It’s a bumpy, not new road for Petrino
When Bobby Petrino started his first season as head coach at Louisville in 2003, there were some bumps and bruises. There was a new offense, a new defense. There were assignment errors, miscues and, as Petrino said at his press conference today, the Cardinals simply just “struggled.”
But not as much as the Hogs have in Petrino’s first season at the UA.
While the Cardinals did start the season 4-0 in his inaugural year while adjusting to a new system, they weren’t facing the level of competition like the Hogs have faced the last two weeks with Alabama and Texas. There was time to improve and grow, Petrino said.
“That helped a little bit,” Petrino said.
Petrino’s Hogs are 2-2 now, losing their last two games by a combined 77 points. And the Razorbacks’ murderer’s row of games continues this week. No. 12 Florida is in town after losing to unranked Ole Miss at home, 31-30.
There’s quite a bit of rebuilding to be done on the UA campus and Petrino sent that message out at his press conference today with some assurances.
“We know how to win,” Petrino said. “We know how to practice. We know how to stop people, move the ball. But we’ve got to get it done sooner than later. We still have to keep our confidence and understand that it will happen.”
But it’s tough to do that when Florida awaits, especially after losing such a close game and their Heisman winner quarterback, Tim Tebow, making a promise to Gator fans.
“I’m sorry. I’m extremely sorry,” Tebow said, according to the Associated Press. “We were hoping for an undefeated season. That was my goal, something Florida’s never done here. But I promise you one thing: a lot of good will come out of this.
“You have never seen any player in the entire country play as hard as I will play the rest of this season and you’ll never see someone push the rest of the team as hard as I will push everybody the rest of this season, and you’ll never see a team play harder than we will the rest of this season.”
As for the Razorbacks, they’re hoping the worst is over.
“We’ve seen the lowest of the low and now we’re just looking to turn this thing around,” UA center Jonathan Luigs said. “We’ve got to start with Florida this week.”
– Brandon Marcello
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6 Responses to “It’s a bumpy, not new road for Petrino”
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I think most of us have realized this is going to be a long season of ups and downs. But I dont think this would have happened if Nutt was still coach. I’M 100% behind Petrino just pointing out how some might second guess wanting to get rid of Nutt. I just dont think we would have looked this bad. Sometimes the grass is not always greener. Look at how the coach we lost has his new team playing.
I must respectfully disagree, hog/okc. I was somewhat indifferent about Houston Nutt toward the end, neither a hater nor a lover. And many kudos to Nutt on this past weekend, but as in 1998, he inherited a much better team in Oxford than the one he left in Fayetteville. With some time and patience, Bobby Petrino will take the Razorbacks to higher ground. In my opinion, what the program really needs right now is some patience.
I agree with dwp007. We need patience. Everything points to much greater times to come. I wasn’t a Nutt hater (though I’m frustrated about the move just across the boarder). Nutt is a good 8 win a season coach (then lose your bowl game). I’m tired of being satisfied with hoping every year for the Cotton Bowl. Patrino has made it clear his intentions are to win a national championship at Arkansas. Maybe he’ll do it. Maybe he won’t, but at least he’s man enough to shoot for it. Judging by the recruits we’re getting, they’re buying it, and so am I. Go Hogs and go Patrino! Let’s have this conversation again in 4 years, but don’t start this now.
i agree if nutt was here now we would lose by more without a running game what would he had use,not passing that forsure,where all his recruits some are playing but 16 freshman are playing that should tell u something
Arkansas fans can be a little unrealistic, You change coaches lose 2 NFL running backs and expect a quarterback that has never had the same offensive system two years in a row to go out and be competitive in the SEC just because you are ARKANSAS!
Be patient Petrino is a very good football coach, but you can’t win with smoke and mirrors in the SEC. It takes the right players with the right coaches and that takes a couple of years to materialize.
The Razorbacks are not as bad as they look right now.
They will end with 4 wins most likely- what did you expect?
I don’t think Arkansas fans are unrealistic. They all understand that we have a new coach, a new system, and lost two NFL running backs so they all understand this is a rebuilding year. I don’t think losing is the issue. I personally resent the lack of heart, pride, and fight these football players are displaying.
Even before the season started you have multiple discipline problems… that has nothing to do with a new system.
The first two games against Div II teams we play like we are at their level. The fundamentals have not changed with the new coaching system. With a veteran O and D LIne and QB they should have shown more than what was displayed.
Alabama is playing as many freshmen as we are, but they are getting leadership from their veterans unlike us where our freshmen seem to play like the veterans.
Against Texas I think most fans didnt expect to win, but in a rivalry like that you would expect more fight and I must say HEART than what was shown. The fundamentals of tackling, blocking, and passing have not changed. Please can anyone tackle.
I say if the next two years will be rebuilding years and we are going to get whooped any way the way these JV upperclassmen are playing, let’s just play the new players to get them the experience and since there is not leadership or heart from the upperclassmen say good luck and thanks for 4 years of nothing (did they even win a bowl game in this class?). Let’s really rebuild instead of watching these horrible play from the upperclassmen.