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ANNOUNCER: YOU'RE WATCHING
FINAL SCORE WITH WESS MOORE ON
FOX 16.
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WESS: WELL FOR THE SECOND
TIME IN TWO YEARS, THE
RAZORBACKS ARE LOOKING FOR A NEW
FOOTBALL COACH. AND FORMER
RAZORBACK AND A FORMER SEC
ASSISTANT COACH, MADRE HILL IS
WITH US TONIGHT. FIRST THINGS
FIRST, YOUR REACTION WHEN YOU
HEARD THE NEWS THIS MORNING THAT
CHAD MORRIS HAD BEEN DISMISSED.
MADRE: WELL IT WASN'T
SHOCKING. FIRST OF ALL, YOU HEAR
SO MANY RUMORS, THE PRODUCT THAT
WAS ON THE FIELD, PEOPLE WAS
REACHING OUT. IT WAS KIND OF
EXPECTED.
WESS: WHEN YOU START LOSING
TO WESTERN KENTUCKY LIKE THEY
DID, WHEN YOU LOSE TO THE
NON-CONFERENCE TEAMS LIKE THEY
DID, AND THEN DON'T SHOW THE
IMPROVEMENT IN THE SEC, I THINK
THE WRITING'S ON THE WALL.
MADRE: IT REALLY IS,
ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU'RE EXPECTED
TO WIN THE NON-CONFERENCE GAMES,
WHICH ARE YOUNG PLAYERS. THAT'S
FINE. THAT'S TOTALLY EXPECTED.
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MADRE: WE UNDERSTAND THAT
THERE MIGHT BE A GROWTH PROCESS
THROUGH THE SEC, ESPECIALLY
BEING IN THE WEST. BUT
UNFORTUNATELY, WE DID NOT SEE
ANY IMPROVEMENT FROM
NON-CONFERENCE PLAY.
WESS: WHERE DO YOU SEE THIS
PROGRAM RIGHT NOW?
MADRE: WELL, WITH ME BEING A
MAJOR DONOR TO THE PROGRAM, I
SEE THE PROGRAM IN A SITUATION
WHERE IT'S VERY CRITICAL.
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MADRE: AND IT'S A VERY
FRAGILE STATE. WE HAVE TO HIRE
SOMEBODY WHO'S EXPERIENCED. NO
MORE PROJECTS. WE CAN'T AFFORD
ANY PROJECTS. AND MOST
IMPORTANTLY WE CANNOT HIRE
ANYBODY IN THE PAST THAT'S GONNA
DIVIDE OUR STATE. SO WITH THAT
BEING SAID, THERE'S SOME GREAT
COACHES WE HAVE HAD IN THE PAST.
BUT THERE'S SOME SITUATIONS THAT
HAS FOLLOWED THEM. AND WHICH HAS
DIVIDED OUR STATE. OUR STATE IS
ALREADY DIVIDED ENOUGH. WE HAVE
TO COME TOGETHER AS A SMALL
STATE AND MOVE OUR PROGRAM
FORWARD.
WESS: WHEN YOU LOOK AT THIS
TEAM, A LOT OF YOUNG PLAYERS. A
LOT OF FRESHMEN, TALENTED
FRESHMEN, THAT THEY BROUGHT IN.
MADRE: RIGHT.
WESS: I WOULD THINK IT'S
STILL AN ATTRACTIVE JOB FOR
COACHES OUT THERE THAT THEY
WOULD WANT TO COACH AT ARKANSAS
AND COACH IN THE SEC.
MADRE: OH MOST DEFINITELY.
FIRST OF ALL, YOU'RE TALKING
ABOUT NOT ONLY THE BEST DIVISION
IN THE COUNTRY, WHICH WOULD
BEING IN THE SEC WEST, BUT THE
BEST CONFERENCE IN ITSELF. OUR
PROGRAM HAVE GREAT FACILITIES.
SOME OF THE BEST FACILITIES IN
THE COUNTRY, NO DOUBT. WE'RE
ABLE TO GO OUT AND SUCCESSFULLY
RECRUIT A SUCCESSFUL COACH.
