While reports and rumors flew Friday on the Internet and TV and radio that Houston Nutt won’t return to coach the Razorbacks next season, Nutt himself spent the day prepping Arkansas for today’s 1 p. m. SEC West game with Mississippi State in Little Rock.

“ I haven’t gone anywhere, ” Nutt said Friday by phone in Little Rock. “ I’ve got these games to coach. And we’re recruiting. That’s what I am concerned with. ”

Nutt said he and his staff have had to work extra hard recruiting because of the speculation that he would not return to Arkansas.

In his 10 th season as Arkansas’ head coach, Nutt has been under some fan fire the last few seasons, even last season when the Hogs went 10-4 and won the SEC West.

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Postseason depar tures of offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn and quarterback Mitch Mustain, a Parade High School All-American from Springdale, increased the heat going into this season.

The heat has since intensified as Arkansas stands 6-4 and 2-4 in the SEC this season. The past few football games have included airplanes during pregame circling Reynolds Razorbacks Stadium in Fayetteville and last week Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tenn. with banners critical of Nutt.

There has been speculation the UA could buy out Nutt’s contract and there is speculation that schools already with coaching vacancies for next season, including SMU and Baylor, and some others expected soon to announce vacancies, have interest in Nutt, and that under the circumstances, Nutt would have interest in them.

Jimmy Sexton, Nutt’s agent, could not be reached for comment Friday.

Meanwhile after discussions with and the consent of University of Arkansas Chancellor Dr. John White, Tysen Kendig, the vice chancellor of University Relations, issued a statement Friday night reiterating what White said Thursday regarding Nutt’s future and also chastising some of the rumors and reports Friday.

At Thursday’s announcement that the UA is merging its Razorback and Lady Razorback athletic departments, White said he always discusses the football program after the season with retiring athletics director Frank Broyles and in the meantime supports Nutt and his staff for today’s game and the Nov. 23 game at LSU which concludes the regular season.

“ It seems some media outlets chose to falsely legitimize baseless rumors with unknown details from unnamed sources without first seeking the benefit of fact from the University, ” Kendig’s statement read. “ The fact is, there has been no determination regarding the status of Houston Nutt nor would there be until the normal review process for coaches takes place after the season. ”

Kendig said White affirmed this Thursday and that “ nothing has changed in regard to the coach’s status with the Razorback football team since that time. Reports to the contrary are misleading and irresponsible. ”

Jeff Long, who in replacing Broyles becomes vice chancellor for intercollegiate athletics and director of athletics on Jan. 1, currently is in an advisory capacity to White.

At Thursday’s merger announcement Long also expressed support for Nutt these final two games.

Nutt’s contract expires Dec. 31, 2012. If he’s fired before then, the Razorback Foundation must pay him $ 329, 644 per year for the remainder of his contract, according to his personal services and guaranty agreement.

The total would be $ 1, 648, 220 over the remaining five years of Nutt’s contract if he’s fired after this season and doesn’t find another job.

Nutt’s contract also stipulates he would have to pay Arkansas $ 500, 000 if he leaves the UA after this season for another job.

Taking over a program that from 1990-97 had compiled one winning season and gone to just two bowl games, Nutt has achieved a 73-48 record with seasons of 9-3, 8-4, 6-6, 7-5, 9-5, 9-4, 5-6, 4-7 and 10-4 and the current 6-4.

Arkansas has tied for one SEC West championship and won two SEC West titles during Nutt’s era and has gone to seven bowls with wins over Texas and Missouri in the Jan. 1, 2000 Cotton Bowl and the 2003 Independence Bowl and New Year’s Day bowl losses to Michigan (1999 Citrus Bowl ), Oklahoma (2002 Cotton Bowl ) and Wisconsin (2007 Capital One Bowl ) and to UNLV in the 2000 Las Vegas Bowl and Minnesota in the 2002 Music City Bowl.