Did Nutt Want the Alabama Job?

A possible "Smoking Gun" has surfaced in the long-running soap opera at Arkansas. Enter Sherri Darby, an employee of the Department of Finance and Administration who shares a home with Teresa Prewett.

Prewett, a friend of Arkansas coach Houston Nutt, sent a critical email to then-Razorback quarterback Mitch Mustain on Dec. 7, 2006, and critics alleged that Nutt was behind the email. Mustain has since transferred to USC.

Nutt, of course, has denied any involvement, but that didn't stop John David Terry from filing a lawsuit against John White, the chancellor of the Fayetteville campus, and Alan Sugg, the president of the University of Arkansas, alleging that the men failed to properly investigate Prewett's email.

Although that case was thrown out, Terry is back at it and has filed a new case against White and Sugg. This is where Darby enters the picture.

Several of Darby's emails, which were obtained through a subpoena, reveal that Darby traded between 3-12 emails with Prewett and Nutt during the period of Dec. 5-8. Some of the emails allegedly have been deleted, further fueling speculation of a coverup.

There are other gems in this latest document (PDF downloadable), which the site The Hog Blogger has posted. One email alludes to Nutt's possible interest in the opening at Alabama, created when Mike Shula was fired on Nov. 26. This exchange between Darby and Sherry Hamilton, a friend of Darby and Prewett:

"Teresa just said if the job is offered, [Nutt] is taking it. He will not interview. It will have to be offered. He wants the job from a recruiting standpoint. It recruits itself. I still think they will go after [Steve] Spurrier first."