HERE'S WHERE WE ARE AS A PROGRAM
THAT WE REALLY HAVE TO BE
CAREFUL, WE HAVE TO BRING
SOMEBODY WHO KNOWS ARKANSAS. WHO
HAS SOME FORM OF ROOTS, WHO
UNDERSTAND WHAT THIS STATE IS
ABOUT, I'M TALKING ABOUT
SOMEBODY WHO CAN TALK TO
CORPORATE IN THE NORTHWEST, AND
ALSO TALK TO THE DELTA FORMERS
IN THE SOUTH. WHO CAN REACH OUT
AND BRING THIS STATE TOGETHER.
THERE'S NO DIVIDE. WE CANNOT
HAVE ANY DIVIDE. LET ME BE VERY
CLEAR WITH THAT. WE HAVE TO HAVE
SOMEBODY WHO'S GONNA INVEST IN
THIS STATE, WHO WANTS TO BE HERE
FIRST AND FOREMOST. WE NEED A
WINNER.
WESS: WHEN DO YOU THINK IT
ALL WENT WRONG FOR CHAD MORRIS?
MADRE: WELL I THINK IT WENT
WRONG WITH CHAD WHEN HE TRIED TO
MIMICK DABO SWINNEY. HE WATCHED
HIM. BUT SEE HERE'S THE
DIFFERENCE WITH DABO. I WAS IN
THE-, I WAS COACHING AT SOUTH
CAROLINA WITH STEVE SPURRIER AS
HIS RUNNING BACK COACH AT THAT
TIME. AND WHAT DABO DID WAS HE
SURROUNDED HIMSELF WITH VERY
VETERAN ROOTED GUYS FROM SOUTH
CAROLINA AT THAT TIME. SOME
PEOPLE WHO KNEW THE CLEMSON
PROGRAM, WHO TOOK PRIDE IN THAT
PROGRAM. AND WHEN CHAD CAME IN,
HE WAS ABLE TO BE OVERSEEN BY
THOSE GUYS. WELL, WHAT HAPPENED
WAS, HE HAD JUST GOTTEN ON HIS
FEET AT SOUTH CAROLINA. HE
BROUGHT SOME YOUNG GUYS WITH
HIM. AND THEN HE BROUGHT THOSE
GUYS HERE. AS A HEAD COACH, YOU
CANNOT BE THE SMARTEST GUY IN
THE ROOM. IF YOU'RE THE SMARTEST
GUY IN THE ROOM, THAT'S A
PROBLEM FIRST AND FOREMOST. AND
YOU GOTTA HAVE SOMEBODY WHO'S
ABLE TO TAKE THE BULL BY THE
HORNS AND GUIDE THE PROGRAM IN
THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
WESS: WHAT WILL YOU REMEMBER
ABOUT THE CHAD MORRIS ERA?
MADRE: GREAT RECRUITER. I
MEAN, YOU GOTTA GIVE HIM HIS
DUE. HE WAS A GREAT RECRUITER.
FIRST TIME IN A LONG TIME SINCE
FRANK BROYLES HAVE WE HAD SUCH A
GREAT RECRUITER FOR THE STATE OF
ARKANSAS. BUT AT THAT TIME, YA
KNOW, HE JUST COULDN'T PUT THE
STAFF TOGETHER.
WESS: DO YOU HAVE ANY
CANDIDATES IN MIND?
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MADRE: YEAH, I-
WESS: THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO
HEAR THAT AT LEAST THEY
INTERVIEWED THESE GUYS?
MADRE: WELL I DEFINITELY
THINK THEY SHOULD BRING IN BUTCH
DAVIS. THAT'S NO DOUBT ABOUT IT.
HE WANTS THE JOB, HE'S ALWAYS
WANTED THE JOB. HE'S A NATIONAL
CHAMPIONSHIP HEAD COACH. HE
UNDERSTANDS HOW TO BUILD A
PROGRAM FROM SCRATCH. AND
THERE'S MANY OTHERS OUT THERE AS
WELL. BUT I THINK YOU HAVE TO
BRING THAT GUY IN AND INTERVIEW.
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WESS: THE FIRST THING, WHEN
YOU SAID HIS NAME, IS HE TOO
OLD? OR IS HE TOO FAR IN HIS
CAREER TO WHERE HE WOULD WANT TO
TAKE ON A PROJECT LIKE THIS AND
BE ABLE TO TAKE ON A PROJECT
LIKE THIS?
