FAYETTEVILLE — There was another Walton Arena parking lot news conference by the Arkansas basketball coach Tuesday night, but this time it didn’t end with him catching a ride to the airport to hop a plane to Omaha, Neb.
On April 3, 2007, Dana Altman stood in the parking lot by the reserved space that would have been his and told reporters after one day as Arkansas’ coach that he’d had a change of heart and was going back to Omaha to keep his job at Creighton.
Then Altman got into a sport utility vehicle and was driven to Drake Field, where he was met by a private plane.
The stunning about-face by Altman opened the door for John Pelphrey to be hired from South Alabama and become Arkansas’ coach a week later.
Pelphrey, in his third season, has coached the Razorbacks to a 44-33 record and is coming off a 66-62 overtime victory against previously undefeated Missouri State on Tuesday night.
When Pelphrey’s postgame news conference was interrupted by a fire alarm - it turned out be a false alarm - everyone inside Walton Arena was ordered to vacate the building.
Pelphrey suddenly found himself talking to reporters in the darkened parking lot, though on the opposite side from where Altman had spoken.
“I promise you I’m not going anywhere, except back into that building in a few minutes,” Pelphrey said. “I’m here because I wanted to come to Arkansas. Someone gave us the opportunity, and I’m here, and we’re going to work.”
How long Pelphrey will remain at Arkansas has been a hot topic of conversation around the state lately given the Razorbacks’ 2-15 finish last year and their 2-5 start this year - including consecutive home losses to Morgan State, East Tennessee State and South Alabama - and a series of off-the-court problems.
But Pelphrey has quieted at least some of the criticism with Arkansas’ five-game winning streak going into the team’s Christmas break.
Four scholarship players began this season on disciplinary suspension. All are playing now except sophomore point guard Courtney Fortson, who remains on indefinite suspension.
Pelphrey said there is “no update” when asked if Fortson will play in Arkansas’ next game, against Baylor on Wednesday night at Verizon Arena in North Little Rock.
Pelphrey also suspended players numerous times in his first two seasons at Arkansas.
“I don’t work for the approval of everybody else,” he said. “I think everybody likes nice things being said about them, but I don’t wake up on a daily basis and have to have that.
“I know what my job is. It’s to lead young men, it’s to help them become better as individuals, and certainly with school and with basketball as well.
“We’re going to do that. Arkansas deserves that, and this program deserves that,and I’m excited about where we’re headed.”
Pelphrey said some “real cool things” happened academically this semester for the Razorbacks as well as last year. He said he is excited about the character the Razorbacks have shown this season, about the three players who signed with Arkansas in November, and the players Arkansas continues to recruit.
“This is where I want to be. Nothing weakens that resolve,” Pelphrey said. “I certainly want to win every game we play, and we’ll work towards that.”
Arkansas Chancellor David Gearhart and Athletic Director Jeff Long have continued to voice strong support for Pelphrey and said they expect him to be the Razorbacks’ coach for the long haul.
“My focus is with this basketball team,” Pelphrey said. “I know who I work for. Those guys to my face have been very supportive. I believe them.”
Sports, Pages 15 on 12/24/2009