Arkansas Business

This story is from the archives of ArkansasSports360.com.

News and notes from Thursday’s Arkansas football media availability …

I. Gosha Gone
Lonnie Gosha is no longer a member of the Arkansas football team. Coach Bobby Petrino said the freshman defensive lineman quit.

Details beyond that are unknown at this time. Gosha had received playing time earlier in the season and recorded three tackles and a sack against Auburn on Oct. 8.

Gosha hadn’t been on the field since Auburn and Petrino was asked about the progress of the Florida native.

“Yeah, Lonnie is no longer with the team,” Petrino said. “He quit the team.”

Gosha, who chose Arkansas over offers from Florida, Miami, LSU, Alabama and others, had seven tackles in three games.

Depth on the defensive line had been a source of optimism in the preseason for Arkansas coaches. Gosha seemed to be one of the players capable of helping up front.

Later in the press conference — in a question unrelated to Gosha — