Sunday’s column on the hiring of Patrick Murphy as the newest head coach at LSU was accurate - for a few hours.

Murphy, who rolled up a 712-210 record in 13 seasons at Alabama, seemed pleased with his decision to leave the Crimson Tide to follow in the steps of his mentor Yvette Girouard.

"I think it was just too good of an opportunity to pass up," Murphy said. "I could tell from the beginning that they were extremely serious about building a championship softball program.”

Nearly 48 hours later, Murphy changed his mind somewhere between Baton Rouge and Tuscaloosa.

“I appreciate everything LSU did. They did everything in a first-class manner,” Murphy said in a statement released through Alabama.

“LSU offered me a great opportunity, but I realized once I got there that I had made a mistake that had nothing to do with LSU,” Murphy said.

“I realized that I belong at Alabama. Alabama is where my heart is, and I cannot in good conscience try to do a job in which I am not totally committed beyond any doubt. I can honestly say that the last few days have only made it clear that Alabama is where I want to be -- beyond any doubt. It would have been totally unfair to everyone at LSU - especially the players - for me to be conflicted at all about where I was.”

Anger was evident in LSU’s response.

“I am very disappointed in Patrick’s decision after he had committed to be our head coach,” LSU vice chancellor and director of athletics Joe Alleva said in a news release.

“I am especially disappointed for the young women on our team to whom he gave every indication he was in this for the long haul. We will use this opportunity to find a coach who will be the right leader for our student-athletes, who will wear the purple and gold with pride and will lead the softball program with integrity.”

But what was bitter for one was sweet for the other.

First University of Alabama Director of Athletics Mal Moore first gave Murphy a good luck farewell speech and then turned around and was thrilled to have his coach back.

“I am glad to see that he has had a change of heart because I have always known that he is one of the finest coaches in America,” Moore said.

Alyson Habetz, who joined Murphy at LSU, also will return as part of the staff.

Murphy was reportedly to earn $200,000 per year - up from his $140,000 as the Crimson Tide coach.

“We made a great offer,” Alleva said. “He (Murphy)was excited. He said he wanted to retire in Louisiana, but then he got cold feet and said he wanted to go back home.”

While I understand the hurt that the Tiger team and administration is feeling, let him go back to Alabama.

Murphy will also have bridges to mend with his Crimson Tide team as they were also upset when he decided to move south. He had been with the Alabama program since its inception in 1997, first as an assistant for two years.

Obviously, LSU has reopened the search for a new head softball coach.

Hopefully the next softball press conference will be a positive event with a new coach who really wants to be in Baton Rouge.