Don

April 23rd, 2012 at 4:22 PM ^

This makes no sense whatsoever on so many different levels. You can't tell me that there aren't at least 20 better candidates who would drop everything to coach at Arkansas. Somewhere there's a young coach at some minor school who's just waiting for his opportunity to kick serious ass at a BCS-level program with a recruiting base to kill for and facilities that would make whatever he's had to work with pale in comparison. A 39-year old guy with a funny German name got his chance a bunch of years ago, and he showed that Don Canham was a genius when it came to hiring coaches. It boggles my mind when a program like Arkansas goes with an over-the-hill retread like John L.

markusr2007

April 23rd, 2012 at 4:22 PM ^

Why make a bad situation worse? Is there anything that John L. Smith could do that the Offensive Coordinator couldn't do for one lousy season at presumably half the price?  

The fan meltdown and all of the LSU/'Bama rofling over at ESPN right now is another distraction the Razorbacks team could do without.  Speaking of distract.....Hey, look, Dabo Swinney is still the HC at Clemson!

Rasmus

April 23rd, 2012 at 4:46 PM ^

I'm going to guess that naming anyone named Petrino head coach was a non-starter. So to keep him and the rest of the staff, they're bringing back Smith.

This isn't the best thing they could have done, but I don't think it necessarily makes things worse. Those LSU and Tide fans may not be altogether pleased with the end result if the Arkansas staff stays together and Smith doesn't mess with the status quo.

Md23Rewls

April 23rd, 2012 at 4:24 PM ^

We should have been in in the national contender picture with this hire. The AD hired me, he shouldn't have hired me! That's a dang athletic director mistake! The coaches are at the program coaching their tails off, and the athletic director is out there screwing it up!

Roachgoblue

April 23rd, 2012 at 4:30 PM ^

People realize the big ten has been flipping horrible the last seven years. State plays the same and the rest of the teams improve, except Minnesota. State slips back into terrible outcomes, because lets be honest they have been playing poorly coached teams (yes Rich Rod you sucked at coaching). John L goes to Minnesota and beats MSU 3 straight. Dicktonio is termed for sucking and being dirty while still losing. John L is rehired at State and they never beat us again. Thanks Arkansas!

msimms

April 23rd, 2012 at 4:34 PM ^

 

There is a rumor that there have been offers extended to Teddy Ruxpin and H.R. Pufnstuf for positions as offensive and defensive coordinators.

Yooper

April 23rd, 2012 at 5:09 PM ^

screw this up so badly?  Since they couldn't get a big name (or any good HC) to take the job now, they were committed to a search next year.  Bringing back JLS sends the message to the current staff that none of them will get the permanent job.  How is that for a motivator?  They should have elevated an existing assistant to interim HC-that might at least create some motivation for the existing team and assistants.  Then Long tops off his mistake by bringing Smith in-a has been short-timer.  The only winner is Smith, who gets to fatten his retirement fund.

FieldingBLUE

April 23rd, 2012 at 5:31 PM ^

but not from JLS's.

While he was Petrino's special teams coach for three years and Petrino had been his assistant at Lville, JLS had just taken a long-term HC gig at Weber State...his ALMA MATER. So he's leaving his alma mater to get a one-year interim gig at Arkansas, one he's likely going to caretake for a year until they get a real coach.

Why would JLS do this...?

Oh, he's JLS.

ChuckieWoodson

April 23rd, 2012 at 6:05 PM ^

he's one hell of a talent evaluator. 

Arkansas special teams coach John L. Smith has no doubts about Ryan Mallett's ability to be a college punter. "If he were not a quarterback and could spend more time working at it, he could probably be a heck of a punter, maybe even punt at the next level," Smith said.

 

 

rjc

April 23rd, 2012 at 7:21 PM ^

Would it be wrong to hope for a major Saban scandal to develop over the next few months?  I like the sound of Interim head coach Bobby Williams and his Crimson Tide in Dallas...

Waters Demos

April 23rd, 2012 at 9:26 PM ^

The guy actually recruited some decent offensive talent.  And when the offense was working, it was fun as hell to watch.

It was his defense, and particularly his secondary, and general asshattery that made him such a disgrace. 

Likeable though, if you get past the whole "ran your program into the ground" part.