Arkansas has options

Arkansas AD with tough decision, but many options

Lashedric Dailey

 

              With Les Miles getting an extension and a raise, there is no way that he will be headed to Arkansas any time soon. And even with Alabama defensive coordinator Kirby Smart making it clear that he is not leaving Nick Saban’s side; I still think that there are plenty coaches available for the Hogs to pick from. Here is a list of five coaches the Razorbacks should look at:

 

5.)                Starting the list is ex-Hog and Arkansas State head coach Gus Malzahn. Malzahn is an offensive master mind, and not many people can tell you in detail how to attack the power house Alabama defense. Malzahn did that and he has already been a coordinator for the Hogs. Jeff Long could decide to bring him back. The big question I have is will Malzahn be able to bring the defensive recruits to make Arkansas a winning program in the SEC.

4.)                Louisville Head coach Charlie Strong. Strong has turned Louisville into a good football program this year. They are 9-2 and playing for the BIG East Championship. I like Strong for a number of reasons. First, he has SEC experience, being the defensive coordinator at South Carolina from 1999-2001 and the defensive coordinator at Florida from 2002-2009. Strong is also from Arkansas, and went to college in Arkansas. This is a coach Jeff Long should take a long look at.

 

3.)                Oklahoma State Head coach Mike Grundy. He’s a great pick to me because Grundy is one of

the best offensive coaches in college football. The Oklahoma State Cowboys are a high powered, offensive team, like Hog fans have been used to watching these past years. With Grundy, the Razorbacks would be a very high scoring team, which would appeal well to young recruits.
                 

2.)                TCU head coach Gary Patterson. Patterson is a winner. That’s what he does, and that’s what TCU is known for. He is 116-34 as head coach for TCU. I think that Arkansas can be beneficial to Patterson in that there’s a school in the SEC, and that he could finally get his shot at a National championship. Patterson would bring to Arkansas a very strong Texas recruiting pipeline. This could be a great fit.

 

1.)   John Gruden, ESPN analyst and former Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach. This is my number one pick because Gruden has something that all the other coaches don’t: a super bowl ring. Nothing speaks to a top recruit more than a coach that can get them pro ready. This could be the move that makes Arkansas a power house.