UA FOOTBALL PRACTICE : Hogs give Petrino their approval
Posted on Wednesday, December 12, 2007
Hiring Bobby Petrino got a general thumbsup from the Razorbacks, but they also assert they remain committed to interim coach Reggie Herring for their Cotton Bowl game against Missouri New Year's Day in Dallas.
The Razorbacks learned Petrino had resigned from the Atlanta Falcons and was headed to Fayetteville for a 10: 30 p.m. Tuesday press conference before they practiced under Herring Tuesday night inside the Walker Pavilion.
Herring has been elevated from defensive coordinator to head coach since Houston Nutt's Nov. 26 resignation after Arkansas beat then nationally No. 1-ranked LSU to close the regular season, 8-4. Nutt became head coach at Ole Miss on Nov. 27.
Petrino was only 3-10 with Atlanta, minus incarcerated star quarterback Michael Vick, but was 41-9 from 2003-06 as the head coach at the University of Louisville.
"He was successful at Louisville and hopefully he will be successful here," Arkansas junior All-American and Rimington Award winning center Jonathan Luigs said. "He's led some powerful programs, maybe not in the pro leagues but in college. I'm looking forward to meeting him. It's a weight off our shoulders. This will help us better prepare for Missouri."
Junior offensive guard Mitch Petrus said Petrino's Louisville record keeps its luster and discounts the flop with the Falcons since Vick, sentenced Monday to 23 months in jail for his role in illegal dogfighting, has been suspended the entire season by the NFL.
"I think he got caught in a bad situation," Petrus said. "He didn't tell Vick to raise dogs and fight them. It was a bad for him there, and it's good for us he's coming here now.
"It [the long search ] was starting to bother us, and I think it was hurting recruiting a little bit. I'm glad we've finally named a coach so he can start getting the recruits together. That's a big relief for us."
Especially, Petrus and sophomore wide receiver London Crawford said, after reports of near-hirings including Clemson's Tommy Bowden and Wake Forest's Jim Grobe.
"Hopefully he's coming in keeping his word," Crawford said. "Some guys I heard backed out. He's a great coach. I've watched him on TV a couple of times. He gets the ball to the athletes that produce. Hopefully the coach coming in will live up to what we want."
What they want now, Crawford said, is to beat Missouri with Herring.
"We are going to concentrate on the bowl game, because Coach Herring is a great coach," Crawford said. "But knowing we have a coach, that's all good."
Junior defensive tackle Ernest Mitchell said," I'm happy we found a head coach and it's finally over with. We'll concentrate on the bowl game and then come back in January and learn more about Petrino."
All the Razorbacks had heard of Petrino but at least one, third-year sophomore running back Michael Smith of Tallahassee, Fla., has met him.
"My 11 th and 12 th grade year he came to Tallahassee and got some players out of the area," Smith said. "So I was able to talk with him a little bit. I think he's a good coach. I'm happy it's over with. We can put this behind us and move forward and play football for Coach Herring who is doing an excellent job and then come back and play for a new coach."
Herring, who will coach the bowl game, UA Chancellor John White confirmed, said," These players deserve a good coach. I think Jeff Long [the athletics director who headed the coaching search ] did a tremendous job. "I appreciate the Arkansas fans and all the support they've given me in the last few weeks. It's my biggest gift in the world. As we pass the baton to the new coach, we wish him the best and to let him know he's about to get some special, special players. "Herring said the Razorbacks had a good practice Tuesday night and will practice again this morning. Their best player, twotime Doak Walker Award winning and two-time Heisman Trophy runnerup junior running back Darren McFadden, wasn't available to media Tuesday but apparently spoke volumes with his readiness for the bowl game after spending all last week at awards ceremonies in Orlando, Fla. (where he won the Doak Walker and the Walter Camp Player of the Year ) and New York at the Heisman. "McFadden was fired up and ready," running backs coach Tim Horton said. "It was a good day."
• • • Arkansas' Darren McFadden was named to the Associated Press first-team All-America while teammates Robert Felton, Felix Jones and Jonathan Luigs earned second-team All-America honors, it was announced on Tuesday. Two-time AP All-America first-team honoree McFadden, already named the Doak Walker Award winner, the Walter Camp Player of the Year, the Sporting News Player of the Year, the SEC Coaches' Offensive Player of the Year and an AFCA, Walter Camp and Rivals firstteam All-American, rushed for 1, 725 yards this season, an Arkansas single-season record. His 2, 172 all-purpose yards in 2007 is also an Arkansas single-season record. He rushed for 100 yards or more in nine of 12 games this season. Jones, a Doak Walker Award semifinalist, earned a position on the second team as an all-purpose back. The Tulsa, Okla., native led the SEC and ranked third in the nation in kickoff returns with a 31. 3 yards-per-attempt average. UA Sports Information contributed to this story.
FEEDBACK:
Something to say about this topic? Submit a Letter to the Editor online
