Hogs' Herring appreciates players vote of confidence

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. - Arkansas' Reggie Herring says he was touched by his players' vote of confidence.

The Razorbacks' defensive coordinator is serving as interim head coach as the team prepares to meet Missouri in the Cotton Bowl at Dallas on New Year's Day.

Herring, 48, was chosen for the fill-in job after Houston Nutt resigned and then took the top coaching job at Ole Miss. Earlier this month, Arkansas hired Bobby Petrino to coach the Razorbacks next season, but Herring is handling the coaching duties for the Cotton Bowl.

Players voted Dec. 6 that they wanted him to be interim coach.

``It was the greatest gift I have ever received as a football coach,'' Herring said. ``Knowing I had earned the respect and the belief of the players that they felt compelled to do such an act, it was overwhelming.''

Retiring athletic director Frank Broyles said Herring's handling of the football program since Nutt's departure had been impressive.

``He's done a magnificent job and deserves to be a head coach some day, if not right away,'' Broyles said. ``If anybody called me, I would give him the highest recommendation I could give anybody to be a head coach.''

Herring said his interim job confirmed what he already knew: He wants to be a head coach and would be a very good one. All he needs, Herring said, is a chance to show that he is not just a defensive coordinator but an organized, efficient leader of men.

``I'd love to be a head coach, even moreso now after being given the chair,'' Herring said. ``It's something I personally could thrive in. At least now I can say I have been a head coach for a month.

Herring on Monday disputed a published report that he had agreed to become defensive coordinator at Texas A next season. The report, attributed to an anonymous source, appeared in the Dallas Morning News. Herring didn't rule out going to A but said he hadn't been hired there, or anywhere else, and nothing has been decided about his future at Arkansas, so far as he knew.

(Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)