SHREVEPORT, La. - Arkansas knows that 24 seniors have played their final game. Now it waits to see if several juniors and coach Houston Nutt have reached the end of their Razorback careers.
Athletic director Frank Broyles said Thursday that after Arkansas beat Missouri 27-14 in Wednesday's Independence Bowl, he gave Nebraska clearance to talk to Nutt. Frank Solich was fired at Nebraska in November after a 9-3 season. He was 58-19 in the six seasons since replacing Tom Osborne.
Kansas City Chiefs coach Dick Vermeil said his offensive coordinator, Al Saunders, turned down the coaching job.
While Nutt talks with the Cornhuskers, there are several juniors who may jump to the NFL after hearing good projections from scouts.
Nutt said Thursday morning he would not want to be part of an extended coaching search because it could adversely affect recruiting should he stay at Arkansas.
Nebraska AD Steve Pederson has said he expected to have his coaching search completed by the weekend.
"I would not go and prolong it," said Nutt, who is 48-27 in six seasons at Arkansas. "I'm not going to be a part of a long line."
Broyles said he expected to know quickly if he'll have to search for a new coach.
Juniors who have mentioned leaving include cornerback Ahmad Carroll and tight end Jason Peters. Also, senior cornerback Lawrence Richardson, a partial qualifier in 2000, can reclaim his fourth year if he graduates in four years and decides to stay.
Peters and Richardson have said they will make decisions within the week; Carroll has said he wants to stay and prepare for track season, where he was an All-American last season in the outdoor 100 and 200 meters.
Late Wednesday
SAN FRANCISCO - Derrick Knight ran for 122 yards and three touchdowns and T.J. Stancil had a school record-tying three interceptions in Boston College's fourth straight bowl victory, 35-21 over Colorado State in the San Francisco Bowl.
Larry Lester caught two TDs for the Eagles (8-5), who finished the season on a three-game win streak by shutting down the Rams and senior quarterback Bradlee Van Pelt.
Knight, an easy choice as the offensive MVP, secured the victory on a winding 27-yard TD scamper with 9:29 left. Knight finished a few yards shy of the school's single-season rushing record.
Van Pelt passed for 163 yards and ran for 65 and a TD despite sitting out the first quarter for the Rams (7-6), who fell behind 21-0 in the first. Van Pelt played his final college game with a 21/2-inch titanium rod in his broken throwing hand, which apparently swelled up enough to force him to miss his start. He threw three interceptions, and backup Jesse Holland threw two.
