Eric the Red Posted January 2, 2004 Share Posted January 2, 2004 Here it is, what we have been waiting for. Apparently an offer is on the table. eric"the red" Arkansas coach weighing NU offer BY ELIZABETH MERRILL AND RICH KAIPUST WORLD-HERALD BUREAU RELATED STORIES -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- » W-H Online Edition: NU in Transition LINCOLN - Arkansas Coach Houston Nutt was considering an offer close to $2 million to become Nebraska's head football coach Friday, and Razorbacks Athletic Director Frank Broyles said he didn't know whether Nutt was facing a deadline on his decision. Houston Nutt Broyles told The World-Herald that he talked with Nutt on Friday morning and was waiting for his sixth-year head coach to inform him of his intentions. "If he hasn't made up his mind," Broyles said, "then he's talking to both sides and each side confuses him." As of Friday morning, the Nebraska sports information department said there was no press conference scheduled in Lincoln. Nebraska Athletic Director Steve Pederson flew to Fayetteville, Ark., on Thursday night to meet with Nutt. He returned alone at 11:35 p.m. Thursday, arriving by private charter at York Municipal Airport. When asked about his trip, Pederson said, "No comment." William E. Clark, the chairman of the University of Arkansas Board of Trustees, said Nebraska's offer was close to $2 million. Clark said that the Razorback Foundation probably couldn't come close to matching the Nebraska offer. But people close to Nutt say one of his biggest concerns is job security at Arkansas because he'll lose most of his starters from this year's team. Not only do the Razorbacks have 25 seniors, they have some juniors considering the NFL draft that could lead to 17 of 22 starters moving on. Clark said part of a counteroffer may involve an assurance that Nutt will keep his job with the Razorbacks regardless of what happens in 2004. "If I was in his shoes," Clark said, "and somebody wanted me to take a job where a guy had just been fired for going 9-3 and my best record was 9-3 in five years at Arkansas, I'd stop and think about it a little bit, even though the money is wonderful." Clark estimated that Nutt's package at Arkansas is currently $1.1 million. Spurned by at least one National Football League coach, Pederson met with Nutt just 24 hours after Pederson called Broyles to get his permission to do so. Nutt, 46, led Arkansas to an Independence Bowl victory over Missouri on Wednesday night in Shreveport, La. Thursday, Broyles had told the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, "I think he's going. I think it's a 90 percent chance that he is. I could be wrong, but that's my experience with coaches." Pederson, who has been conducting a private one-man search since he fired Frank Solich on Nov. 29, has been a busy man this week. The Associated Press reported Thursday that Kansas City Chiefs Offensive Coordinator Al Saunders turned Pederson down for the job Tuesday. Also Thursday, The World-Herald learned from three people close to the situation that Nebraska officials had been in talks with Philadelphia Eagles Offensive Coordinator Brad Childress. Childress and his agent, Bob LaMonte, did not immediately return phone calls. When asked Thursday night whether Nutt was Pederson's top candidate now, Broyles said, "Well, I think there have been a lot of people turning him down." It was widely speculated that Miami Dolphins Coach Dave Wannstedt may have been offered the Nebraska job, but those plans fell through when Wannstedt contract was extended earlier this week. Wannstedt may have recommended Nutt to Pederson. Wannstedt was on the Oklahoma State staff when Nutt played there in 1979 and '80. Nutt, a native of Little Rock, has deep ties to Arkansas and was even a ball boy for the Razorbacks as a kid. He has taken the program to a bowl game in each of his six seasons. Arkansas wrapped up a 9-4 season Wednesday night, the school's third nine-win campaign since Nutt arrived in 1998. Nutt has a 48-27 record at Arkansas. Solich was 58-19 in six years after replacing Tom Osborne at Nebraska. One criticism of Nutt at Arkansas has been the number of off-field problems for his players. According to the Fort Smith (Ark.) Times Record, 28 Razorbacks have been arrested since 1997, including 20 since January of 2001. Nutt is under contract with Arkansas for the next six years in a deal that rolls over annually. "My personal opinion is that with people who have the character of Houston Nutt, money is not an issue," Broyles said Thursday. Nebraska sports information director Chris Anderson said today she couldn't confirm or deny if an offer had been made to Nutt. "I won't have an announcement until there's one to make," Anderson said. Earlier this week, two people who have had conversations with NU athletic officials told The World-Herald that Pederson's search would be wrapped up by the end of the weekend. World-Herald staff writers Karyn Spencer and Mitch Sherman contribut Quote Link to comment
Eric the Red Posted January 2, 2004 Author Share Posted January 2, 2004 Decision needs to be made by 5 pm according to the Lincoln Journal Star. Broyles the Arkansas AD said it would not be feasible to match the offer of 2 million, but it doesn't seem to be that easy. The AD says its about 60-40 he'll stay because of his feelings for Arkansas. It's all up to Nutt, as they would say the ball is certainly in his court. eric "the red" stay at huskerboard for the latest. Quote Link to comment
Redout Posted January 2, 2004 Share Posted January 2, 2004 ESPN weighs in with basically the same type of stuff. Here's the link in case your curious http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=1698736 redout Quote Link to comment
Guest WyomingHusker Posted January 3, 2004 Share Posted January 3, 2004 WE WANT BO! Quote Link to comment
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