It only took two days following the dismissal of Sam Pittman as head Hog for the rumors to reach the stratosphere — only this time, the rumor in question was not about Jon Gruden.
A regular on a popular Razorback message board posted Sept. 30 that someone he knows who is “very close to the program,” told him Nick Saban was flown to Fayetteville Saturday night following the Notre Dame debacle to speak with university officials.
Man, I love coaching searches. Just as Christmas tends to fill the hearts of man with kindness — for a little while anyway — coaching searches fill the minds of fans with inside sources and unrealistic expectations. Of course, these days, Hog fans’ expectations have understandably been lowered.
The poster in question was merely reporting what he’d been told, and it is certainly within the realm of possibility that Saban accepted the invitation — but not likely within the realm of plausibility. It is way more likely that our poster was taking advantage of coaching-search season and having some fun at readers’ expense.
The same thread went on to “report” that Saban was flown in on Rob Walton’s plane. Again, is it possible? Sure. Perhaps an invitation was offered, and Saban accepted. After all, he had to fly home anyway following ESPN’s College GameDay at Penn State. And maybe he had a Vrbo property on Beaver Lake to check in on. Why then not detour to northwest Arkansas for a quick visit? Never hurts to listen, right?
Perhaps Saban was invited to consult and advise. Lord knows we seem to need both consultation and advice on the Hill when it comes to setting up the football program for success in this new age. What better brain to pick than Saban’s?
Then again, insiders don’t stay insiders by leaking information.
The next two months are going to be entertaining, if nothing else, as Bobby Petrino auditions for his final act as a Power 4 head coach and Hog fans speculate, track planes and monitor the color of ties.
One thing is clear this time around though. Unlike the last coaching search six years ago, the program is not at an historic low. It was absolutely time to let Pittman go, maybe even past time, but no one could argue that Sam did not leave the program in better shape than he found it. He pulled the program out of the ditch.
Granted, there was nowhere to go but up, but we could’ve spun our wheels in that ditch for another year or two, and we didn’t.
We’ve pulled a Calipari out of our collective hat — or rather, John Tyson’s hat. Maybe we’ll shock the world again and drop a Gruden (endorsed by Brett Favre for our job, no less) — or even a Saban? — on the college football world. In a weird way, would that not be so Arkansas?
I’ll settle for a Petrino (depending on the results of the audition) or, better yet, a Sumrall. Maybe a Lashlee, Dillingham or Mullen, anyone?
This time around, there are some good options. But if CBP really didn’t come to paint, and we’ll know soon enough, then our man is already in place and this fall’s search — and all the Elvis sightings that surely will accompany it — is pure gravy.
