Mixed Nutts

Oh what a tangled web we weave, when first we practice to deceive. Words to live by. Or in Houston Nutt's case, to lose your job by. It's hard to jump on the guy for me right now, after such a hard fought game in which the defense finally played a really good game against a name opponent. I almost feel sorry for the guy. I say almost because Nutt has done so much of the damage to himself and the football program due to his own actions with regard to the lies and deceptions to Malzahn and the Springdale kids.

Once again, there was a banner flying over the stadium before the game with a message only slightly different than the one last week in the Rock. This time it said: "Players & Fans Deserve Better-Fire Nutt". I have mixed feelings on that.

On the one hand, I agree with the message. On the other, I cringe at such dirty laundry being aired for the whole world to see. However, the bottom line is: if Nutt had not told so many whoppers, if he had been upfront in his dealings with recruits and assistant coaches, not to mention the fans and the press, much of this current unpleasantness could have been avoided.

I know of several instances in which Nutt has flat out lied to recruits or at best broken promises. There is a current player having a good season who was promised a scholarship long ago on the condition that he win a starting job. He did 2 years ago and I recently learned he still does not have a free ride.

With Halloween fast approaching, that sort of thing usually comes back to haunt you. The whole email mess, the text scandal and Nutt's petulant response, the transfers of the 3 Springdale kids, and on and on. Nutt's refusal to accept responsibility for anything. Going off the field at halftime, the last thing he said to Holly Rowe of ESPN was an excuse about Marcus Monk.

Monk is missed, to be sure. However, injuries are part of the game. One of the biggest factors in football at any level. That's why schools' have 85 scholarships. If Nutt hadn't run Damien Williams off or failed to develop Chris Baker, London Crawford and others, Monk's injury would not be so crippling.

In so seldom throwing anything down the field or in the middle of the field, our "passing game" was so limited, opposing defenses had little respect for it anyway.

I never like to kick a man when he's down, but my take on Houston Nutt is simply that his chickens are coming home to roost. All the spinning and lies can be overlooked by many fans when the team is winning, but at 0-3 in the SEC, 6 losses in the last 7 games vs. real teams, the total lack of discipline and the used car salesman tactics are all combining to form a perfect storm raining down on Houston Nutt. If he wants to face down the one person most responsible, he need look no further than the man in the mirror.