Nutt withdraws from UAPB basketball search

By Jeremy Muck/OF THE COMMERCIAL STAFF

Former Arkansas State head coach Dickey Nutt has withdrew his name from the head coaching search at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff.

UAPB Athletic Director Louis “Skip” Perkins said Tuesday that Nutt called him and told him that he was taking his name out of the running. Nutt told Perkins that he was grateful for the opportunity, but that he wanted to pursue other opportunities.

Nutt praised the administration at UAPB and hopes that the Golden Lions can find themselves a “great head coach.”

“I’ve always admired the job that Coach Holt has done,” Nutt said Tuesday afternoon. “I have great respect for Skip Perkins. Meeting (UAPB Chancellor) Dr. Lawrence Davis, I have the utmost respect for the direction that they’re going in. But right now, I just wanted to look at the other options, without saying much more.”

Perkins has been interviewing several candidates this week for the Golden Lions’ basketball coaching position. Van Holt, who had been at the helm for six seasons at UAPB, resigned last week after a disappointing 13-18 season.

On Monday afternoon, Perkins said that he had received 22 applications for the head coaching position. The Commercial reported on Tuesday that Nutt had interviewed for the UAPB job. But 24 hours later, the 48-year old Nutt changed his mind.

Nutt’s name has been linked to the vacant head coaching positions at Jacksonville State and Mercer, respectively. He had been at ASU since 1987, when he was an assistant under Nelson Catalina. Nutt took over the ASU program in 1995 and led the Indians to the NCAA Tournament in 1999. ASU won the Sun Belt Conference West Division title in 2007 and advanced to the conference tournament championship game in Lafayette, La. before losing to North Texas. Nutt resigned at ASU on Feb. 19 and finished 189-187 in 13 seasons at the Jonesboro school.