Former Auburn coach Gene Chizik praises Arkansas's hire of Chad Morris
The Arkansas Razorbacks were waiting for Auburn coach Gus Malzahn to decide whether he’d head to Fayetteville or stay with the Tigers.
However, once Malzahn decided to stay, the Hogs moved quickly to Plan B — SMU’s Chad Morris. Morris has been nothing but excited for his new job and has energized the Arkansas fan base.
On Monday, former Auburn coach Gene Chizik joined “Sports Talk with Bo Mattingly” and weighed in on the hire, saying the Razorbacks made a great decision:
Chizik on Arkansas hiring Chad Morris: I thought it was a great hire. I think it made all the sense in the world. When Arkansas’ been successful, you look no further than recruiting success in Texas.
— Bo Mattingly (@SportsTalkwBo) December 11, 2017
Morris’s Texas ties are important, as that’s a state that the Hogs will have to recruit in order to compete in the SEC West.
Chizik went on to caution Arkansas fans, though, saying it will take some time for Morris to build the Razorbacks into an SEC West contender:
Chizik: One thing I would say to the fans of Arkansas or SEC West schools w/new coaches: You’re in the SEC West. The division is brutal. If you think you’re going to turn around in two years and win it, that’s not realistic. … Give them time. Let them do their jobs.
— Bo Mattingly (@SportsTalkwBo) December 11, 2017
It will be interesting to see how Morris fares in his first year at the helm of the Arkansas program, but he has his work cut out for him in 2018 and beyond.
