Allen Offensive Coordinator in Title Alone

The University of Arkansas’ defensive line coach Bobby Allen was once the co-defensive coordinator for the Razorbacks, and the 18-year veteran coach has never coached offense at the college level.

Nevertheless, a reader noticed that Allen was listed as the UA’s offensive coordinator in our Dec. 10 issue’s list with salaries of state employees. Houston Nutt has made it clear that he serves as head coach and offensive coordinator and has no plans of hiring anyone else for that position.

It seems since Allen was brought to Arkansas by Nutt from Boise State in 1998 at the salary of a co-defensive coordinator, and since John Thompson now holds that post by himself, the only way to keep Allen’s annual salary at $135,000 was to give him a coordinator’s title.

It’s just a line item thing for the finance department at the UA. So don’t expect Allen to be calling plays against the Oklahoma defense on New Year’s Day in the Cotton Bowl. He’ll be busy enough with his defensive linemen.