For the first time since he was relieved of his duties at Arkansas on April 10, 2012, Bobby Petrino will return to Fayetteville to coach a football game. This time, he will be on the opposite sideline coaching his Missouri State Bears.
Petrino built Arkansas up to be a top program in the SEC during his tenure (2008-11), and Razorback head coach Sam Pittman has returned the program to that level for the first time since then.
Saturday's matchup will be a top 10 matchup — kind of — as the No. 10 Razorbacks (FBS) will face the No. 5 Bears (FCS). Petrino has built a respectable program that plays competitive football.
Last season, Petrino and Missouri State fell just short of Oklahoma State — who ended the season as a top 10 team — in Stillwater, 23-16. Petrino talked about how that game and experience can benefit his team going into the matchup with Arkansas.
Here is everything else the former Razorback head coach had to say ahead of Saturday's game with the Hogs, which is slated to kickoff at 6 p.m. CT and will be streamed on ESPN+/SECN+:
On any memories coming up this week:
Petrino was asked if he's had any memories of his time at Arkansas come up so far this week. He didn't want to give much away.
"I think we’ll see when I get there," Petrino said. "Right now what I’m going to do is just focus on the week and the preparation and what our players need to do. I’m sure there will be some feelings and some emotions when I step in the stadium. It’s really not about me, it’s about our football team. We’ve got guys on our team that have worked extremely hard. People that have been here since I first came and guys that we’ve added to it. Since June we’ve been the same team, dedicated and working hard together. It’s really about our players."
On going back to Arkansas with a team he's built:
Pittman has built Arkansas up from the ashes, but Petrino has built Missouri State up as well. He was asked about his thoughts of bringing his own program into Fayetteville to face the Hogs.
"I’m proud of our team," Petrino said. "I’m proud of our assistant coaches and the players that we have. When you look at the last two games, they’re really difficult games for us. We’re playing good teams that are well-coached and they have good players and we had to go battle to win the game. And we got better. We’ve improved in the two games…I think we have a team that really likes to compete. They like each other. They’re not afraid to fail."
On the program Sam Pittman's built at Arkansas:
Just as Pittman did in his Monday press conference, Petrino had plenty of respect to give to his opponent.
"Sam’s done a great job," Petrino said. "When you watch them play, first and foremost, you see that they have beliefs in what they’re doing. What they’re doing offensively, what they’re doing defensively. The coaches really believe in it and the players go out and execute it. What he’s done with that program, he’s done a great job."
On playing a Power 5 team in a hostile environment:
Razorback fans might show up a little more for this FCS game than any other, and it's pretty understandable why that's the case. Petrino said he just wants his team to enjoy the experience.
"This is a good football team we’re playing," Petrino said. "They really run the ball, wear you down. It’ll be unique. And it’ll be a lot of fun. Our players will enjoy it. It’ll be a great atmosphere. Big, huge stadium, nice and loud. I think we’ve got to go enjoy the experience and play as hard as we possibly can and see what happens."
How much of a challenge does KJ Jefferson present?
The question that gets asked every week — and will continue to be asked — is how much of a challenge does Arkansas quarterback KJ Jefferson present for an opposing defense.
"I mean, a lot," Petrino said. "He’s big, he can throw the ball, he can throw it deep, he’s an accurate passer, he’s a great runner. So our ability to get people to the ball when he runs it and tackle him. And then his biggest uniqueness, I guess you would say, is that you can have free rushers and you can get guys right there to sack him and he breaks the tackle and he runs out of it. He either throws the ball after he breaks the tackle or he takes off and runs. He’s done a really nice job. They’ve done a great job with him the last two years."
Thoughts on Razorback running back Rocket Sanders:
Sanders leads the SEC in rushing yards through two games, and opponents are starting to take notice of how good he really is.
"Rocket’s big and physical," Petrino said. "Last week’s game he broke a bunch of tackles, so you’ve got to be able to get a number of guys to the football and wrap up and be gap sound. Even sometimes teams are gap sound and he breaks a tackle and makes a big play. So it’s a good challenge for us."
How do you upset a team like Arkansas?
The Bears are not going to stroll into Fayetteville with a losing mindset. Just like any team does, they will enter this game thinking they are going to win.
"The first thing you have to do it make sure you prepare properly," Petrino said. "So how we go about our practice and how we work hard in practice. And then you’ve got to go in there and play. Play the game, don’t be intimidated, make plays, play fast, don’t make a bunch of mistakes. Because it’s a really good football team. You can’t afford to make mistakes and just give them opportunities. I think that’s the number one thing."
"I think maybe that’s where playing Oklahoma State last year helps us, is that we don’t go in and be intimidated. When you’re not ready to play or you're intimidated, things happen that don’t normally happen. Like you fall down a curl route. You’ve ran that curl route 20 times, but all of the sudden now I just fall down on it. There’s a lot more examples, but you don’t play the way you’re capable of playing. We have to go in and play the way we’re capable of playing and see what happens."
Thoughts on Arkansas' secondary:
The Razorback secondary has its fair share of injuries — Jalen Catalon (out for season), LaDarrius Bishop (out for Missouri State, undisclosed), Myles Slusher (undisclosed), Latavious Brini (ankle).
"I think they’ve got really good corners and really good experience," Petrino said. "Their safeties are good players. They put a lot of pressure on them because they play a lot of man coverage on the back end. But they get pressure on the quarterback in doing that too. So sometimes it’s not just the guy’s open at this particular time, it’s how much time does the quarterback have to be able to make that throw and that play. I think they’re really good players."
