Trustees meeting brings football news, just not what Arkansas fans anticipated

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Leave it to Arkansas Razorbacks fans to turn a regularly scheduled meeting into a borderline conspiracy theory. However, when a football coaching search to replace former coach Sam Pittman starts in September, that sort of stuff is going to happen.

Each year around this time, the Arkansas Board of Trustees meets. Reporting the meeting is going to take place during this part of November is as newsworthy as reporting Thanksgiving will be on a Thursday and Christmas will take place on Dec. 25 this year.

However, according to the social media fringe, this long scheduled event was called out of nowhere to do anything from fire athletics director Hunter Yurachek before announcing a new AD to take over the coaching search to actually naming a surprise candidate to take over the football team.

Unfortunately, a lot of fans bought into this misinformation in regard to a meeting with an agenda that included next to nothing in regard to Arkansas Razorbacks sports. Instead, it was clear Arkansas-Pine Bluff and Arkansas-Monticello had the floor instead.

So, with that context in view, here's what actually went down of note in what cannot be stressed enough, was a regularly scheduled meeting that has been on the books forever.

Much to the chagrin of Arkansas fans, there was no action or updates in regard to the football coaching search, nor anything regarding the role of athletics director. Current AD Hunter Yurachek didn't even darken the room with his presence.

That means no coach was put forth for approval, nor was a list of possible candidates offered up as an update or for potential vetting. The first wasn't expected to happen and the latter would never happen, but that doesn't mean the fringe of Arkansas social media can't dream and stir up the masses.

It also doesn't mean there wasn't good news for Hogs fans. It may seem mundane, but an action item regarding the stresses and needs in relation to parking across the Fayetteville campus included the proposal of a parking garage.

What's most important about this garage is its proposed location and size. One things fans complain about a great deal is parking in regard to football games and the long walks needed to get to the stadium despite high fees paid to park in crowded front yards a great distance away.

The request for approval to move forward with the process of building a parking garage along Razorback Road across from the track facility was granted. What this means is a multi-platform building will now begin the prolonged construction process.

It is expected to hold 1,700 vehicles, which will increase the number of cars that can be parked on the same amount of space currently by 1,500 parking spots.

For those unfamiliar with the area, that is essentially where Lots 214 and 215 are located. That puts fans who eventually get to park in that space just over 100 yards from the Fred Smith Football Center and two blocks from the football stadium.

The University of Arkansas parking map shows where a proposed 1,700 car parking garage is expected to be built in the near future. | University of Arkansas.

That is a dramatic improvement in parking options considering how those 1,500 additional parking spaces are spread far and wide throughout the nearby neighborhoods. That means it is reasonable to expect just over 5,000 Razorbacks fans will be within an easy walk across relatively flat sidewalks of reaching football games on Saturdays.

That also places a large amount of parking within easy walking distance of Bud Walton Arena for basketball games and major gymnastics meets since the garage will strategically sit roughly halfway between the two major Razorbacks Athletics facilities. However, it's closer to Bud Walton for those who want to get technical about it.

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