Does smoke always equal fire for Razorback Basketball?
Rumors abound about Eric Musselman's future at Arkansas
I love smoke.
I love low-and-slow smoked meats. I love a smoky bourbon. I love the smell of that little bit of smoke that lingers in the air after you blow out a match. I love the way smoke mixes with strobe lights. I heard someone pronounce it “schmoke” once, which I also love. I had a nice time at a jazz club called Blue Smoke. I think Smokey the Bear does yeoman’s work.
But I don’t usually write about smoke because it’s so amorphous, so intangible. If you can’t tell by now, I like to anchor the frame of these word portraits in a data stud.
Today’s smoke is more like the sting of smoke in your eyes. I don’t know how to feel about the smoke surrounding Arkansas Razorback Basketball coach Eric Musselman because it’s surprising, and there’s a ton of it.
What does the Musselman smoke say?
In short, the rumors are that this is Musselman’s last year as the head coach of the Razorbacks. While there have been some above-board media outlets reporting that Musselman is exploring his options for this offseason, a lot of the noise comes from supposed Arkansas insiders on this Discord and cryptic posts from Trilly Donovan (a burner account with 50k followers) on X.
The longer version of the rumors basically plays out like this: Musselman is angling to leave Arkansas this year, and he would do so for Louisville (and their increased NIL money) or any number of West Coast jobs like Arizona State, UCLA, or USC. (It is worth noting here that NONE of these schools currently have an opening.) Insiders are adding that supposedly Arkansas assistants have already started calling around asking about job prospects for next season.
Hunter Yurachek is allegedly aware of all of this and has been doing his own back-channel dealing and operating. Putting out feelers, as they say. Where does this information come from? Supposed connections to Ole Miss head coach Chris Beard, who would view Arkansas as the destination job Texas was supposed to be for him. Kansas State’s Jerome Tang is waiting in the wings. Yuracheck, the rumors report, wouldn’t need to make more calls than that to find the next head Hog.
On top of all that, Jon Gruden was seen wearing a red tie yesterday!
Is your head spinning yet?
Where is the Musselman smoke coming from?
With any rumor or hearsay, it’s important to parse out exactly where the stories are coming from before investing too much energy (more than I have already done for you) into what the results would be for Arkansas. Let’s discuss four potential reasons for the Musselman rumors. The truth could obviously end up being some combination of these things.
Option One: Coaches trying to get raises
It’s that time of year, after all. Coaches and their representatives are angling to ensure they have job security and big bucks. Every coach involved in this rumor has something to gain from being involved. Musselman has had a rough year, and Arkansas fans are a fickle bunch, so getting some more guaranteed years on his contract would benefit him.
Tang took Kansas State to the Elite Eight last year but is currently only 15-11 this season. He might be interested in some more job security. Beard is making just 3.25 million this year at Ole Miss, which is a middle-of-the-road salary for an SEC coach, especially one who wins at his level.
I’m just saying that there could be self-serving interests at play here.
Option Two: Content creators trying to drum up interactions
Trilly Donovan has bills too, and his pay-to-play Discord channel helps cover those costs. The Dickson Discord is brand new and has grown to over 500 members in basically a week.
Nothing generates interest and clicks and subscribers and followers for sports content quite like coaching searches. I mean, dang, I’m basically doing it too.
Option Three: Arkansas fans are creating conspiracy theories
Conspiracy theories are born out of the cognitive dissonance of a truth you held dear being proven incorrect in front of your eyes. Some folks adjust their schema and make new meaning out of the world, and others do the mental gymnastics needed to continue to hold their initial truth.
For many Hog fans, there is no dearer truth than the idea that Musselman is the Arkansas basketball savior. That doesn’t jive with the poor play they’ve seen this season. Instead of just saying, “Hey, this team isn’t very good, and Musselman has done a poor job coaching them. I’m sure he’ll bounce back next year,” they concoct this story that begins with a disinterested leader and ends in Arkansas somehow ending up with an arguably better coach in Beard.
Option Four: It’s actually true
Sometimes the simplest explanation is the right one. In this case, that might mean that these people are actually connected and all these rumors are true.
How do I feel about the Musselman smoke?
Smoke comes from fire. Is the Musselman fire at Arkansas more wood-burning stove or shooting star? Is he built to last in Fayetteville for the long haul, or is he burning white hot for a short time?
His career history says the latter is more likely. The knight in me who defends The Basketball Palace of Mid-America hopes it more the former.
I think…?
But, then, like…if Beard is the potential replacement…I don’t know, man. He’s also a short-termer who has left some smoldering embers behind him, but he has one thing Musselman doesn’t—a trip to the Final Four. His teams have manhandled Musselman’s in their last two meetings as well.
I only know for certain that if one of Musselman or Beard will lead Arkansas next year, the program is in pretty good shape.
Programming Note: My first kid will arrive likely sometime in the next few weeks, so here is what you can expect from me programming-wise:
I’m pausing on Rabid Reactions for now, but I have lots of ideas on how to improve that work, which I’m excited to unveil starting in football season next year.
I will keep doing Razorback Reels until she gets here, and then those will also pause. A surprise one may pop up here and there.
My Sunday piece will continue as is (ideally still at 8:30 each Sunday morning) even after she arrives.