FAYETTEVILLE — A group of former University of Arkansas football players, led by Ken Hatfield, dropped in at Wednesday’s practice to show support for the Razorbacks.
Hatfield is known for his 81-yard punt return touchdown that propelled Arkansas to a 14-13 victory over Texas during the Razorbacks’ national championship season of 1964, and for leading the Hogs to a 55-17-1 record as head coach between 1984-89. Hatfield’s winning percentage of 76% is the best at Arkansas.
The other former Razorbacks on hand were Grant Cook, Joe Dean Davenport, James Johnson, Kenny Sandlin, Tim Smith, Austin Tate, Matt Wait and Bryan White.
“Fired up about practice today,” Arkansas interim Coach Barry Lunney Jr. said. “We just had six or seven former players that just decided to come out on their own today and give support to our guys. That’s pretty cool, including coach Hatfield. Some guys that care about the program that came, and we got the chance to acknowledge them before practice, and man that means the world to us and to me and our football team.”
Lunney said the former players weren’t in “motivational speech mode,” but they were acknowledged and cited their years on the team. He got a kick out of Hatfield’s introduction.
“Of course coach Hatfield introduced himself as a 1962-64 player, and I said, ‘That’s the most modest introduction in the history of Arkansas athletics. Because this guy right here was the all-time winningest football coach, percentage-wise, in Arkansas football history. That’s who I grew up watching.’ ”
Search nuggets
Arkansas Athletic Director Hunter Yurachek’s search for a head football coach has not taken many public turns thus far, but several potential candidates — including Mike Norvell and Gus Malzahn — have responded to media inquiries about like most coaches do.
Florida Atlantic Coach Lane Kiffin, who has maintained a sharp social media presence since departing Alabama three years ago, responded to an Arkansas fan regarding the opening.
The fan, tweeting at Yurachek, noted that hiring Kiffin would bring excitement and put fans back in the seats because he’s young and fiery, “a great offensive innovator and master recruiter … exactly what we need to fix this program.”
Kiffin came back Tuesday and posted “Thx for the [love] but I guess u have never been to boca,” referencing Boca Raton, Fla., site of the Florida Atlantic campus.
Former Arkansas Coach Houston Nutt told former Razorback linebacker David Bazzell on 103.7-FM, The Buzz in Little Rock that he had been contacted about the vacant position.
Nutt said deputy athletic director Jon Fagg had phoned him to “touch base” about the position. Nutt said the school is “down the road a little bit” in its search to replace Chad Morris, who was fired on Nov. 10 with a 4-18 record.
Practice report
Interim Coach Barry Lunney Jr. said sophomore linebacker Bumper Pool would play Saturday after missing practices last week with a muscle injury.
“He’ll be ready to roll,” Lunney said prior to Wednesday’s practice, which was split on the indoor and outdoor practice fields. “The open date came at a perfect time for him from a health standpoint. He’s full go.”
Lunney said offensive guard Kirby Adcock has been practicing without limitations and should be available for the LSU game Saturday, and that wide receiver De’Vion Warren is “a little further away” but not ruled out yet.
Linebacker Hayden Henry is out with an upper body injury and doubtful for the LSU game.