'No interest' in Miami job, Nutt says

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (AP) Arkansas football coach Houston Nutt says he is not seeking the open coaching position at Miami.<br/><br/>Nutt, whose 8th-ranked team is 10-2 and plays #4 Florida on Saturday in

Sunday, November 26th 2006, 2:41 pm

By: News On 6

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (AP) Arkansas football coach Houston Nutt says he is not seeking the open coaching position at Miami.

Nutt, whose 8th-ranked team is 10-2 and plays #4 Florida on Saturday in the Southeastern Conference championship game, says he is focused only on the Gators.

"When you experience the good times and then you've had a couple of rough years and come back like we have this year, it's a great feeling. You want to keep that going," said Nutt, whose team's winning streak ended at 10 with Friday's 31-26 loss to #5 Louisiana State at Little Rock.

Miami fired Larry Coker on Friday. His team went 6-6 this season and he has been retained to lead the Hurricanes in a bowl game. Coker was 59-15 in six seasons as head coach and won the 2001 national championship.

Nutt is 67-42 in nine seasons at Arkansas. His name appeared in a list in the Miami Herald of possible candidates for Coker's job.

"I'm not thinking about anything but Florida," Nutt said Saturday. "If anyone mentions my name (in connection with the) Miami job, that's just a rumor. I've got no interest in Miami."

Nutt's contract runs through the 2011 season and he said he intends to stay at Arkansas.

"I've given a lot here and invested a lot and (the Arkansas administration) has invested a lot in me, too," Nutt said. "I'm excited about how we're playing and how recruiting is going right now."

Friday's loss dropped the Razorbacks to 7-1 in the league but Arkansas still won the SEC West outright. Last season, Arkansas finished 5-6 and a year before went 4-7. Nutt led the Razorbacks to bowl games in his first six seasons.

With a victory Saturday, the Razorbacks would be assured a Bowl Championship Series berth, most likely the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans.

Nutt said he wants to stay at Arkansas and enjoy good times that he foresees.

"You see how close we came to playing for a national title this year, and that's with a lot of people getting hurt," Nutt said. "I think a year like this shows what were capable of doing in the future and that we're not that far away."

Arkansas athletic director Frank Broyles said he has not been contacted by anyone at Miami for permission to talk about the vacancy. He said he is "very happy" with Nutt.