2017 Outlook

[Romeo]

Bielema officially out as head coach. Press conference scheduled for 7:30pm.

[beach bum]

What a weird year.... No words really right now from me.

[bdubyab60]

Expected. Maybe not quite like this but I'm pretty sure B.B. knew

[High Voltage]

Bye!

[bleudog]

One domino has fallen:  Chip Kelly is hired by UCLA

http://beta.latimes.com/sports/nba/la-sp-ucla-chip-kelly-20171125-story.html

[bdubyab60]

Florida waited one week to long

[RZback]

Arkansas better get busy or the best coaches will be gone and we will get another also-ran.  Got to find a great coach, recruiter who will hang around.

[bdubyab60]

They said today there wouldn't be a search committee. So I'm assuming they have a list of probably 5 guys for HC. Now if we get turned down by 5 or so guys and have to do a search committee then It's time to worry.

A few of these guys will have teams playing in conference title games next week

[sportsguy80]

Ok I'm curious. If Auburn wins out(big or small if), I wonder will he stay? I know there are several personal factors going on but you gotta get a sense that Auburn will pay top dollar(Saban money) to stay. So that leads to my next question who is the next favorite selection?

[bdubyab60]

Yeah kinda looking like Gus may not be available. If he leaves there he would have to be super unhappy with that job

[sportsguy80]

Yeah kinda looking like Gus may not be available. If he leaves there he would have to be super unhappy with that job

I can say that earlier this season when he lost those games there was a lot of chatter about replacing him and forcing him out. It's amazing what knocking off two number 1s and a win streak can do in a matter of time. I know he's enjoying his success and won't rush to make a decision.

[RZback]

There was a lot of talk about his being gone if he dropped the Bama game.  I'm not going to care if he doesn't come to Arkansas.  I don't think he will so if he doesn't I don't care.  If he does I'll be a bit surprised and to be honest not real happy either.  I know a lot of people in the state of AR that like him but I know many who do not. 

[nuttinbuthogs]

Top candidates for the Arkansas job? 

[beach bum]

Top candidates for the Arkansas job?

I thought we were going to land Norvell.... But it appears he may go back out to Arizona State where they just fired their coach. Norvell has been at Arizona State so I could see him going back out there. Texas A&M just fired Sumlin, and Miss State is having to replace Mullen now. I did not think Ole Miss would keep their interim coach at all when the year started but they may actually give him a short deal to keep him in place with all the musical chairs going on. What a strange year to say the least.

[HorseFeathers]

I thought we were going to land Norvell.... But it appears he may go back out to Arizona State where they just fired their coach. Norvell has been at Arizona State so I could see him going back out there. Texas A&M just fired Sumlin, and Miss State is having to replace Mullen now. I did not think Ole Miss would keep their interim coach at all when the year started but they may actually give him a short deal to keep him in place with all the musical chairs going on. What a strange year to say the least.

I seen on Twitter that sumlin may be the next HC at Arizona State....

[bdubyab60]

So far that has been reported as being false. But that Sis come out before Sumlin was officially fired.

Hearing Norvell is no longer be considered by the Hogs. Some rumors about him. Reading a lot of Kiffen talk. Not sure what to think about that.

I wouldn't expect much on the Hog side to happen until next week. If Aubbie loses to GA that might put Gus back in play, who knows. But there is so much y'all about him that he seems to be the guy the guys up top want.

[beach bum]

I seen on Twitter that sumlin may be the next HC at Arizona State....

Not a bad spot for him too...

[footballfan-tastic]

Just hope UA doesn't make a pick similar to what Tennessee has done.  Schiano!

[bdubyab60]

News out now that Schiano is backing out. Hasn't liked the reaction of Vol fans. It's a mess there right now. They actually have protestors lol

Hope that doesn't happen when we make our hire

[footballfan-tastic]

I thought we were going to land Norvell.... But it appears he may go back out to Arizona State where they just fired their coach. Norvell has been at Arizona State so I could see him going back out there. Texas A&M just fired Sumlin, and Miss State is having to replace Mullen now. I did not think Ole Miss would keep their interim coach at all when the year started but they may actually give him a short deal to keep him in place with all the musical chairs going on. What a strange year to say the least.

Don't be surprised if Sumlin winds up at Arizona State.  Norvell would be a good choice for Arkansas, young guy we may get for a reasonable salary to start and if he is successful may stay a long time, he has some Arkansas ties. 

[footballfan-tastic]

News out now that Schiano is backing out. Hasn't liked the reaction of Vol fans. It's a mess there right now. They actually have protestors lol

Hope that doesn't happen when we make our hire

Good source from UT says its the top admin at UT and the top money booster says they don't like the choice. Emergency meeting to halt the deal.

