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Power Five coaches better watch their backs

Texas head coach Charlie Strong watches his players warm up before a NCAA college football game, Saturday, Sept. 10, 2016, in Austin. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
Texas head coach Charlie Strong watches his players warm up before a NCAA college football game, Saturday, Sept. 10, 2016, in Austin. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

It is very early in the college football season, but already things are shaping up for a tidal wave of head-coaching changes by the end of the season.

Les Miles is no longer on the hot seat or any seat, and that means one of the top five jobs in America is open and there will be plenty of interest.

In one opinion, the best five jobs are, in alphabetical order: Alabama, LSU, Ohio State, Texas and USC. Yes, Notre Dame has slipped.

There could be as many as 10 head coaching jobs open at Power Five schools, which makes Tom Herman at Houston the most desired date of the year. If USC pulls the plug on its experiment with Clay Helton, the stakes go up, and they go up again if Texas makes a move on Charlie Strong.

Strong seemed to have solidified his position when the Longhorns opened with a win over Notre Dame, but the Fighting Irish are 1-3, including a home loss to Duke -- which lost at home to Wake Forest and at Northwestern.

With the possibility of three of the top five jobs open, LSU was smart to get a jump on its search for a new coach, although there is no guarantee Herman will choose the Tigers. Louisiana has great recruits, but so does Southern California. Texas also has plenty of four- and five-star recruits.

One big question any coach worth his huge paycheck will ask himself: Where do I have the best chance of winning the national championship? That will hurt the Tigers because every year they have to play the Crimson Tide.

Regardless, this is going to be an incredibly interesting season for more reasons than the games.


The National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame released a list of 156 semifinalists for the William Campbell trophy and scholarship, and Arkansas has four great candidates.

Brooks Ellis of Arkansas, Jake Swalley of Arkansas State, Cordell Zalenski of Harding and Ethan Hoppe of Hendrix made the list.

Candidates must have a GPA ranging from 3.66 to 4.0.

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The winner will receive an $18,000 postgraduate scholarship. The 12-14 finalists will be named in November.


A big day in The Rock got bigger with some basketball. The Arkansas Hawks have announced an open practice at 2:30 p.m. Saturday at the Jim Dailey Fitness and Aquatics Center, located between the Little Rock Zoo and War Memorial.

Five of the Hawks have committed to the Arkansas Razorbacks, and they all will be at the workout, which is free to the public.

The five commitments are shooting guard Isaiah Joe, guard Desi Sills, forward Ethan Henderson, forward/center Reggie Perry and point guard Justice Hill.

Viewing space will be on a first-come, first-served basis.


Herb Vincent Sr. never had a fighting chance of pulling for one team because he chose to be a great dad and support all his children.

The North Little Rock native's daughter, Gail, married Gary Adams -- the outstanding defensive back for the Arkansas Razorbacks from 1966-1968.

Then the home became a little divided when Herb Vincent Jr., a graduate of Catholic High, decided to attend LSU, where he later was the sports information director and assistant athletic director before becoming an associate athletic director for the SEC.

Mr. Vincent starts his day with the sports section of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette and has been known to send his son clips of this column.

On Saturday, Mr. Vincent turns 90, and he has a lot of friends and family wishing him a happy birthday, including Herb Jr., who will be in town as an official SEC observer for the Alcorn State-Arkansas game.

Sports on 09/29/2016

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