruden. Those in contention are Patterson, Gundy, Strong.. in that order. One of them is the target, but AD Long not saying a dayumed word.

Carry on all!

Oh.. one more thing, if you missed the Dust Bowl mini-series by Ken Burns, you missed out. Excellent work!!

I think Patterson is seeing that his program will go down in flames in the Big 12. If he doesn't jump now, he's going down with the purple ship at TCU.

As far as Briles goes, he's a paranoid wierdo. That means Auburn will hire him and he'll get fired in three years for clashing with the AD.

My Arkansas buddy (somewhat connected actually) is pretty convinced it will be Gruden or at least they have offered him 6M+ already.

I think it's Briles or Patterson.

Gundy's not going anywhere. T Boone has plenty of money and resources plus Gundy's an alum.

Gruden ain't leaving his cush job.

From Gruden's own mouth, he put out feelers for a&m job.

One more thing, again.


Briles is NOT a candidate. He may have been back beofre the season began, but Baylor's play this season without RG3 shows how flukish Baylor was with RG3.

The win over Kansas State reminded too many of Nutt's teams. Muddle along with mediocre play all year, then pull a win out of his fecal aperture.

A great many boosters have said not only no but hell no, and have told AD Long in a great many ways of this.

Strong has firmly stated that he will not leave his current job anytime soon. Judging by the interviews, looks like he sticks by his word.

It's looking more and more like Patterson...and the Hogs should be darn grateful to have him if he does go.

The Sports Animal in Knoxville said Gruden was offered the Arkansas job last night. It also said Jerry Jones was involved in the search...or should I say his $$$.

[This message has been edited by ToddyHill (edited 11/20/2012 3:49p).]

-- throwing in the towel and waiting on the announcement --

Right now I don't have a farging clue who the next Razorback coach will be.

a. There is one group of ffolkes with sources who insist Patterson is a done deal.

b. There is another group of similar ffolkes with sources who are now saying James Franklin from Vanderbilt is the man.

c. The Gruden ffolkes insist the deal is done and it will be announced next week.

Right now, I think AD Long has pulled one of the greatest slight of hand seen in a coahcing search. He has his guy, but is letting the fan base do the rumoring mongering for him.

Carry on.

Judging on the morals of their last hire, I fully expect the guy that resigned from being the voice of Elmo to be the next head coach of the pigs.

Arky is a buncha idiots. Gruden might not come to UT, but that is the only college he would come to if he does (wife is a UT grad). She loves Knoxville. Why would he go to that incestual sh**pit otherwise known as Fayettenam? **** you, piglets!!

Shelby you look disappointed. We have a good coach you're just going to have to deal with it.

easy there Vol boy..

while we did hire and fire petrino.. You have to asnwer for the Lane Kiffen and The Derek Dooley.

At a minimum, we be even..

'sides, ironically funny to hear a Tennessee fan call Arkansas fans hillbillys.

your turn, Rocky-Top moonshining mon..

Apologies, Aggies, this is your house. I should not have responded to Horn-Vol.

Now, as for the Arkansas coaching search..

Whole lot of smoke about something happening this weekend, as far as an announcement and press conference.

One name that has dropped back into consideration.. Peterson from Boise State.

Wonder if the whole Boise to Big East/back to Mtn West has made Peterson more receptive to coaching elsewhere?

Been hearing a lot about Petrino to Tennessee or auburn. As an Arkansas fan, do you wish you guys could give Petrino his "second chance" and bring him back? He disgraced the school, but was a damn good coach...and wouldn't it be a bit tough to watch him succeed at another SEC school?

I'd like to mention that I am fully aware that Petrino would not be asked to coach at arky. I just want to hear the thoughts about it all from an arky fan.