Mitch Mustain thoughts from my other blog

John Heartbreak writes that Mitch Mustain had a hard row to hoe while at the UofA. I don't disagree, but to introduce a different metaphor, he helped make his bed, and now he is lying in it. I wrote these thoughts about Mitch Mustain and the Arkansas, USC, etc. football programs on September 12, 2008.

Mitch Mustain was a Parade All-American at Springdale HS in 2005. In 2006 he played in eight games for Arkansas, starting seven, winning them all. He wasn't really happy though. He wanted to pass the ball like he did in high school, but there were two issues with that:

1. There was a tandem of stud running backs behind him named McFadden and Jones whose average numbers were as good as any passing game, and

2. Springdale HS never played against an SEC secondary.

So with that, Mitch Mustain and a group of "concerned Springdale parents and supporters" became a pain in the side of the Arkansas Football program, specifically Coach Huston Nutt and AD Frank Broyles with Chancellor John White on the side. After his freshman season, Mustain transfered to USC. Nutt and Broyles left one year later. Soon after that, Chancellor White retired from adminstrative duties to "return to research and the classroom."

So now, Frank is in retirement, possibly at his cottage at the Augusta National Country Club where he's a member. You know the place, the one where they play The Masters. Nutt is at Ole Miss with a bonus check from the UofA. White is even basking in the glow of a Chancellor's after-life.

Where's Mitch Mustain? Riding the bench, hovering precariously between the 2 and 3 slot on the USC QB Depth Chart. He did throw one pass against UVa for ten yards and a touchdown. The drive went 11 yards in four plays with two-and-a-half left in the game to make it 52-7, USC over UVa. That means he scored on a 4th and 9 from the 10 after getting one net yard in the first three downs of the drive. (I can find this in the ESPN box score, but not on the game summary, go figure.)

Yes, USC was up by 38 points and went for it on 4th down with two to go in the game. He may get a championship ring, but he may well never get another start as QB.

Oh, and the Hogs suck. Only the deaths of hundreds of people on the Gulf of Mexico and in the Caribbean will prevent them from getting spanked like red-headed step-children in Austin this weekend.

Mitch MuSTAIN got what he wanted, almost. That last step down the depth chart is a doosey.

I won't say Mitch and Gus (his old coach) weren't sold a bill of goods. I surely won't say Mitch got the short end of the stick compared to everyone else who left the program soon after (including Gus). But I will say Mitch and Gus should have known better given the history and proclivities of the Athletic Director.

Being nice is one thing, but being patient is another. I just want to say that if he had just stayed one more year at home in the Ozarks, he would be the starting stud for a pass-happy coach who would have fit his wants and abilities perfectly. Patience is a virtue, even for 20 year olds.