Who is Running the Asylum?

Espn.com's Pat Forde details the behind the scenes melodrama unfolding at Arkansas' football program.

There was a meeting last week between parents of three Arkansas freshman, including highly touted QB Mitch Mustain, and the Arkansas athletic director to discuss "the direction of the football program."

It all started when head coach Houston Nutt, desperate to secure his job after an ugly 4-7 season in 2005, taped into the Springdale (Ark.) High School recruiting pipeline last winter. He hired the school's coach, Gus Malzahn, to be his offensive coordinator. That paved the way for the signing of four players from Springdale's undefeated state champs, most notably prep All-American quarterback Mustain.

Three of the four players played significant roles in Arkansas' success this season, but apparently it was not enough. Parents of the three players met with Arkansas AD Frank Broyles last week. The purpose of the meeting: The parents reportedly wanted to know whether Malzahn's no-huddle, spread offense would be the Hogs' offense of the future. It was not implemented this past season, which apparently runs counter to what the Springdale Mafia was promised during its recruitment to Fayetteville.

Anyone who has seen tape of the Hogs' offensive attack knows it will be centered in the near future around sophomore RBs Darren McFadden and Felix Jones, who combined to for a combined 2,576 yards this year. Arkansas has a "Wildcat" package, which sets RB McFadden in the shotgun and gives him the option to either run or pass. In fact, McFadden has 3 touchdown passes this year (on 6 completions out of 8 attempts), which is only 7 behind QB Casey Dick's total.

Because McFadden is such a great RB and the offense should revolve around the strength of the running game, it appears the parents' appeals will fall on deaf ears. However, it is interesting how these parents have continued to be overbearing and intrusive even after their children have left the nest and Nutt's use of a coaching staff hire to recruit high school players didn't come without its problems.