BRIAN CURTIS
Curtis is CSTV.com's Senior Writer and CSTV's football and basketball insider. E-mail
As the business of college football has grown, so too have the pressures of finding and hiring football coaches. CSTV.com examines this trend by looking at the new "kingmakers" in college football, in an exclusive six part series, from agents to donors to administrators to search consultants to the media; they all play a role in determining who the next man ruling the sidelines on Saturday will be.
Like West Virginia, the University of Arkansas needed a head football coach.After losing Houston Nutt, they hired Bobby Petrino in a matter of days in December, pulling off the feat under the nose of the ever-watchful media.In 2007, Chancellor Dr. John White had watched as the basketball search collapsed after the school had fired Stan Heath.His replacement, Creighton coach Dana Altman, accepted, then backed out after one day on the job.John Pelphrey eventually took over.White's involvement in looking for replacements for Nolan Richardson, Heath and Nutt couldn't have been more different.
After the controversial firing of Richardson, who had accused the school of racism before threatening administrators to buy out his remaining years, White was in the middle of a firestorm.As athletic director Frank Broyles and a search committee narrowed down the list of candidates, including KentState's Heath, White stepped up his involvement.And when Heath asked if he could bring his wife with him to Fayetteville for his official interview, the Chancellor opened up his house--literally.Wanting to ensure that Heath's wife, Ramona, would be comfortable in Arkansas, White arranged for a dinner party with various couples at his house.Days later Heath was introduced as the head basketball coach.But after Heath posted an 82-71 record in four years at the helm, including two NCAA Tournament appearances, White and Broyles decided a new direction was needed.
So when Broyles was again searching for a new basketball coach, White took an even more active role, knowing that Broyles was stepping down at the end of December and that he, White, would remain.He flew to Dallas with Broyles and a member of Broyles' staff and spoke with Pelphrey face to face."I personally called John that evening to extend him an offer and to discuss the terms.I just felt with Frank leaving, John needed to know that I was actively involved."
Arkansas football was a whole other matter. In 2006, the Razorbacks had a dream season, going 10-4 and winning the SEC West title.Despite some mild controversy during the season at the quarterback position, all seemed rosy in Fayetteville.But when the season ended, Internet reports surfaced about a major rift between Nutt and his star freshman quarterback, Mitch Mustain, as well as Mustain's high school coach and Arkansas offensive coordinator, Gus Malzahn.Mustain wanted to transfer and Malzahn was leaving too.Further reports revealed a close friend of Nutt's had sent Mustain threatening emails.Then came a Freedom of Information Act request for Nutt's cell phone records which indicated thousands of calls and texts to a local newswoman as well as calls to towns that had coaching vacancies (Miami and Raleigh) in the previous year.
Broyles announced on Feb. 17, 2007, that he would be stepping down at the end of the calendar year, ending a 50-year run at the university.White took it upon himself to search for Broyles' replacement.White made the calls and did the interviews, finally announcing that Long, then Pittsburgh's athletic director, would take over the Razorbacks' athletic department on Jan. 1, 2008.Though Broyles wouldn't be stepping down until the end of December, the Chancellor asked Long to start work early."I told Jeff the reason I brought him here in October was that I wanted him to be ready if Houston left.With everything that had gone on, I anticipated that Houston would choose to exit.I wanted Jeff to start thinking back in October.`You make a recommendation and I will support it', I told him."
Amazingly, the first time White met new football coach Bobby Petrino was at his late-night introductory press conference Dec. 11 in Fayetteville.Long had discussed the potential hire with White, and the chancellor offered his support, but with a reminder: "I told him that he would be judged on this hiring," no matter what else Long did in Fayetteville.But how did Long even come up with Petrino as the top candidate and what role did big money donors play in the process?
"In the case of Petrino, there was no role played by donors," insists White."Jeff [Long] did benefit from the advice of Jerry and Steve Jones, both Arkansas alums."Jerry Jones, the owner of the Dallas Cowboys, is a former Arkansas player and a member of the school's Board of Trustees.The Cowboys' scouts went over a short list of names and told Long that all of them would be great coaches for Arkansas.Long also used his relationship with the Pittsburgh Steelers, and their scouts gave input as well."But Jerry never suggested a candidate", says White.What about other big-money donors who seem to play a role at SEC schools?"Donors would call me and give me potential coaches and I would always thank them and share the names with Jeff.I would also call them back and explain why we were headed in another direction and they would simply thank me."
Jones and donors like the Walton Family, Tyson Family, Jim Lindsey and Ralph Bradbury, exert enormous influence on all things Arkansas.They may not tell you exactly who to fire and who to hire, but they sure can make it easier - or much more difficult.
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