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Former MSU Coach Gets One Year Stint - Replacing Petrino in Arkansas

It turns out Arkansas athletic director Jeff Long has slapped together the coaching plan no one saw coming.

John L. Smith has been hired at Arkansas as a one-year interim coach, CBSSports.com's Dennis Dodd has confirmed, operating on a 10-month contract. The school announced late Monday afternoon that the contract is valued at $850,000.

Smith will be formally introduced at a press conference scheduled for 2 p.m. CT Tuesday.

Assuming the contract begins immediately, Smith has a contract to coach the Hogs through the end of February 2013. That would carry him through the 2013 recruiting season. There hasn't been word from Arkansas on whether the former Bobby Petrino assistant would be considered for the permanent job, but obviously a favorable 2012 season would help his chances.

 --- Read more at CBSSports.com ---

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