FAYETTEVILLE — David Lee said he’s a lot smarter football coach going into his third tour of duty at Arkansas.

“I feel like I’ve been to graduate school under Bill Parcells the last four years,” Lee said of his time as a Dallas Cowboys assistant. “The four years have been well worth it to me, because I come to Arkansas fully equipped.”

Lee is returning to Arkansas as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach after being hired by Coach Houston Nutt on Wednesday.

In his previous two stops at Arkansas, Lee was quarterbacks coach for Ken Hatfield ( 1984-1988 ) and Nutt (2001-2002 ), but now has the added responsibility of being a coordinator and play caller.

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Lee, 53, said he left Arkansas after the 2002 season and took a job with the Cowboys and Parcells — the veteran NFL coach who was Vanderbilt’s offensive coordinator when Lee played quarterback for the Commodores — so he could learn the passing game at the pro level.

When Arkansas reached the SEC Championship Game in 2002 but was pounded by Georgia 30-3 and struggled to mix the pass with the run, Lee said he believed it was time to move on.

“I wasn’t satisfied with the number of protections and the style of protections and the pass concepts that we had,” Lee said. “That’s really why I left, so I could learn and grow as a coach.

“ I wanted to know what they were doing in the NFL.”

Four years later, Arkansas is still struggling to pass effectively and Lee said he’s ready to help.

“I want to play the pro passing game,” Lee said. “I want to bring that to our running game, which is sensational.”

As Arkansas sophomore tailbacks during the 2006 season, Darren McFadden and Felix Jones combined to rush for 2, 815 yards. The Razorbacks finished the 2006 season averaging 228. 5 rushing yards but just 149. 5 passing yards.

“I don’t want us to be one-dimensional,” Lee said. “Does that mean we’re going to throw the ball 50 times ? No. Hey, I’m going to feed the ball to those two studs [McFadden and Jones ].

“ I know we’ve got the two best running backs in America.... But when it’s third-and-6 and everybody in the stadium knows you’ve got to throw and protect and catch, I want to be able to do it. If we’re behind with two minutes left, I want to have the system in place that can bring us back.”

Gus Malzahn, who was Arkansas’ offensive coordinator for 13 months before bolting for Tulsa on Monday to be co-offensive coordinator, also talked about helping the Razorbacks achieve balance when he was hired.

But Lee figures to work better with Nutt because of their longtime relationship, and while Malzahn was a first-time college coach in 2006, Lee has 28 seasons of college coaching experience along with his NFL stint in Dallas.

“Houston and I became best friends when I was coaching here before, and we’ve stayed that way,” Lee said. “That’s something that is of value to me.

“ I can go to him for anything any time day or night and he’s going to be there, and he knows I’m there for him. I feel really good about our relationship.”

Lee said other factors in his decision to return to Arkansas include his respect for defensive coordinator Reggie Herring and the scheme he runs; his previous relationship with offensive assistants Mike Markuson, Danny Nutt and James Shibest; his fond memories of living in Fayetteville and his desire to be an offensive coordinator.

With the Cowboys, Lee was a quality control assistant. His duties included breaking down opponents’ games and tendencies to help formulate game plans, working with the quarterbacks on fundamentals and being in the press box on game days to feed information to the coaches on the field.

“David is a quality person and a fine football coach,” Parcells said in a news release. “I think he will be a great asset to the Arkansas program.

“ While he has been with the Cowboys, he has helped all of our quarterbacks develop and grow. I think he is an excellent teacher of fundamentals at the quarterback position, and he has a solid grasp of how to develop an effective offensive philosophy with the talent that is available to him.”

Houston Nutt had talked to Lee about coming back to Arkansas as a co-offensive coordinator before Malzahn left for Tulsa. Now there’s no question Lee will run the offense, he and Nutt said.

“He’s always been one of the best fundamental teachers I’ve ever seen with quarterback play,” Nutt said. “He’s so meticulous with all the fundamentals. I love that.

“ What he’s done now for the last [four ] years is taken himself to the professional level with the passing game. He’s always known the running game inside and out. I think he described it perfectly when he said he has a graduate degree in the passing game.”

