University of Arkansas Athletic Director Hunter Yurachek has reaffirmed that the confidential search for a new head football coach continues.
Football Scoop, a website devoted to college football, reported Thursday that Razorback officials have met with Memphis' Mike Norvell.
The day before, former UA coach Houston Nutt said on 103.7 The Buzz he had been contacted by the UA.
The report about Norvell appears to be true, but before anyone gets too excited about the coach — who is currently 9-1 and has Arkansas roots that run back to his playing days at Central Arkansas — take a deep breath.
The UA has been used for leverage before.
Think Gus Malzahn two years ago and Les Miles before that.
It has been reported that Florida State is interested in Norvell, and honestly, that's a much better job than Arkansas right now.
It has nothing to do with facilities or even financial well-being.
In less than two years, the UA has fired two head football coaches, a basketball coach and an athletic director.
All were justified and necessary, but that is still a lot of instability. Plus the cold hard fact is the Razorbacks have a killer schedule next season.
After opening with Nevada, the Hogs are at Notre Dame and Mississippi State before traveling to Arlington to face Texas A&M.
They get Charleston Southern at home and then face on consecutive weekends Alabama, LSU Tennessee, Auburn and Ole Miss. They close the season in Kansas City against Missouri.
That's a killer schedule for a program whose current recruiting class — which has lost more than half its commitments — ranks No. 116 in the nation.
What Yurachek must find is someone who is fearless, who believes in himself and knows where Razorback football has been and needs to be again.
The blueprint is there. Keep the homegrown talent at home, which hasn't happened recently, and handpick players from surrounding states and then coach them up, which also hasn't been done recently either.
It is going to take time. No one is coming to Arkansas and winning next year.
The UA doesn't need to waste its time with coaches who aren't coming any more than it needs to ask Julie Cromer Peoples for hiring advice.
This is the most critical hire in Yurachek's career. He said he has to get it right and he's 100 percent correct about that.
It doesn't need to be the program that gets used.