Houston Nutt Press Conference Transcript

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. - The following is a partial transcript of Arkansas head coach Houston Nutts press conference regarding the changes on the football staff. Houston Nutts opening remarks: "I thank you all very much for coming today. I know it has been a long time and a very anxious time for our fans. I want to let you know that as your head football coach this has also been a tough time when youre dealing with peoples lives. Youre dealing with changes and recruiting. Its also one of the greatest things I think Arkansas has ever had. I believe that. I just want to share with you a little bit about whats been going on. "First of all there has been a very hard search for an offensive coordinator. After I visited with Coach Broyles after the last ballgame. We had a great discussion about our program and the way it is going. It has always been good that I can bounce things off him and his experience. It was a great conversation and it took off from right there. We recruited, searched the whole country and talked to a lot of coaches and a lot of former coaches. "Its a great day for high school coaches. I have an awesome respect for high school coaches. My father was a high school coach for 33 years. The first high school coach I can think about from going to college, I think about Wilson Matthews. I think about a coach that recruited me to the University of Arkansas. His name is Ken Turner. "Theres a guy like Harold Horton who was a high school that was also recruited by Coach Broyles to come to this place. You can name names after name. Larry Coker was a high school coach, Jimmy Johnson, Pat Jones, on and on and on. "Im happy today that we have another great high school football coach thats coming to join us on a college level. Im so excited. This thing didnt get finalized until last night. After interviewing so many coaches it kept coming back to me that its about character, integrity and a passion for the greatest game in the world. Its about being a winner and making a difference in a young persons life. It kept coming back to me that there was a perfect fit. "The one thing I know is we have good people here that are making differences in young peoples lives. That fit kept coming back to Gus Malzahn. So Im real excited today to present to you the new offensive coordinator at the University of Arkansas, Gus Malzahn." Gus Malzahns opening remarks: "Thank you. It is a true honor for me to be here. I love Arkansas and I love the Razorbacks. Its a true honor for me to be the offensive coordinator of the Arkansas Razorbacks today. Id like to thank Coach Nutt and Coach Broyles for taking a chance and believing in me. "Id like to thank my wife and my family. There are a lot of people in this room that have made this dream of mine possible - coaches, friends and family members. Its a dream come true for me. Its a huge challenge, but Ive always been up for challenges. I totally believe that God has blessed me with a unique ability to know offense, to call offense and Im just truly excited to be here. I cant wait to get started." (To Houston Nutt) Can you talk about the structure of the offense? "What were excited about is what Gus brings to the table. I dont if youve ever seen them practice, but Ive had the privilege to go watch Arkansas, Texas, Louisiana and Alabama practice. The one thing you will see if you went to Springdale to watch practice there is unbelievable organization. Everybody is going from one drill to the next and there is a quickness every time a horn blows. There is repetition, repetition, and thats what football is about. Its about getting better. They have the ability to get people better and the one thing that I love is that hes a teacher first. "I watched him when he first got to Shiloh Christian and had Josh Floyd. Josh got better and better. I saw him when he went to Springdale and I saw his quarterbacks. I saw him at Hughes, Shiloh Christian and Springdale and each time not only did they win championships, but their teams got better at every phase of the game. Thats what excites me. "So what hell bring to that meeting room and again lets not forget. Mike Markuson is a good football coach. Danny Nutt is a good football coach. We have a very good running game. Now with a compliment of what he brings inside that meeting room is a fit. Its a win-win. We believe in balance. You want to be able to run the football and pass the football. You believe in screens, spreading the ball and the vertical passing game. Thats his expertise and thats what were excited about." (To Houston Nutt) Will Danny (Nutt) and Mike (Markuson) work with him? How will that work? "Theyll work with him. The one good thing about calling plays, and yall have given me some critique on calling plays. Now Gus will get to have that same thing. The preparation starts Sunday and youre in there as a team. I think Gus is going to find out he can work with these guys. "The other part of the equation you havent asked about yet is that there is one more hire to be made. Thats going to be a critical piece of the puzzle and