It's been over a decade since the Arkansas football program was feared across the country as one of the most dynamic and explosive offenses around.
Led by former head coach Bobby Petrino, the Razorbacks were a juggernaut in the SEC from 2008-11 with players like Ryan Mallett, Jarius Wright and Joe Adams. The list of talented players that performed under Petrino's tutelage goes on and on.
Now back in Fayetteville as the Hogs' offensive coordinator, Petrino has an entirely different group of players to work with.
Despite the different crew around him, Petrino doesn't believe there's much of a difference in the way he calls a game since he last stepped in the state of Arkansas as head coach.
"I honestly don’t think a lot has changed, simply because I don’t think it’s about plays," Petrino said. "I don’t think it’s about what you do. I think it’s about how you use the players that you have. How you get the ball to a Jarius Wright. Joe Adams. How you get the ball to Dennis Johnson and how you work the different situations of the game."
Coached by Petrino from 2009-10, the late Mallett totaled 491 completions for 7,493 yards and 62 touchdowns en route to leading Arkansas to a 10-win season in 2010. Petrino spoke about Mallett on Thursday.
"I mean Ryan was pretty perfect because Ryan was as smart as you could possibly be," Petrino said. "He understood the game, he understood his players around him. He understood when you made a call what you were thinking. He was really a guy that you could anticipate what he was going to do. You know, when you saw the coverage and the play call, he would probably go the way he did in practice."
Utilizing players correctly and putting them in the best position to win football games is what separates good teams from great ones. Arkansas was great under Petrino from 2008-11, as he racked up a 34-17 (17-15 SEC) record that included three bowl game appearances. Letting good players make plays is a big reason why.
"So what I love to do is utilize players, and then be good at the situations of the game and the players really understand what we’re going to see in 3rd-and-short and what we’re going to see in 4th-and-short. What we’re going to see in the red zone or what blitzes they run from the 15-yard line. Get everybody on the same page and then practice the heck out of it.
Known as one of the greatest offensive minds in college football, Petrino's ability to thrive in situational football should help pull the Razorbacks out of the gutter they were in last season.
"Then, when you’re on the left hash, 35-yard line, 1st-and-10, want to take a shot at the end zone. Everybody knows what we’ve done. What coverage we expect and then what to do if we don’t get that coverage.
"Or what’re you going to do on 4th-and-1, left hash, game on the line? We ran the ball the previous two times and got knocked in the mouth, so let’s get us a little play action in there and see if we can get it. I really like to work on situations and players."
Petrino may not be that different from an offensive play calling standpoint, but he has changed as a person — something that should be expected and welcomed after 12 years.
"I mean, everybody is different," Petrino said. "You know that. You were different than you were back then. Hopefully I’ve grown as a coach, as a teacher, as a husband, as a father. I believe, totally, that I have. Hopefully I’m better tomorrow than I am today."