[footballfan-tastic]

UA needs to get after a 1st and 2nd choice right now.  If not we get leftovers.

[bdubyab60]

Good source from UT says its the top admin at UT and the top money booster says they don't like the choice. Emergency meeting to halt the deal.

Yep looks like Tenner is still in the market for a coach

[beach bum]

News out now that Schiano is backing out. Hasn't liked the reaction of Vol fans. It's a mess there right now. They actually have protestors lol

Hope that doesn't happen when we make our hire

I can see Vols fans right now..... "NO JUSTICE, NO PEACE" 

[footballfan-tastic]

Tenn has no real front runner at this point.

[footballfan-tastic]

Norvell and Memphis are in top 20 now. 16 or so.

[beach bum]

Norvell and Memphis are in top 20 now. 16 or so.

Got to give Memphis some serious props lately the last few years...

[footballfan-tastic]

Got to give Memphis some serious props lately the last few years...

Memphis has won 37 games in the past 4 seasons.  Fuentes and then Norvell.  The last 17 years for Memphis has been a big improvement over that time, going back to Coach West and Wynnes DeAngelo Williams.

[sportsguy80]

Yeah the worst thing we can do is hire someone out of desperation. On the other, we need to hire both an AD and coach in a timely manner. Recruits are already decommitting but other colleges are playing musical chairs with coaches too. I'm starting to think we might be able to wait on Gus unless he makes a decision within the next week or two which I highly doubt.

[Romeo]

There some chatter on Twitter about Brent Venables being the leading candidate for Arkansas.

[bdubyab60]

Also Norvell has supposedly been offered an extension and raise. Sounds like knows how to play the game

[footballfan-tastic]

I hear Venables is staying put for the time being, supposedly waiting on a certain job to open.  Waiting on Gus may cost UA big time, he'll likely stay at Auburn and use UA as a bargaining chip.  If he looses the SEC championship they may want to can him but unlikely now.  He's not going to choose Arkansas over Auburn.   UA needs to be reasonable, Norvell is a hot commodity, he only makes about 1.8 million, its easy to outbid Memphis who has never been known to go too deep into the pocketbook.  Leach would be a good choice as well although he's a different kind of guy.

[HorseFeathers]

I hear Venables is staying put for the time being, supposedly waiting on a certain job to open.  Waiting on Gus may cost UA big time, he'll likely stay at Auburn and use UA as a bargaining chip.  If he looses the SEC championship they may want to can him but unlikely now.  He's not going to choose Arkansas over Auburn.   UA needs to be reasonable, Norvell is a hot commodity, he only makes about 1.8 million, its easy to outbid Memphis who has never been known to go too deep into the pocketbook.  Leach would be a good choice as well although he's a different kind of guy.

As many people swearing they've got information saying Gus is a done deal as there seems to be....the more it feels like Arkansas is getting played for a pay day by Gus....

[footballfan-tastic]

I doubt anyone knows what Gus is really going to do including Gus.  Why would Gus come back to Arkansas?  Auburn is just a better job, more money, more resources, better recruiting.   Only his ego would bring him back.  If he is successful he would likely move on to another bigger payday at some point.  If he is as good as many Arkansas fans think, he knows moving to Arkansas to coach at UA is not the smart move.  I'm afraid if UA waits on him it will be a loss all around.  What do we get left with.  Arkansas needs to go after whoever it wants and make its best offer quickly.  If they don't accept then move on quickly to the next best choice.

[beach bum]

Gus will leave eventually cause he knows the first time he goes 8-4 he is canned.... That fan base is delusional. They have one of the 5 or 6 best coaches in college and they wanted him fired 3 weeks ago because he was 7-2 with 2 losses by a combined 11 points before the UGA game.

[footballfan-tastic]

UArkansas is in a real mess.  It's a hard place to coach because the fan base is fickle.  They expect more from the program than it can give.  Look at its win loss record since Broyles stopped coaching.  A few guys have done OK but not most.  Heck one of the best coaches as far as win/loss was Houston and half the state couldn't stand him as coach and was thrilled when UA cut him loose.  Will Gus really come here?   I fact will he be successful, can he win 10 a year, the SEC west, the Conference and make it into the bowl championship series in a reasonably quick time frame?

[bleudog]

As many people swearing they've got information saying Gus is a done deal as there seems to be....the more it feels like Arkansas is getting played for a pay day by Gus....

Wasn't he on staff when his head coach did the same thing with Nebraska?

