Razorback Fans Get Another Chance to Get Feelings Hurt by Coach

With another day and no word on Eric Musselman's situation, some folks already wanting to be mad

Arkansas Razorbacks coach Eric Musselman reacts to a call in a game Feb. 27, 2024, against the Vanderbilt Commodores at Bud Walton Arena in Fayetteville, Ark. / Nelson Chenault-USA TODAY Sports

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — We don't know what Arkansas Razorbacks coach Eric Musselman is going to do or whether he's in town, San Diego, Los Angeles or where. Actually what we should be doing is looking for USC officials because they will come here before Musselman flies there.

A lot of the Hogs' bipolar fan base already have their feelings hurt. It tends to happen a lot and is typical. There has already been people speculating on everything from if he's looking to go somewhere, to who might be the possible replacements. In case you're wondering, Ole Miss' Chris Beard is the betting favorite to replace a coach that has not even left.

Nobody really cares what the fans' feelings are and it's not a democratic vote for the entire state to make a decision on things with the Razorbacks.

Some fans are getting all up in their feelings over Musselman's name even being mentioned. That doesn't mean he got on the phone and psycho-dialed the USC athletics director to lobby for the job. But it does start to make a little sense now with SMU able to waltz into Los Angeles and hire Andy Enfield for their opening. If there is a connection with the former Trojans' coach to Dallas and North Texas, it's unclear at this time.

He's familiar with the place and has probably seen USC's campus more than anybody around these parts. It's a rather unremarkable campus and the facilities probably aren't up to par with most places in the Big Ten where they'll be playing next season. Some coaches want to improve the house, not maintain one somebody else built.

Besides, coaches haven't actually interviewed for a job in 40 years. The homework has been done for a while, no matter the story told after the hire. For unknown coaches, there may be an interview process, but not the football coach, men's basketball coach and in some places the baseball coach.

REPORT: Arkansas head coach Eric Musselman is set to interview with USC tomorrow, per @SSchraderOn3👀https://t.co/GBegPRcrvA pic.twitter.com/vDy3yfgww2

— On3 (@On3sports) April 2, 2024

Unless everything has changed, Muss isn't going to LA to sit down with the athletic director to find out what they're looking for and sell who he is as a coach. If USC is at that point, they had plenty of lead time since Andy Enfield sailed off to SMU a week ago. It is possible Trojans administration could have easily slipped into town and talked with Musselman while his wife was photographed in Springdale Wednesday morning.

There are national reporters chasing the story trying to figure out who USC is going to hire as a basketball coach, probably more than most of the fan base in Los Angeles. It's a football fan base for the Trojans. USC has never won a national championship and hasn't been to the Final Four in 70 years. After saying that, it could be one of the things that would be attractive to Musselman.

During all this drama, one of my old-guy running buddies from decades ago, Jim Harris, pointed out on social media this reminded him of Lou Holtz, who started out like a ball of fire with the best team in program history in 1977 before getting run out of town by Frank Broyles in 1983.

There were fans feeling neglected then, though probably not as bad as when Ken Hatfield bolted for Clemson unexpectedly in 1989. Coaches come and go. Fans need to understand coaches don't love the Hogs as much as they do. They have to learn to separate their feelings because it's a business decision for coaches when opportunities come.

The priority is what's best for them and their family, not the feelings of fans. It's tough to swallow, but nothing personal no matter how hurt Razorbacks fans may feel.

HOGS FEED:

• Latest podcast segment may be making Sam Pittman's seat even warmer

• If Musselman shows up to USC today there's no coming back

• Basketball coaching saga likely coming to an end

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