It’s T minus 96 hours until the much-anticipated start of the Bobby Petrino era. But after reading CJLR’s hilarious put-down of Houston Nutt in the comments thread of John’s afternoon post, I’m suddenly feeling slightly nostalgic for the text-messaging Hall-of-Famer.

Don’t get me wrong: I think it was time for a change of leadership in Fayetteville, and I understand why many found him so irritating. But I have to admit that I usually got a big kick out of Houston’s sideline antics and his enthusiastic outbursts. And he was never more “Houston Nutt” than in the moments after last November’s glorious victory over LSU. So before we go forward, here’s a brief look back at Houston’s giddy final moments on a Razorback sideline:

Believe it or not, the start of the 2008 Hog football season is less than two weeks away. With the first kickoff fast approaching, we decided it was time to give our readers some expert analysis of this year’s team. However, we couldn’t find anyone in our organization capable of such a task, so we turned to Tom Murphy, a Razorback beat reporter for the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. He was gracious enough to take a few minutes out of his hectic schedule to answer our questions about Bobby Petrino’s first Arkansas team as well as a couple about the coach himself. Many thanks, Tom.

Lots of prognosticators say the Hogs are in for a very rough year. You’ve been around the team for a few weeks now: Do you agree with the predictions, or do you think the Hogs have the tools to surprise?

While I maintain Arkansas doesn’t have the weapons, the depth and the immersion into the Petrino system it needs to contend for the SEC West title, I don’t think it rules the Razorbacks out from being competitive and from sticking it to a favorite or two along the way. I’m predicting at least two wins, possibly three, from this group of games: at Texas, Alabama, Florida, at Auburn, at Kentucky, at South Carolina, LSU.

Obviously the Hogs lost a lot of key players after last year. Given what you’ve seen while being around the team, which current players are ready to step into the void and be the new locker room leaders?

This group includes obvious guys like C Jonathan Luigs and QB Casey Dick. I think RB Michael Smith is a decent leader for the running backs. You can see London Crawford taking on that mantle with the receivers, so he just needs to back it up with consistent play.

Defense is a different story. CB Jamar Love and WLB Elston Forte are two of the team captains on that side of the ball — along with DT Malcolm Sheppard — and they’d like to lead, but Love is being pushed hard for a starting job by Ramon Broadway, and Forte’s injury has dulled his impact in the leadership department. Guys like senior safety Dallas Washington, Sheppard, NG Ernest Mitchell and redshirt freshman MLB Jerry Franklin all have to play a role.

Which new players should we be the most excited about?

I think Jarius Wright will have the most immediate impact, from being the lead punt returner to a guy who could catch 4-5 balls a game. He’s catching on a little quicker than Joe Adams in the receiving corps, and the coaches love his toughness. De’Anthony Curtis was taking reps with the starters before his knee injury, so when he returns to health, I’d suspect he’ll be snagging a few carries away from Michael Smith in the run game. Curtis and fellow frosh Dennis Johnson will both get snaps and will both be used in the passing game.

On defense, Elton Ford is on the verge of winning a job at free safety, and he might be the most dedicated striker on that side of the ball. His emergence is pushing Matt Harris toward better play. Also, unless Elston Forte comes back with a bang, he might lose his starting job to one of two freshmen: Khiry Battle or Jelani Smith. Also, Lavunce Askew is coming on strong on the defensive interior, Jerico Nelson is No. 2 at the “jack,” and Zach Stadther has a shot at playing time up front.

There’s reason to be excited about this class, which should fuel Arkansas’ return to SEC contention in the coming years.

The Hogs have an absolutely brutal schedule this year. If they’re going to pull an upset, against which opponent are they most likely to do so?

(Read on …)

For the Razorback blogosphere, Houston Dale Nutt is truly the gift that keeps on giving, even after he’s taken up residence in Oxford, Miss. The hilarious Tre Baker of ArkansasSports360.com is asking his readers to supply captions for the photo below, which surely has to rank among the great moments in the history of photojournalism. The pic shows Nutt and the members of the the Ole Miss Ladies Football Forum about to take the field last Saturday for some sort of pep rally. According to Mr. Baker, the funniest captions may end up featured in an upcoming print edition of ArkansasSports360.com. Even if you don’t enter the contest, you need to check out the entries. Funny stuff.

• Maybe He and Sonny Can Share a Place. Peyton Hillis has signed a contract with the Denver Broncos, although terms of the deal have not been disclosed.

 • The Bad News Hogs. Jeff Alexander of Point-Spreads.com has peered into his crystal ball, and you won’t like what he sees for Bobby Petrino’s first Razorback team: a dead-last finish in the SEC West. Says Alexander: “Two years ago the Razorbacks were among the best teams in the nation. Last year, they were still explosive offensively and very competitive. This year, the rebuilding project begins under a new head man. With players asked to learn such a different offensive system and with so many new players being asked to step into expanded rolls, growing pains are inevitable.” Question: Is any player capable of being our Kelly Leak and saving us from such a horrible fate?

