FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. -- Arkansas will begin work next week on its effort to replace coach Nolan Richardson, who was fired after making comments that administrators found damaging to the basketball program.

"We've begun to formalize the search committee and to make arrangements to begin the process," sports information director Kevin Trainor said Friday. He said much of the day was spent contacting people about serving on the committee. "The goal is to begin early next week," he said.

What's Next?

Arkansas AD Frank Broyles said he would give assistant coach Mike Anderson the first interview, but Anderson told ESPN.com he hadn't been contacted about an interview as of Thursday afternoon. An official search can now commence with the decision final on Nolan Richardson. Expect Western Kentucky's Dennis Felton, former Bulls coach Tim Floyd and Illinois coach Bill Self to be at the focus of the search. Self has declined interest in the position, but he might be contacted now that Richardson's dismissal is official. -- Andy Katz, ESPN.com

About 10-15 people are expected to be on the panel, but it is clear that Chancellor John A. White and Athletic Director Frank Broyles will pick the next coach.

"We will only provide input," said Tommy Boyer of Fort Smith, who is expected to chair the committee. "We will perform the interview process."

About 30 people already have applied, but the number of people who will be interviewed will probably be less, he said.

Boyer said the committee would give White and Broyles a list of favorites. White said he will meet with the committee to share "my expectations for the program and the head coach," White said.

"Coach Broyles and John White will make the final decision," Boyer said.

Interim coach Mike Anderson, a Richardson assistant who replaced his former boss for two games this month, has been promised the first interview.

In addition to Boyer, a standout at Arkansas in the early 1960s, the committee is expected to include former Razorback star Joe Kleine and J.J. Sullinger, a freshman on this year's team.

Arkansas system President B. Alan Sugg on Thursday upheld White's decision to release Richardson. He said the coach had said privately and publicly that he wanted to be bought out for the last six years of his seven-year contract.

White and Broyles said Richardson's remarks damaged the program and Sugg, after a three-day review, agreed.

Arkansas' search for a new coach was put on hold while Richardson appealed to Sugg. Richardson's lawyer, John Walker, hasn't decided whether to try to block the search while he considers the coach's next move.

"We haven't had a chance to read over the response that they've given," Walker said Friday. "We'll take a little time today and digest this."

Earlier this week, Walker said "I would expect if we were to litigate them it would take some time. We'll see. It will take some time by the time we get the matter resolved."

In addition to the buyout remarks, which Richardson later retracted, the coach criticized fans and reporters and said he is treated differently because he is black. He later attempted to apologize for those remarks.

After White took Richardson at his word on the buyout, the campus chancellor said March 1 that he would buy out the rest of his seven-year contract at $500,000 per year -- roughly half of the $1.03 million salary under the pact.

According to White, in excerpts released to the media, Richardson in a private meeting Feb. 28 threatened protests that would rival the desegregation demonstrations outside Little Rock's Central High School in 1957, when Gov. Orval Faubus refused to let nine black students enter classes.

"You'll have to have tanks in the parking lots," White said Richardson told him.

Richardson's lawyer said Friday that White got it wrong.

"We've always contradicted that. That was self-serving and after the fact, directed by counsel to put Mr. Richardson in a bad light," lawyer John Walker said. "(Richardson) said he wanted to avoid that kind of thing."