Nutt steps down as head coach of Razorbacks
By The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
This article was originally published November 26, 2007 at 6:39 p.m. Updated November 27, 2007 at 7:17 p.m.
PHOTO BY DAN HALE
Arkansas Head Coach Houston Nutt resigns from the University of Arkansas on Monday, Nov. 26, inside the Broyles Center.
Read Coach Nutt's contract
FAYETTEVILLE — Houston Nutt on Monday announced his resignation as head coach of the Arkansas Razorbacks.
He received a standing ovation as he came to the podium to give a 5-minute speech in which he said it was in the best interests of the Razorbacks program for him to step down.
"I had the opportunity to stay, but deep down in my heart ... as a person who loves the Razorbacks, I felt it was important that the state come together as one," Nutt said.
UA Chancellor John White said that Nutt was neither forced nor encouraged or requested to step down. The search for a new head coach would be handled in much the same way the one for the new athletic director was.
Nutt's departure comes three days after what he called the greatest of his coaching career, a 50-48 triple-overtime victory at No. 1 LSU on Friday that likely knocked the Tigers out of the national championship hunt.
White joined outgoing Athletics Director Frank Broyles in speaking about Nutt. Nutt's family and several former members of the Razorbacks team were in attendance.
Defensive coordinator Reggie Herring is to step in as coach for the bowl game.
Nutt, 50, has been under fire the past 12 months after the highly publicized departures of offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn and quarterback Mitch Mustain.
The pressure intensified when the Razorbacks opened SEC play at 0-3 this season. Arkansas rallied down the stretch, winning five of its last six games. The upset of LSU, Arkansas' first over a No. 1-ranked team since 1981, gave the Razorbacks an 8-4 record and potentially in position to play a New Year's Bowl game.
Nutt led Arkansas to a a record of 75-48 in his 10 seasons and guided the Razorbacks to two SEC championship games. The Razorbacks, however, never played in a Bowl Championship Series game under his tenure.
Read tomorrow's Arkansas Democrat-Gazette for full details.
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Information for this article was contributed by Tom Murphy of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.