[bdubyab60]

Thai is JMO on the Gus situation, who I wouldn't mind having. I do t think he's playing as some do. Aubbie isn't paying him more to keep him from leaving. If he said hey I'm gone they would say bye IMO. What's happened is after LSU loss he was told he better win out or he's gone. It's already a strained relationship there. They then play us and there is probably a meeting and Gus or is tested the waters. I think everyone expected either a loss to UGA or Bama after that LSU game for Aubbie. Now Gus isn't going to try and lose games on purpose to try and come here, ego and pride won't let that happen. Well low and behold they beat two #1 teams back to back and pretty impressively. He's not gonna come out and say he's leaving when his team is on a run like that. I think all intentions were there on both sides from the LSU game for B.B. to be fired and Gus to be named coach a few days later. Well that's in the wash now.

I see us waiting until the SECCG. If Auburn loses there's still a possibility Gus will be the guy. If they win we must absolutely move on someone else

[beach bum]

Thai is JMO on the Gus situation, who I wouldn't mind having. I do t think he's playing as some do. Aubbie isn't paying him more to keep him from leaving. If he said hey I'm gone they would say bye IMO. What's happened is after LSU loss he was told he better win out or he's gone. It's already a strained relationship there. They then play us and there is probably a meeting and Gus or is tested the waters. I think everyone expected either a loss to UGA or Bama after that LSU game for Aubbie. Now Gus isn't going to try and lose games on purpose to try and come here, ego and pride won't let that happen. Well low and behold they beat two #1 teams back to back and pretty impressively. He's not gonna come out and say he's leaving when his team is on a run like that. I think all intentions were there on both sides from the LSU game for B.B. to be fired and Gus to be named coach a few days later. Well that's in the wash now.

I see us waiting until the SECCG. If Auburn loses there's still a possibility Gus will be the guy. If they win we must absolutely move on someone else

Well said all around....

[bdubyab60]

Not to mention just about every coach on our "LIST" seems to be in a championship game

[footballfan-tastic]

Let's say we wait until the SEC championship game, he wins he makes the championship series, another couple of weeks.  So we are into the new year and waiting on Gus to pick us.  When Auburn decides to keep him where do we look for a coach at that point.  All the other schools that are eliminated will be hiring during that time and what leftover coaches do we have to pick from?

[footballfan-tastic]

Ole Miss is keeping Matt Luke as the new HC.  Not a hire I'd make but you see the hiring is underway, UCLA, Florida, Ole Miss,

[bdubyab60]

Let's say we wait until the SEC championship game, he wins he makes the championship series, another couple of weeks.  So we are into the new year and waiting on Gus to pick us.  When Auburn decides to keep him where do we look for a coach at that point.  All the other schools that are eliminated will be hiring during that time and what leftover coaches do we have to pick from?

Thats what I'm saying. If Gus wins we must move on. There are a few other coaches on our list, second or third options let's say, that are in title games as well. They probably won't leave before those title games which truthfully carry more weight than a bowl game. Most coaches will leave before a bowl game though. We would then see us move on a hire.

Again just my opinion

Again

[footballfan-tastic]

You may be right that other coaches we would be interested in are possibly playing in championship games, most notably Norvell at Memphis.  I don't think we can afford to wait on Gus because I really don't see him coming to Arkansas.. Lots of reasons but I think the end is he stays at Auburn.

[bdubyab60]

Ole Miss is keeping Matt Luke as the new HC.  Not a hire I'd make but you see the hiring is underway, UCLA, Florida, Ole Miss,

Yes it is. But UCLA, Kelly wasn't coaching anyone. FL, Mullen's wasn't going to any meaningful bowl game. Ole miss makes since they are about to get smoked by the NCAA so who really wants that job until they see what the sanctions are.

If our main targets were guys not involved in title games we would already have had a coach I think.

Now after Saturday's championship games and more than a week goes by then we have missed on a bunch of guys

[bdubyab60]

You may be right that other coaches we would be interested in are possibly playing in championship games, most notably Norvell at Memphis.  I don't think we can afford to wait on Gus because I really don't see him coming to Arkansas.. Lots of reasons but I think the end is he stays at Auburn.

Lots of rumors around right now and one is that we are going to pass on Norvell. We will see.

But who really knows we could wake up and there be coach at the podium

[footballfan-tastic]

Hate to think we could wind up in that postion.  Maybe we can get a committment from one of those guys agents, but that means we cannot wait on Gus.  If we are willing to wait on him it may mean waiting until Jan and that could be really bad.

[bdubyab60]

We could have an agreement already in place well. Possibly waiting to announce after this coming weekend

[bigworm]

Just a thought. What about that cat at Iowa state? He must be a pretty good coach.

[bdubyab60]

I don't know much about him. Have heard his name tossed around. But as of now I haven't seen much on him being connected to us just yet.