FanHouse Arkansas

Bobby Petrino's offense is not easy to learn. In fact, it is complicated.

It's not uncommon for a Petrino team to be able to run the same play out of as many 10 different formations, creating confusion for the defense. That's why Arkansas tailback Michael Smith, a 1,000-yard rusher in 2008, viewed spring drills as a blessing. Sure, Smith would rather have practiced but he was sidelined with a hamstring injury.

So Smith studied practice from a new vantage point.

The SEC coaches meetings rolled into Destin, Fla., this week, and Lane Kiffin washed ashore.

You know Kiffin, the man who brought a Molotov cocktail to the SEC tea party, the guy who coaches like tickets have to be sold for the latest WWE event. You halfway expect for him to enter press conferences wearing orange tights, grab the mike, scream invectives at his rivals, then spike the microphone, kiss his biceps, and leave without taking questions. Kiffin coaches college football like Vince McMahon helms the WWE, it's all about creating a buzz.

Favored to become the starting quarterback next year at Arkansas, Ryan Mallett has hit a bit of a snag thanks to a public intoxication arrest deep deep deep into the early morning Sunday. He was arrested on Dickson Street in Fayetteville and booked at 3:47 AM.

Mallett is sort of a big deal because he's six foot six and bulletproof or something like that. He was a highly coveted recruit out of Texas who signed with and played for Michigan as a true freshman before transferring when Rich Rodriguez brought the spread circus to town. Arkansas, and specifically Bobby Petrino's explosive dropback system is a much better fit for Mallett. That is, if he can get his act together.

Considering Michigan went 3-9 last season, Rich Rodriguez has a pretty impressive class rolling into Ann Arbor. It's not as strong as it could be, though. Defensive tackle DeQuinta Jones -- once a Michigan commit -- reportedly signed his letter of intent with Arkansas.

Jones is the second potential Wolverine to say "No thanks" and head elsewhere on signing day. Earlier, Pearlie Graves, another defensive lineman, eschewed Michigan for Texas Tech.

FanHouse's lead-up to college football's signing day makes like Charles Dickens and looks at the Ghosts of Recruiting -- past, present and future. In the Ghosts of Recruiting Present, we document prominent recruiting makes and misses that changed programs

Thanks to his revival of Ole Miss, Houston Nutt has quickly escaped his not-so-excellent adventures in Arkansas becoming his legacy. Nutt had a nice run at Arkansas, but what went down those last two years was just insane and while helping rope in a handful of great players -- some no longer on the team -- he also lost the state's three best players the next year, lost his job and certainly contributed to the resignation of longtime athletic director and legendary former coach Frank Broyles.

Last we saw John L. Smith, he was stringing together a series of Jim Mora-like moments, hyperventilating and face-slapping his way out of the Michigan State head coaching job. After the inevitable time away, he's back in college football as a low-level assistant for Bobby Petrino at Arkansas. Smith will coach the Hogs' special teams.

The guy is wound a little tight, but he was no slouch as a head coach at both Louisville and Michigan State and, this being America, he's likely saved enough face at this point to move back among the ranks. What could go wrong? Crazy things, that's what. We'll relive the insanity after the jump.

It was a nice story -- aren't they all? -- but things aren't always meant to be. The boy doesn't always get the girl. Some Cinderellas don't get to ride in giant pumpkins. Tulsa won't get its undefeated, BCS dream season after falling to Arkansas 30-23.

The Golden Hurricanes' vaunted offense staggered early, trailing 17-7 before rallying to within three points at halftime, 23-30. The difference was an Arkansas kickoff return touchdown in the third quarter. Scoring was frozen after that as Arkansas' defense tightened. Tulsa did manage over 500 yards of offense but could not score in the decisive fourth quarter.

Auburn. Tennessee. Arkansas. These are Southeastern Conference schools with head coaching positions that either have come open recently or may open in the near future. But the job everyone wants? It's not in the SEC. Ask Jimmy Sexton, agent to star coaches across the nation:

"Every coach in the country right now wants Clemson," he said. "All of them. Because they feel like it's a quote `SEC' job.

"Eighty-something thousand people. Close to Georgia, in South Carolina, great recruiting base. But you play in a conference that isn't the SEC.

"A lot of coaches are starting to look at the SEC and say this might not be the best time to go there."

Well, who can blame them? In the SEC East there are three national championship coaches: Steve Spurrier, Phillip Fulmer and Urban Meyer. Mark Richt has won a boatload of SEC titles and is gunning for his first national championship this year if he can beat the Gators in Jacksonville. Even perennial doormats Vandy and Kentucky have risen their level of competition.

In the west, Tommy Tuberville led the Auburn Tigers to an undefeated season in 2004, while Nick Saban and Les Miles have both won crystal footballs wearing purple and gold. Bobby Petrino is struggling in his first year at Arkansas but went 41-9 at Louisville. And Ole Miss' Houston Nutt won the SEC West in 2006 as head coach of the Hogs.

Add it all up and it's one tremendously competitive conference, a difficult place to win. And apparently it's even harder to find "volunteers" to resuscitate a moribund football program.

Say what you like about the ACC, but it can provide a good livin' for a hard-working football coach.

One team that seems to be operating completely under the radar in 2008 is Rich Brooks' Kentucky Wildcats.

At 5-2, playing without their two best offensive players (RB Derrick Locke and WR Dicky Lyons) the 'Cats are still playing solid, if unspectacular ball and surviving in the dog-eat-dog world of the SEC.

Kentucky's most recent feat was a comeback win over Arkansas. Down 20-7, the 'Cats mounted a furious rally to win in the final moments, 21-20. It was a great game that didn't garner much national attention, but it demonstrated the gritty, tough attitude that Kentucky football has cultivated since the arrival of Rich Brooks.

Now if only the fans could get on the same page.

Down three scores, fan in Commonwealth Stadium began filing out, no doubt expecting the usual futility once associated with Kentucky football. Brooks didn't appreciate it a bit. From his press conference after the game: