Arkansas

What Arkansas football players said about Bobby Petrino at 2024 SEC Media Days

Published

1 year ago

July 18, 2024

What Arkansas football players said about Bobby Petrino at 2024 SEC Media Days

He wasn’t there in person, but the shadow of Bobby Petrino hung over Arkansas football’s time in the spotlight Thursday at the 2024 SEC Media Days.

Sam Pittman fielded questions about Petrino’s impact during every interview. Pittman brought the former Razorbacks head coach back to Fayetteville this offseason to reignite the offense, but there are other, less obvious reasons Petrino could be a huge boost for the program as the offensive coordinator.

“When I got on the phone with him, his passion about coming back to Arkansas and leaving it a better way than what he did before was very important to him,” Pittman said. “I wanted his expertise in calling plays. I knew that he knew alumni. I knew that could help us in NIL. I knew that he knew our state with our (high school) coaches. I knew that he knew Texas and California. There were so many benefits.”

Pittman also mentioned how he will lean on Petrino’s head coaching experience, just as he did with Barry Odom when he was the Hogs’ defensive coordinator from 2020-22. Odom is now the head coach at UNLV.

The Arkansas players in Dallas were also asked about Petrino’s impact on the program. Here’s what they had to say, with plenty of excitement about the combination of Petrino and Boise State transfer quarterback Taylen Green.

More: Why Sam Pittman looks to the past for confidence in Arkansas football’s future

More: ‘What’s fair is fair’: Arkansas football coach Sam Pittman knows he’s on the hot seat

Quarterback Taylen Green

“He doesn’t even have to say anything. You just have to look at his résumé and turn on the film of the different quarterbacks he had throughout his coaching career and just the development that he has and just the six, seven months that I’ve been, like, coaching – being coached by him, it’s crazy just how much knowledge and how much understanding that I got just from talking to him and just taking everything in.”

Wide receiver Andrew Armstrong

“It’s been great. He’s been helping us with the plays. We playing, we’re trying to be explosive this year. With Taylen Greene coming in, the leader he is – he is (6-foot-7). Looking at him, you can already think he is a leader. He’s been great. Talking with the players, talking with the team has been exciting.”

Defensive end Landon Jackson

“Coach Petrino as a coach just pushes those guys. They’re working. I’m really glad we got him. I feel like Taylen fits great in the offense. He’s the type of quarterback that I feel like every team Coach Petrino has had that’s been very successful, he’s had a quarterback that plays the way Taylen plays. I think that’s one thing I’m really excited to see this season.”

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Arkansas

No. 20 Lady Vols Basketball vs. Arkansas: How to Watch, Prediction, More | Rocky Top Insider

Published

9 hours ago

January 11, 2026

Press Room

No. 20 Lady Vols Basketball vs. Arkansas: How to Watch, Prediction, More | Rocky Top Insider

KNOXVILLE, TN – January 16, 2025 – “We Back Pat” on jersey during the game between the Mississippi State Bulldogs and the Tennessee Lady Volunteers at Food City Center in Knoxville, TN. Photo By Kate Luffman/Tennessee Athletics

Lady Vols basketball is back in Knoxville for a matchup with Arkansas after a two-game road stand. Tennessee is not only looking to stay perfect in SEC play, but is hosting its annual ‘We Back Pat’ game.

Here’s everything to know about the matchup, from broadcast details to a prediction.

More From RTI: Everything Lady Vols HC Kim Caldwell, PG Mia Pauldo Said After Road Win At Mississippi State

How to Watch — No. 20 Lady Vols (11-3, 3-0 SEC) vs. Arkansas (11-7, 0-3 SEC)

Start Time: 2 p.m. ET/1 p.m. CT
Location: Food City Center (Knoxville, Tenn.)
Watch: SECN+ | PxP: Andy Brock, Analyst: Kamera Harris
Online Streaming: Watch ESPN
Radio (Knoxville): The Vol Network/The Vol Network App
Vol Network radio crew: PxP: Brian Rice, Studio Host: Jay Lifford

Betting Odds

None listed yet

ESPN Matchup Predictor

Lady Vols – 98.3%

Arkansas – 1.7%

What Kim Caldwell Said After Mississippi State

“Good to get a win on the road. We know it’s a tough environment and we know that we got to win on the road in the SEC. It was good to do that. I wasn’t really proud of the rebounding, but I thought we looked a lot better in a couple different categories so that was good.”

Last Five Games

Lady Vols:

at Mississippi State, 90-90 W
at Auburn, 73-56 W
vs. Florida, 76-65 W
vs. Southern Indiana, 89-44 W
vs. Louisville (Brooklyn), 89-65 L

Arkansas:

vs. South Carolina, 93-58 L
at Alabama, 77-48 L
vs. Vanderbilt, 88-71 L
vs. Arkansas State, 81-72 L
vs. Stephen F. Austin, 82-73 W

Where They Land In Rankings

Lady Vols:

AP Poll – No. 20

Coaches Poll – No. 22

Bart Torvik – No. 13

Arkansas:

AP Poll – Unranked

Coaches Poll – Unranked

Bart Torvik – No. 107

Stat Leaders

Lady Vols:

Points: Talaysia Cooper – 14.9
Rebounds: Zee Spearman – 7.3
Assists: Talaysia Cooper – 4.3

Arkansas:

Points: Taleyah Jones – 16.9
Rebounds: Bonnie Deas – 9.7
Assists: Bonnie Deas – 2.6

Prediction

It’s been a rough start for Arkansas’ new coach, Kelsi Musick. The team is 0-3 in SEC games, and though it’s been against three good teams, the Razorbacks haven’t been competitive in any.

While neither side has been strong, Arkansas’ defense has been the weakest point. Not only is it coming off a game in which it gave up 93 points to South Carolina, but Arkansas State hung 81 in its win over the Razorbacks on the road.

If the Lady Vols don’t get in their own way, then they should be fine. It hasn’t been perfect, and against three teams not necessarily in the mix to win the league, but Tennessee has looked much improved in the SEC slate compared to the lumps it took in the out-of-conference schedule.

I’d think UT jumps on Arkansas in the first quarter and takes a comfortable lead into the second quarter. From there, the lead should continue to grow behind forced turnovers in the press and easy baskets on the other end.

Lady Vols 85, Arkansas 61

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Arkansas

Arkansas State defeats Texas State 83-82

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21 hours ago

January 10, 2026

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Arkansas

One more list of wishes for Arkansas in 2026 | Arkansas Democrat Gazette

Published

1 day ago

January 10, 2026

Press Room

One more list of wishes for Arkansas in 2026 | Arkansas Democrat Gazette

Rex Nelson

rnelson@adgnewsroom.com

Rex Nelson has been senior editor and columnist at the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette since 2017, and he has a biweekly podcast called “Southern Fried.”

After graduating from Ouachita Baptist University in 1981, he was a sportswriter for the Arkansas Democrat for a year before becoming editor of Arkadelphia’s Daily Siftings Herald. He was the youngest editor of a daily in Arkansas at age 23. Rex was then news and sports director at KVRC-KDEL from 1983-1985.

He returned to the Democrat as assistant sports editor in 1985. From 1986-1989, he was its Washington correspondent. He left to be Jackson T. Stephens’ consultant.

Rex became the Democrat-Gazette’s first political editor in 1992, but left in 1996 to join then-Gov. Mike Huckabee’s office. He also served from 2005-09 in the administration of President George W. Bush.

From 2009-2018, he worked stints at the Communications Group, Arkansas’ Independent Colleges and Universities, and Simmons First National Corp.

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