Arkansas center Jonathan Luigs said he’s excited about what Lee can do for the Razorbacks.

“He’s been in the NFL, and that’s the best football in the world,” Luigs said. “So hopefully he’ll be able to bring those strategies to Arkansas and help us be successful.”

Lee was known for helping develop option running quarterbacks like Quinn Grovey and Matt Jones in his previous stints at Arkansas, but noted he was a drop-back passer at Vanderbilt and is committed to helping the Razorbacks become a better passing team with his NFL experience.

“I just left four years of [helping coach ] Tony Romo, Vinny Testeverde, Drew Bledsoe,” Lee said of quarterbacks who played for the Cowboys. “I can’t believe anybody would not have broad enough vision to see that I’m about the pro passing game. I’m not about running the inside veer right now.”

Lee said he’s eager to implement some of the protection schemes and passing schemes he learned in Dallas.

“When you play Alabama and Nick Saban, you can’t be narrow in your protections,” Lee said, referring to the new Crimson Tide coach. “He’s going to find out where you are and how to come get you and beat your protection every time.

“ You’ve got to be able to move your protections around and change them so that when he guesses, he’s wrong. If you limit yourself against a good defensive coach, that will cost you a championship.”

Lee worked with Mitch Mustain to help him develop his passing skills the summer before Mustain’s junior year at Springdale High School, but he won’t be coaching Mustain at Arkansas.

Mustain, who became a national player of the year as a senior at Springdale and played at Arkansas as a freshman this season, has received his scholarship release and plans to transfer.

“Do I wish I could have coached Mitch ? Sure,” Lee said. “But I want to wish him the very best wherever he goes and I want him to know that I’ll be pulling for him.”

Lee said it’s his understanding that having Mustain transfer is what his family believes is best for him now.

“I’m not going to go actively recruit him.... I respect the family too much,” Lee said. “If they need to get [Mustain ] somewhere he’s going to be happier, I’m going to respect that and honor that.”

Lee’s return to Arkansas raises questions about the status of Alex Wood, another former NFL assistant who has been the Razorbacks’ quarterbacks coach the past year. It’s possible Wood could become receivers coach, but Nutt said he’s not yet sure about how the coaching staff might be restructured.

Whatever happens, Lee said he’s excited to be in charge of the offense for the first time in his career.

“I don’t have any doubt in my mind that I’m calling all the plays next year,” Lee said. “Houston has got no problem with it. He’s going to manage the ballgame.... That’s his job as the head coach.

“ I’m comfortable with Houston. He’s comfortable with me.”

Malzahn’s departure for Tulsa and Mustain’s imminent transfer, a few weeks after standout freshman receiver Damian Williams also left the team, has upset many fans.

But Lee said he had no qualms about coming back to Arkansas and working for Nutt again.

“If I’m walking into a firestorm, so be it, because I coached in one for four years [in Dallas ],” Lee said. “It’s not going to be anything new to me. I’d just ask all the Arkansas people to get behind Houston Nutt and this program.” LEE AT A GLANCE AGE 53 FAMILY Wife Lynne; two daughters, Dana and Shannon; two sons, Brian and Jordan EDUCATION Graduated from Pensacola (Fla. ) Woodham High School in 1971; earned a bachelor of arts degree in history from Vanderbilt in 1975. AS A PLAYER A three-year letterman at quarterback for Vanderbilt, he was the SEC’s top passer and led the Commodores to the 1974 Peach Bowl.

COACHING HISTORY 1975-1976 Tennessee-Martin, quarterbacks 1977 Vanderbilt, quarterbacks 1978-1982 Ole Miss, quarterbacks 1983 New Mexico, offensive coordinator, quarterbacks 1984-1988 Arkansas, quarterbacks, fullbacks 1989-1993 Texas-El Paso, head coach 1994-2000 Rice, offensive coordinator, quarterbacks 2001-2002 Arkansas, quarterbacks 2003-2006 Dallas Cowboys, offensive quality control 2007 Arkansas, offensive coordinator, quarterbacks SOURCE University of Arkansas sports information