The RBR Mailbag: A Hog Responds

As an avid Hog fan, I appreciate your (usually) objective assessment of matters, even though you obviously bleed crimson. I would take a slight exception to your comments about Arkansas and Nutt. Yes, just like a marriage that has gone South, sometimes it's better for both parties to walk away before it becomes worse. But a large part of the discontent from many Arkansas fans (including this writer) has more to do with Nutt's off-the-field antics than simply wins and losses.

Granted, his 50% winning percentage in the SEC is not acceptable, especially when you factor in that most of the victories came against Ole Miss and MSU. [He is 0 for Georgia and 0 for Florida.] Furthermore, the fact that he has the two best running backs in the SEC (and probably the country) coupled with a ridiculous non-conference schedule, should have produced no worse than a 9-3 record this season. But more importantly (to many), Nutt succeeded in "running off" the top-rated QB (Parade magazine cover boy) in the country in Mitch Mustain and an outstanding assistant coach (and creator of the Wildhog package) Gus Malzahn for no other reason than his personal ego. That is unacceptable from anybody, whether it's Steve Spurrier or Nick Saban. In addition, he lost the two best Arkansas high school players from 2006 to Auburn (QB Kodi Burns and starting RT Lee Ziemba).

Can the Hogs do better? That remains to be seen. Arkansas fans can be a bit unrealistic in thinking that we have an elite program that would pull a top-flight coach like Pete Carroll or Steve Spurrier. However, when Nutt came here ten years ago, he promised to do two things: 1) Compete for a national championship and 2) "Build a wall" around the state borders when it came to recruiting. He has done neither. Combining those failures with his other problems, leads to the best resolution for both: departure.

Here's hoping for a McFadden Heisman and a Cotton Bowl victory.

Go Hogs!!