AD Long affable with ex-UA coach
COLUMBIA, Mo. — Arkansas Athletic Director Jeff Long sat next to John Pelphrey during an interview on the SEC Network for several minutes in the second half of Arkansas’ 94-61 victory over Missouri on Tuesday night.
Long fired Pelphrey as Arkansas’ coach after the 2010-2011 season, but he said he didn’t feel uncomfortable talking with Pelphrey on the telecast.
Pelphrey is working as a color analyst for the SEC Network, and he has called the Razorbacks’ past two games.
“It wasn’t awkward for me, and I hope it wasn’t for John,” Long said of the two sitting side by side and talking Tuesday night.
Presumably, Pelphrey didn’t have a problem talking to Long, who appeared on the telecast at the request of the SEC Network to talk about stepping down as chairman of the College Football Playoff committee.
SEC Network play-by-play announcer Tom Hart handled most of the interview, but Pelphrey asked Long about the difficulty in balancing his duties as Arkansas’ athletic director with being the committee chairman.
“John’s a good man, and I think he’s a good coach,” Long said after the game. “I don’t feel any animosity towards John.”
Long fired Pelphrey after his Arkansas teams were 6959 in four seasons, including 46-47 his last three seasons. The Razorbacks were 18-13 in Pelphrey’s final season.
“Sometimes situations don’t work,” Long said. “I think John will be a head coach again.
“I think he’ll have that opportunity, and he will have learned from his experience here, and it will make him a better coach in the future.”
Pelphrey said before the game he and his family still have many friends in Arkansas and that he appreciated his opportunity to coach the Razorbacks. He talked with several fans Saturday when he worked the Arkansas-Mississippi State game in Fayetteville.
Long said that with the football season ending Monday night when Alabama beat Clemson 45-40 in the national championship game, he’s looking forward to attending more Arkansas basketball games.
“I’m excited to get back into basketball,” Long said on the SEC Network telecast. “With so much football to deal with, I haven’t had a chance to really follow our team that closely.
“I was excited to get here to Mizzou to watch the Hogs play.”
Arkansas (9-7, 3-1 SEC) won its third consecutive conference game and improved to 94-55 in Coach Mike Anderson’s five seasons.
“Mike Anderson develops teams,” Long said. “We see our team getting better right before our eyes and maturing. I’m very impressed.
“Our team certainly has something to build on as we move forward.”