Former Kentucky player John Pelphrey got a voice of support from the University of Arkansas chancellor on Friday. It came at a time Pelphrey probably needed a kind word.
Earlier in the week, the Arkansas program was rocked by news that a female student accused three players of rape at a fraternity party.
No charges were filed, but the accusation capped a turbulent early tenure for Pelphrey as Arkansas coach.
“We’re standing behind Coach Pelphrey,” Arkansas chancellor David Gearhart told the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette on Friday. “I think we’re going through some pretty serious growing pains, growing the program and changing the program, and that would have happened regardless of who the coach would be.
“I think he’s got to be given time, and then the problems we’re seeing will be taken care of.”
Problems on and off the court have plagued Pelphrey, who will be entering his third season as Arkansas coach. He played for Eddie Sutton and Rick Pitino at Kentucky in the late 1980s and early 1990s. In that time, the Paintsville native became one of the program’s famed “Unforgettables,” a designation given four players who remained at UK after NCAA sanctions caused several higher profile players to transfers.
Pelphrey’s problems as fledgling Arkansas coach include the loss of would-be star Patrick Beverley after the 2007-08 season. He cheated on a class paper, the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reported.
As a result, the Razorbacks finished a league-worst 2-14 in Southeastern Conference play in 2008-09.
Pelphrey suspended or lost to transfer four newcomers during or after last season. Marcus Monk, a regular contributer, had to leave the team because of a NCAA rules violation.
Arkansas also had the lowest Academic Progress Report of any SEC basketball program last season: 888.
“There have been some unfortunate things happen,” Gearhart said. “But the wayI would look at it is that when these things have happened, (Pelphrey) has immediately tried to attack the problems. He’s immediately tried to correct them. He has exercised discipline and he has exercised leadership.
“Instead of trying to make allowances for them, he’s taken care of them in a very serious way.”
1 comment so far ↓
Would love to have Johnny back home in some capacity, that was the plan all along ( according to C.M. Newton) Tubby would retire and hand it over to John. Funny how things turn out sometimes, Him coaching the Razorbacks just seems so weird.
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