Gus will also be involved in that. "The way it will work is there will be preparation through breaking down film. Everything is going to go through Gus. Everybody will have responsibilities and the game will be divided up the way weve always done it and well put the plan together." (To Gus Malzahn) What is your offensive philosophy? "The key to being successful on the offensive side of the football is balance. If you look back at last years team everybody saw the passing yards and the touchdowns, but we were very balanced. As a matter of fact I believe we ran the football more than we threw it. Especially at a high level youve got to be able to take what the defense gives you and you have to a strong running game and a passing game. "The unique thing here is we already have one of the top running games in the SEC and the country, so my thinking is we add the vertical game, stretch the field, keep the defense honest, add some screens, some high percentage plays to give the quarterback some confidence early and to take some pressure off the offensive line. That is my thinking as far as offensive philosophy." (To Houston Nutt) Does this free you up to do other things? "It does. Thats one of the things I discussed with Coach Broyles after the last ball game. Im going to do a better job of. I always try to spend a lot of time with my players, first and foremost. Whether it be in the dorm room or walking to class or pre-practice and trying to help them with their lives. I think Ill be able to be a much manager on both sides of the ball and special teams." (To Houston Nutt) What capacity would this new coach you are looking for have? "This is the thing thats really convenient right now. Gus can coach the quarterbacks or the wide receivers. He can coordinate with either position, so were going to get a fit. We dont know yet which way well go." (To Gus Malzahn) What do you say to those who say going from a high school coach to an offensive coordinator at a Division I program is too much of a jump? "Football is a very simple game. Defenses, if theyre sound, there is only a handful of things they can do. To be effective you have to be able to recognize the defense. You have to have an offense that is able to take what the defense gives you. That means either running the football or throwing. Keeping that in mind that is a great question, but its a challenge I am ready for and excited about." (To Houston Nutt) What recruiting responsibilities will Gus Malzahn have? "Coach Malzahn and I actually had a discussion three years ago about the possibility of him coming to join our staff. The timing wasnt right, so this isnt an overnight deal or a flash in the pan or a ploy. We went to get the best football coach, so thats No. 1. "Right now we havent even discussed his recruiting. He still has a lot of obligations. That was one of the reasons things took a little longer. Hell be on the phone and well get him indoctrinated pretty quick, but as far as a specific area we wont go that right now. Well get him on a plane and get him in some living rooms with Danny and myself or Coach Markuson or Coach Rocker or Coach Herring." Gus Malzahn: "Coach, I would like to say something. Coach Nutt and I talked on Sunday and we were talking about getting this thing going, but he respected me, my team and what I had to do the last four days. I know he has taken a lot of heat and it was really because of me asking to be patient. I definitely wanted to thank you for that." (To Houston Nutt) Can you talk about the other coaching changes that you have made? "Lets start on the defensive side. Were bringing back Louis Campbell who has tremendous experience and knowledge. Hell be responsible for the backs and the secondary. Bobby Allen will coach the corners. Coach Herring likes two sets of eyes in the backfield, but Louis will start every meeting with the overall secondary. Linebackers are Coach Herring. Then the defensive line is Coach Rocker. "Chris Vaughn I think has a really important role. Im really excited about his role as the on-campus recruiter. One of the things I think hes gotten behind is recruiting, because it has fast-forwarded to a whole other level. What I mean by that is people are moving faster, theyre committing faster and they are looking at schools at sophomores and juniors. The Internet and scouting services have gone to another level. Chris Vaughn will do an exceptional job with that with his relationships. "Clifton Ealy, a class person, will take over as high school and junior college director. Hell be at every coaching clinic in Arkansas, Louisiana, Texas, Georgia, Florida and even California. Were going to start to expand a little bit more and really zero in. "These two guys give us the luxury to take recruiting to another level. Were able to go north, east, west, south, all over the country. Again, you always start at home first. These two guys will do a great job with relationships, studying and getting us a board ready to recruit. "James Shibest has done an excellent job with our special teams this year. Hes going to put a concentrated effort with special teams and also tight ends."