Latest carousel report could put Razorbacks far behind in search

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — The Razorbacks might have actually waited a little bit longer than it should have, especially waiting nine months to fire Sam Pittman instead of letting him walk following the 2024 season.

The latest report of Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer being linked to the Penn State opening won't immediately impact Arkansas' pool of candidates, but there would be a trickle down effect.

Penn State beat reporter Jon Sauber, of the Centre Daily Times joined Tide 100.9 to open up about DeBoer's candidacy in Happy Valley. As a top candidate for the Nittany Lions certainly makes sense
considering his tenure hasn't gone as well as hoped since the retirement of Nick Saban.

Should he leave Alabama for the Big Ten, the Crimson Tide's opening would in turn radiate across the SEC coaching market, and places Arkansas firmly in a complex, reactive position.

“He’s been one of Penn State’s top targets from the beginning,” Sauber said. “I think it was, early on, a little bit pie in the sky, of course, Alabama’s close game with South Carolina, there was a chance it could have picked up there. It didn’t, and then the loss to Oklahoma nudged the door open a little bit. I still think Alabama would have to miss the playoffs to make this a real possibility, which, obviously, would include a loss to Auburn to end the year. And I’m sure the reaction down there wouldn’t be great. He’s been the top target since early on; I know they have a lot of respect for him and what he’s done in his career, and he’s someone that they think would be an excellent coach here at Penn State.
Jon Sauber on Tide 100.9 in Alabama

Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer walks the sidelines in his black hoodie during the game with LSU at Saban Field at Bryant-Denny Stadium. | Gary Cosby Jr.-Imagn Images

Arkansas athletic director Hunter Yurachek has kept his cards close to his chest for awhile without a definitive candidate pool revealed yet.

But when Alabama job opens, it causes a cataclysmic wildfire from coast to cast. The Tide legendarily draw top candidates; when they move, other SEC openings often follow. Arkansas suddenly faces not just finding the right coach, but competing in a marketplace that may become unexpectedly crowded.

In fact, our own Kent Smith hinted that a potential high-profile SEC coaching change could move Arkansas even further down the pecking order of open jobs.

While Ole Miss' Lane Kiffin isn't remotely close to an option in Fayetteville, should he leave or become a top candidate in Tuscaloosa, it certainly makes competing against Auburn and the Rebels very complicated.

Still, an opening at Alabama could create an indirect opportunity for Arkansas.

The Razorbacks could position itself as the stable, less chaotic, underdog option for coaches looking to fly under the radar looking to build a program at a program ready to commit resources for a successful coaching stint.

Ole Miss Rebels coach Lane Kiffin looks on during warm ups prior to the game against the Florida Gators at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. | Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

From a strategic standpoint, Yurachek’s public appeal that his next coach will indeed have those resources that his predecessor didn't could make is top candidate(s) uneasy throughout the hiring process.

Yurachek's attempt to shuffle money around shows Arkansas is focused and serious on a quick turnaround, and it won't be one built on high school recruiting alone.

This recognition aligns with the broader market as coaches now value institutional support, transfer portal access and an upward trajectory.

“The days of bringing in 25 or 30 freshmen and thinking that you can turn a program with freshmen, they’re going to go by the wayside," Yurachek said in September.

Yet timing remains a major constraint, Arkansas’ likely feeling the heat as one Power Four program, Virginia Tech, has already snagged headlines after hiring James Franklin.

Shortly after the regular season ends, the early national signing period begins along with the transfer portal opening just a month later.

The Razorbacks can't afford for the carousel to go sideways, considering what's happened in the past two searches as numerous coaches have turned the job down.

Obviously, Kiffin could spurn LSU and Florida by going after the Alabama job, which opens up another large can of worms.

This hire for Yurachek will ultimately define his tenure, good or bad. No matter what he's done to make other sports relevant, football is and forever will be the cash cow at the University of Arkansas.

Hypothetically, Alabama would attract candidates from each corner of the country with the likelihood of jobs similar to Arkansas coming open. Having to compete against other schools in such a down market for coaching talent would be killer for the Razorbacks' search for relevance amongst the SEC.

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