MADRE: YES, YES, HE'S ABLE TO
TAKE ON A PROJECT EXACTLY LIKE
THIS BECAUSE HE'S A STRONG
ADMINISTRATOR. HE'S GONNA GO
FOLLOW THE SAME BLUEPRINT MACK
BROWN DID AT NORTH CAROLINA. I
MEAN THEY-, THEIR PROGRAM WAS
SIMILAR TO OURS. IT WAS GOING
ARRAY. EVERYBODY WAS UP IN ARMS.
AND MACK CAME IN AND SETTLED THE
SEA. AND BROUGHT IN SOME
COORDINATORS WHO COULD HANDLE
BOTH SIDES. AND HE ADMINISTRATED
ORDER. AGAIN, IT'S BOBBY BOWDEN
BACK IN THE DAY.
WESS: MMHMM. YA KNOW, THE WAY
TIMES HAVE CHANGED, NOW WITH
THAT EARLY SIGNING PERIOD IN
DECEMBER. HOW CRUCIAL IS IT YOU
THINK THEY NEED TO GET SOMEONE
IN PLACE IN THE NEXT AT LEAST
THE NEXT MONTH? I WOULD SAY AT
THE VERY-, AT THE MOST?
MADRE: YEAH, THEY HAVE TO
HAVE SOMEONE IN PLACE
IMMEDIATELY. I MEAN, AT LEAST A
NAME OF SOMEONE-, AND IT'S
TOTALLY DIFFERENT IN THIS TIME
BECAUSE OF THE TRANSFER REPORTER
FOR THE PLAYERS.
WESS: YEAH.
MADRE: I MEAN, YOU HAVE TO
GET SOMEBODY IN THERE WHO CAN
WRAP THEIR ARMS AROUND 'EM AND
SAY, HEY, THIS IS WHAT WE'RE
DOING, THIS IS WHERE WE'RE
GOING, AND THIS IS HOW WE'RE
GONNA BE SUCCESSFUL.
WESS: WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE
LAST TWO GAMES.
MADRE: YES.
WESS: AT LSU, HERE AGAINST
MISSOURI AT WAR MEMORIAL
STADIUM, WHAT DO YOU WANT TO SEE
FROM THIS TEAM WITHOUT THEIR
HEAD COACH, WITH BARRY LUNNEY AS
THE INTERIM? WHAT DO YOU WANT TO
SEE AS A FAN AS A FORMER
RAZORBACK?
MADRE: WELL I'M EXCITED FOR
BARRY LUNNEY FIRST AND FOREMOST,
HE WAS MY FORMER QUARTERBACK
BACK IN THE DAY. WE WENT TO THE
FIRST SEC WEST CHAMPIONSHIP. I
THINK BARRY UNDERSTANDS WHAT
ARKANSAS IS ALL ABOUT. I THINK
THAT IN HIS SHORT TIME PERIOD
THAT HE HAS, HE'S GONNA GET
THOSE GUYS EXCITED ABOUT BEING A
RAZORBACK. THAT'S WHAT YOU HAVE
TO DO FIRST AND FOREMOST. X'S
AND O'S, THAT'LL COME. BUT IF
THE GUYS ARE NOT BUYING INTO
WHAT THE HOG TRULY MEANS, THEN
IT DOESN'T MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
WESS: AND BUYING IN WHAT
YOU'RE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH.
MADRE: EXACTLY.
WESS: I THINK WE'VE SEEN THAT
THE LAST TWO WEEKS.
MADRE: OH YEAH.
WESS: MADRE, IT'S GOOD SEEING
YA.
MADRE: WOO PIG.
WESS: WE'LL TALK TO YOU SOON.
MAYBE AFTER THE NEXT HEAD COACH
IS ANNOUNCED.
MADRE: SOUNDS GOOD. TAKE
CARE.
WESS: MADRE HILL WITH US.
STICK AROUND WE'LL BE RIGHT
BACK.
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WESS: YOU ARE WATCHING THE
FINAL SCORE WITH WESS MOORE.