The Univ. of Arkansas has "retained a pair of firms to assist with the school's ongoing searches" for a permanent AD and football coach, according to Tom Murphy of the ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE. Arkansas will "use personnel" from Korn Ferry on a consultative basis to vet AD candidates and will work with DHR Int'l "in the search" for a football coach. Arkansas has "agreed to pay Korn Ferry a one-time fee of $75,000 for its services, plus direct out-of-pocket expenses." Arkansas Chancellor Joe Steinmetz on Friday "indicated he had chosen not to use a firm" in the AD search and "didn't think a firm would be hired to assist" interim AD Julie Cromer Peoples with the coaching search. Steinmetz yesterday "conducted a teleconference that lasted about 90 minutes" with members of the school's seven-member advisory panel. He "provided a brief update" in an Arkansas news release announcing the search firms. Sources said that "numerous candidates were discussed but no defined date for naming" the new AD was put in place (ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE, 11/29). In Birmingham, John Talty noted the two firms are "considered the heavyweights of the search industry." Before yesterday, Arkansas was "one of only two SEC schools -- Kentucky, the other -- to not use a search firm" since '11. Korn Ferry in recent years "has assisted" on the SEC commissioner search to replace Mike Slive, Missouri's AD search that resulted in Mack Rhoades and Florida's football hire that brought Jim McElwain to Gainesville. DHR Managing Partner Glenn Sugiyama "helped place" Purdue football coach Jeff Brohm last year, Pittsburgh AD Heather Lyke in March and is "currently involved with Oregon State's football coach vacancy" (AL.com, 11/28).
MOVING QUICKLY: Mississippi State yesterday hired Penn State coordinator Joe Moorhead as its new coach, and in Jackson, Hugh Kellenberger writes MSU AD John Cohen took a "deliberate path." The speed of the search says that Cohen "had a plan and executed it" once Dan Mullen left for Florida. It "became clear very early that Cohen was not going to be afraid to grab someone who he viewed as the right guy, even if it was unconventional" (Jackson CLARION LEDGER, 11/29).
SWING FOR THE FENCES: Arizona State over the weekend fired coach Todd Graham, and in Phoenix, Dan Bickley writes ASU VP/Athletics Ray Anderson "made a big mistake during his Sunday press conference" by saying that ASU "deserves a perennial Top 15" football team. Anderson added that he "doesn’t want to settle for lowly postseason bowls" and that he "wants to compete for championships." But the problem is building a D-I powerhouse in football is "far more arduous than constructing a downtown campus or assembling an unbeatable golf team." Great football programs "generate massive amounts of money, and the costs are prohibitive." The competition "is fierce because the rewards are bountiful, enhancing the image of the university, the self-esteem of students and the generosity of wealthy alumni." Anderson "deserves some blind faith." He has "displayed a keen eye and great candor" when assessing Graham’s weaknesses in the past. But his own rhetoric "has raised the bar significantly, and now he must deliver a home-run hire" (ARIZONA REPUBLIC, 11/29).