• We’re Number 26!! Some high-falutin’ number crunchers at SI.com have determined that Arkansas and Western Kentucky tied for the 26th best athletic program during the 2007-’08 school year.

• Rebel Fans Ready to Get Their Nutt On. The Clarion-Ledger newspaper has an article on the lovefest currently underway between Houston Nutt and Ole Miss fans. We can already hardly wait for the Ole Miss-Arkansas match-up in Fayetteville this fall. Think that will get much coverage in the Arkansas media?

• Sweating the Big Stuff. Jim Harris of ArkansasSports360.com has an interesting piece on the issues that have college basketball coaches tossing and turning all through the night.

• Go Hog Go. Former Razorback and Benton native Cliff Lee will have the eyes of the baseball world upon him this evening, when he will be the starting pitcher for the American League in one of the sporting world’s most boring events: the Major League All-Star Game. The Cleveland Indian southpaw sports an impressive 12-2 record (which is even more impressive when you consider his team has a decidedly unimpressive 41-53 record) and a nifty 2.31 ERA. If history holds, Lee won’t pitch more than two innings, meaning he will likely already be on a plane home by the time the game hits the late innings (we hear All-Stars aren’t big on sticking around once they’ve been removed from the game). Here’s wishing Cliff the best of luck.

• Baby Needs a New Pair of Shoes. Courtesy of the inimitable Deadspin, we came across this Vegas Insider.com listing of teams’ odds of winning the 2009 BCS National Championship Game. The team with the best chance? Southern California, with odds of 3 to 1. Florida has the next-best chance, the site says, with odds of 5 to 1. And how ’bout the Hogs … well, how ’bout odds of 100 to 1? Perhaps it’s best to hold off on buying those plane tickets to Miami for now.

• Speaking of Vegas … The Razorbloggers have a nice piece on Sonny Weems’ impressive NBA Summer League debut in the desert.

• Prediction Time. The staff at ArkansasSports360.com has released a batch of predictions for the upcoming SEC football season. One of the highlights: “Ole Miss and Houston Nutt set the world afire for two months, then fold up like a cheap pup tent in November and end season with a one-point loss to Mississippi State.”

• “To An Athlete Dying Old.” That’s the title of a touching tribute to former Razorback footballer Wayne Jackson penned by the Arkansas Times’ Derek Jenkins and published on his “A Boy Named Sooie” blog. Jackson died earlier this month. To read the tribute, just click here.

Links to get your week started right:

* A Kentucky fan rates the home court advantage afforded by the various SEC basketball arenas. The best quote: “Arkansas fans rule”. Aw shucks, now we’re blushing. Anyway, if you’re curious as to where he ranks Bud Walton, I’ll keep you in suspense a little longer…your answer is right here.

* A few weeks ago I noted the running joke on the Chicago Bears’ message board about Marcus Monk being an all-powerful super being. Well, the fun continues as Bears fans speculate on how Monk would fare in the high-stakes world of competitive eating.

* “The Return of Hope in 2008″ - the new Barack Obama campaign slogan? A marketing campaign for the Watermelon City? Nope, it’s the title of a Bleacher Report blog post by an Ole Miss fan. In case you’re wondering what exactly that cause for hope is, here’s a sample quote:

“Win or lose, they will leave it all on the field. They will play intelligently and soundly. They will execute. They will understand the fundamental elements of the game. And their leader’s decision making will serve as a strength, rather than a handicap.”

* This is officially ancient history (2007), but I just stumbled across a link that’s too hilarious not to share. Apparently, back during his freewheeling cell phone days, Nutt accidentally dialed the wrong number of some lady in North Carolina a couple of times. Then, when the number was published as part of that FOIA mess, some psycho Hog fans began calling her at all hours of the day (and night). I can only imagine how confusing all that must have been for her.

* The Sporting News college football preview is out and, for what it’s worth, they rank the Nutt the 4th best new hire and Bobby Petrino the 5th best. A more interesting list would have been if they’d shown us where all the other potential Arkansas hires would have ranked…what about Jim Grobe? Tommy Tuberville? Tommy Bowden??

Hmm…lots of Houston Nutt content in this hodge podge. I didn’t plan it that way, but something tells me that he’ll be the source of much blog fodder for many months to come.

What’s everyone’s favorite ex-Razorback coach up to these days over in Oxford? Well, according to this glowing profile in the Laurel (MS) Leader-Call, he’s certainly taking the locals by storm. Here’s the money quote:

If you meet Nutt, you will be impressed even if you are not a Rebel fan. He is an excellent people person who is a great communicator. His passion for what he does comes out very quickly. He has that look in his eye that draws you in. The look speaks outwardly that he cares about what he is selling. In this case, Ole Miss football was the sales pitch to these eager takers. When he spoke to the Rebels fans in attendance in a one-on-one meeting during the night, they all came away with these thoughts: Nutt is a genuine and a very likeable down-to-earth person with a special passion for what he does.

