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So long, and thanks for all the Nutts
I got sucked into the Arkansas-LSU game in the third quarter yesterday because Sam was watching it and kept making exclamations like, “Omigosh!” and “Daddy, you’ve got to see this!” and “Wow!” I just couldn’t concentrate, so I plopped down and was quickly enthralled with the drama as unranked Arkansas dashed the hopes of #1-ranked LSU in a triple overtime game.It must have haunted LSU fans, because the only other loss they’d had all season was also in a triple overtime to Kentucky. Elton had a great post about LSU’s lost dreams here.It must have been equally frustrating (and every other team facing Arkansas this year) to have only one gameplan on defense: Stop Darren McFadden. And being completely unable to do so.
Right now, McFadden is in the hunt (again!) for the Heisman Trophy, but I don’t think he’ll get it. Not that he doesn’t deserve it.
However, he’s played for a coach who has been completely inept at creating an offense that would enable McFadden to truly become the player he could have been. It’s a completely astounding tribute to his athletic skills and prowess that he’s done what he’s done in an offense that is totally dependent upon and built around him. It has been aided by the addition of two other amazing backs: Felix Jones and Payton Hillis. They took some of the heat off McFadden.
However, with Arkansas’ final season game being played, I am optimistic that it is also Coach Houston Nutt’s last regular season game as coach of the Arkansas Razorbacks. I’ve been sounding off about this for over a year (here, here, and here) – even doing so before most folks in my area would acknowledge that Arkansas needed a fresh perspective.
Nutt’s uninspired, frequently frustrating coaching strategies when combined with a maddening multi-million dollar salary serves only to prove the U of A’s poor stewardship of its fans’ finances.
The rumor around the state for the past three weeks has been that Nutt will be leaving at the end of this year, his tenth year as head football coach. Perhaps Arkansas fans will no longer have to say, “Wait ’till next year,” after another botched season, in spite of all the talent necessary to finish in the top-5 or 10.
For now, however, every Arkansas fan has something to be proud of – an athlete that will most definitely be picked in the first round in next year’s NFL draft (and may be the No. 1 overall pick!), a team that knocked off rival and national #1 team LSU in their final season game, a happy finish to an otherwise mediocre (again) year, and a stable full of talented athletes for the development of a new coach.
I am ambivalent about Nutt leaving. While I think he made some huge mistakes with the Springdale bunch and obviously has some personal issues, the players like him and play hard for him — regardless of how ineffective the game plan is. Also, at this point, the Razorback fan-base has made such collective @##&^%!’s of themselves, no good coach in his right mind would take the Arkansas job. We’re either going to end up with a washed-up re-tread (like Danny Ford) or we’ll have to take a flyer on someone (like Jack Crowe).
Elton’s last blog post..Balkan theif
i agree. the fans are the worst. soooo fickle, that i almost feel sorry for nutt. especially if he truly is a brutha. i hate lsu almost as much as the hogs, so i really didnt care who won.
espn today said that mcfadden is the #1 pick for heisman. i think nutt pushed him towards that last nite, having him take snaps and such
All I know is I’m SO excited that the Hogs won… it made me forgive Nutt for whatever his flaws might be… even if for just one night. 😉 No, really, I also feel like the fans are really wavering… they love Nutt if the hogs win, and blame souly him if they don’t… I really don’t care.. but I was happy to knock LSU down a peg or two!
Mandy’s last blog post..Thank you!
LSU’s ineptitude aside (how, in overtime, with Arkansas faced with making that 4th and 10 or the game is finito, do you give that pass up??), I think it’s rather amusing that Nutt gets blamed when Arkansas loses, and he gets blamed when they win.
McFadden was way too inconsistent this year to win the Heisman. Not that that should matter… if you look at the performance of past Heisman winners in the NFL, it’s rather uninspiring. Isn’t that right, Reggie….
dean’s last blog post..don?t buck the huck
What a game! It was so much fun to see the Razorbacks do really well and beat a #1 team. I really hope McFadden wins the Heisman. He deserves it because of his versatility, his unselfish attitude, and his all-out play. What other team has a running back who also plays quarterback on 40 (something) % of the plays like he did yesterday!
As for Houston Nutt, I think you’re too rough on him.