Memphis' Mike Norvell is one of several realistic coaching targets for Arkansas.
n.rivals.com
Arkansas parted ways with head coach
Chad Morris on Sunday, ending his tenure after less than two seasons. Morris, who hoped to rebuild the program after being hired away from
SMU at the end of 2017, failed to win a conference game and finished his Razorbacks career with an 4-18 overall record, including a seven-game losing streak that included loses to San Jose State and
Western Kentucky this season. So where to the Hogs turn now? Heās a look at five potential candidates to keep an eye on.
WILLIE FRITZ, TULANE
Fritz has truly worked his way up from the bottom of the college football ranks, starting at the junior college ranks and having success at the Division II, FCS and Group of Five ranks. Fritz led Georgia Southernās transition to the FBS level, which included a Sun Belt conference championship in his first season at the school. After taking the
Tulane job in 2016, Fritz turned around the Green Wave and has clinched back-to-back bowl eligibility for the program for the first time since the 1979 and 1980 seasons. Fritzās recruiting ties to Georgia and New Orleans make him an attractive option from a recruiting standpoint as well.
MIKE LEACH - Head coach, Washington State
One of the most unique personalities in the game, Leach has made a name for himself by thriving at conference outposts. He coached at
Texas Tech from 2000-09, going 84-43 and leading the team to a bowl game in every season. After an ugly breakup from the school in which Leach was fired after allegations of mistreatment by one his players, Leach resurfaced at
Washington State in 2012. He took the Cougars from the bottom of the Pac-12 to four consecutive bowl games and an 11-2 record in 2018. Leach, one of the pioneers of the Air Raid offense, was nearly hired by
Tennessee in 2017 and has been a candidate for several other positions in recent years.
GUS MALZAHN - Head coach, Auburn
Would the Razorbacks really make a pitch to Arkansas native Malzahn to return to his home state? The veteran coach was the Razorbacks' offensive coordinator in 2006 and also spent a year as the head coach at
Arkansas State, sandwiched around his tenure at
Auburn as the Tigers' offensive coordinator (2009-11) and head coach (2013-present). Malzahn was rumored to be a candidate before Morris was hired in 2017 and received a long-term extension from Auburn that offseason. But with his name seemingly coming up in hot seat discussions on a yearly basis, could he make the leap to another program ala
Jimbo Fisher? Itās tough to see it happening but itās not out of the realm of possibility either.
BILLY NAPIER - Head coach, Louisiana-Lafayette
A rising star in coaching circles, Napier is in his second year at Louisiana-Lafayette and has already clinched back-to-back bowl berths. Napier actually preceded Morris as the offensive coordinator at
Clemson and has also been an assistant at
Alabama under
Nick Saban and worked at
Arizona State. His limited head coaching experience could be a negative, but Napier has a reputation as a dynamic recruiter and was key in Alabama landing current stars
Henry Ruggs and
Devonta Smith
.
MIKE NORVELL - Head coach, Memphis
Another former Arizona State assistant, Norvell took over for
Justin Fuente at
Memphis in 2016 and hasnāt skipped a beat, including leading the team to back-to-back appearances in AAC championship game. The Tigers are in the AP Top 25 again this season and appear poised to make a third-straight appearance in the American Athletic Conference title game next month. Norvellās ties to Memphis, where the Razorbacks have had success recruiting over the past two cycles, as well as his ability to recruit the Southeast would make him a very attractive candidate.
