Arkansas has now reached out to Tulane head coach Willie Fritz about the open head coaching position on the Hill, according to CBS's Dennis Dodd. Fritz has been a candidate on the HawgBeat hot board since Chad Morris was fired on November 10 but Dodd's report is the first confirming direct communication.

According to Rivals' Gabe DeArmond at PowerMizzou, Fritz is also in the mix for the open position at Missouri and has either already interviewed or is due to be interviewed this week.

The Tulane head coach has taken the Green Wave from a struggling 3-9 squad to back-to-back bowl eligible seasons. Fritz has coached in Texas (Sam Houston State and Blinn CC), Louisiana (Tulane), Georgia (Georgia Southern), and in Missouri (Central Missouri).

Hired in 2015, Fritz's annual salary at Tulane is $1.5 million but his buyout is undisclosed since it's a private university.

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