FAYETTEVILLE — Assistants received extensions
Every Arkansas football assistant coach except for two received an employment extension of at least two years in early 2007, the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette has learned.
Documents obtained through a state Freedom of Information Act request showed that coordinators Reggie Herringand David Lee received guaranteed three-year extensions that carry through the end of 2009. Herring, the defensive coordinator, is the highest-paid assistant coach on staff with annual total compensation of $350,000.
Offensive coordinator Lee is the secondhighest paid assistant with an annual package of $300,000.
Every otherRazorbacks assistant coach, with the exception of receivers coach Alex Wood and running backs coach Tim Horton, is working under a guaranteed two-year deal that began in early 2007.
Horton was a late addition tothe staff in place of Danny Nutt, and his two-year agreement at an annual salary of $165,000, extends to July 2009.
Wood is working under the second year of an agreement reached in 2005 that pays him $175,000.
Danny Nutt, who is on approved sick leave, also was granted a guaranteed two-year agreement earlier this year at a rate of $170,000 per year.
The assistant coaches on twoyear deals that last through 2008 are offensive line coach Mike Markuson ($200,000), defensive line coach Tracy Rocker ($175,000), cornerbacks coach Bobby Allen ($145,000), safeties coach Chris Vaughn ($125,000) and tight ends/specialists coach James Shibest ($120,000).
Injury update
It appears Marcus Monk is in position to receive his most significant playing time of the season Saturday against Florida International. The senior receiver had a light day Thursday as a precaution after two days of practice on his rehabilitated right knee.
"He had two really hard days and he'll try to go," Arkansas Coach Houston Nutt said. "He'll definitely play. We just don't know how many plays we're going to play him."
The news was not as good for fellow wideout London Crawford, who sprained a knee Wednesday.
"He's definitely going to be out this weekend," Nutt said.
The Razorbacks have taken a pounding at receiver this season, also losing Crosby Tuck (broken elbow) and having Robert Johnson limited by a lingering high ankle sprain.
"You've got to go with the hand that you're dealt," Nutt said. "These guys are improving and I've been proud of them." Spreading the Love
The play of reserve defensive back Jamar Love in the Ole Miss game last Saturday is a good example of how the Razorbacks are maturing and spreading the big-play potential in recent games.
Love nearly got a hand on Alabama's game-winning pass with eight seconds left in week two, and a few weeks later he made the big plays, logging two sacks against Ole Miss.
One of the sacks resulted in a 6-yard loss on the Rebels' first possession, turning a decent field-goal chance into a missed 48-yard attempt.
"It wasn't a designed blitz for me," Love said. "I was just doing my job. If my man did a certain thing, I add to the blitz."
Said cornerbacks coach Bobby Allen: "It was a great example of a guy doing what he is supposed to do. He executed his job and made a play." Takeaway turnaround
The Razorbacks nabbed a season-high four interceptions to win the turnover battle against Ole Miss by a 4-1 count last week in the 44-8 victory in Oxford, Miss.
That marked the first time Arkansas has recorded more takeaways than its opponent since winning the turnover battle 3-2 in a 17-14 loss to Wisconsin in the Capital One Bowl last January.
This season, Arkansas lost in the turnover department against Troy and Tennessee-Chattanooga, but had tied in every other game until the pickoff party in Oxford, Miss.
Cherico honored
Former Arkansas All-American defensive lineman Tony Cherico will be the team's honorary captain for Saturday's game against Florida International.
Cherico, a member of the Razorbacks' 1980s All-Decade team, was a four-year letterman for Arkansas from 1984-1987, and he was a three-time All-Southwest Conference performer. Cherico ended his career with 258 tackles, including 26 for loss.
Cherico, an assistant coach at Bentonville, will be honored before kickoff.
Sports, Pages 30 on 10/26/2007