Also, it’s nice to see that he was able to stay true to his unique fashion sense by finding a goofy straw hat with the Ole Miss logo on it:

* Bye-Bye Beverley? - That’s the jarring headline of Brandon Marcello’s latest Slophouse blog entry. According to the post, Patrick has been making some comments on his Facebook page that could lead some to believe that he won’t be with the Hogs next season, including “I’m leaving.” Apparently, though, the page doesn’t make it clear exactly what he will be leaving. But … Marcello says he ran into Patrick at this weekend’s Real Deal on the Hill AAU Tournament, and Beverley wouldn’t comment on the matter. That doesn’t sound good.

* More Hoops News: Pelphrey continues to add to his 2008 recruiting class by inking 6-7 forward John Henry, who played high school ball in West Memphis and spent last season at Cincinnati Harmony Prep School. And, scroll down about halfway through this story, and you’ll see that the Hogs could also add 6-5 shooting guard Nick Williams of Mobile, Ala., this week. He might come in extra handy if indeed Patrick decides to take his act elsewhere.

* Draft Talk: Next Saturday marks the arrival of what I find to be the sporting world’s most obnoxious event: the NFL Draft. I usually avoid this like the plague. This year, however, there are two obvious reasons to tune in: McFadden and Jones, and I’m sure that a hefty percentage of this week’s postings will deal with speculation concerning the two. Here’s some material that’s sure to be a conversation starter: Fox NFL Analyst Brian Baldinger is no fan of D-Mac:

“I think he’s the colossal bust in this draft. He doesn’t run with patience. He’s a very incomplete back who tries to run you over. If he gets a crease, he can take it to the house. But he doesn’t break tackles and he fumbles. I’m not impressed.”

And add this unnamed scout to the list of those not overly enamored with No. 5:

“I can’t believe how skinny his calves and his shins are. It’s almost scary. It’s like a skinny wide receiver. At the running back position, you want a guy who’s a little wider on his base. is built on top, but he’s got a very skinny base. I think that’s a little bit of a concern.”

* Practice Makes Perfect - To stay on top of the football team’s spring practice, be sure to check out the Razorbloggers’ top-notch and highly detailed daily reports.

* I’m in Charge Here - Houston Nutt is back to doing what many Razorback fans think he does worst: calling plays.

Well, well, well: That was a nice win on Saturday. Hopefully, it’s an indication of things to come. We should find out soon enough, as SEC play begins Thursday with a nationally televised vist to Auburn. In the meantime, here are some items of interest from ’round the Web:

* Rivals.com says Patrick Beverley is currently the 17th best shooting guard in the nation.

* One of the Razorbloggers files an eyewitness report of Saturday’s Baylor game.

* Still stuck on 798: Eddie Sutton has yet to guide San Francisco to a win, and he’s already decided that he won’t be sticking around the Bay Area after the season ends. Still, he sounds like he’s in pretty good spirits and is enjoying one final round of coaching.

* The wrath of Pelphrey: The new coach notched his fourth technical foul in the Baylor victory.

* Nutts About Oxford: The Jackson Clarion-Ledger newspaper has an interesting article on Houston Nutt’s move to Ole Miss. Says Houston: “It’s been rejuvenating.” (Link courtesy of ArkansasSports360.com.)

After his excellent work before and after the LSU game and his top-notch pre-Cotton Bowl analysis, we once again turn to one of our favorite commenters, Tab Prewett, to get his thoughts on the New Year’s Day bloodletting in Dallas. So, sit back and enjoy his feisty take on the latest sorry chapter in Arkansas’ pathetic bowl history:

Losing breeds negativity, and we’re now left with nine months of negative memories of the Nutt era, each inept area on prominent display yesterday. Fortunately, the Nutt era is finished because I don’t think I could stand another few years of special teams bumbles, offensive dullness, defensive inconsistency and terrible quarterback play. What was consistent about Nutt’s teams was their inconsistency. Like the emotions of the man himself, when Nutt’s teams were down, they were awful.

The main reason we even played in the Cotton Bowl was in homage to both Broyles’ legacy and the certainty that Arkansas fans would buy a large number of tickets and secure a Cotton Bowl profit. Truthfully, neither team should have been in the Cotton Bowl. We deserved lesser, Missouri greater. Because of our tradition of impeccable Dallas attendance, we got thrown into a game against a superior team motivated to show it deserved more respect, while we had to play amidst the chaos of a coaching search and with the self-satisfaction of just being glad to be there. Scarily, it could have been much worse.

When Missouri stuffed the I-formation numerous times in the first half, I kept waiting for a total commitment to the WildHog. David Lee stuck though to the standard offense, and we suffered because of it. With no blocking, Darren and Felix had no hope. When we went to the Wildhog in the third quarter and scored, I thought maybe Lee would see the light. But, no, like a trained dog, he went back to his Nutt tricks, hoping against all odds that Casey Dick would suddenly make plays. We’ve all seen Dick under pressure before, and it’s an ugly sight.

(Read on …)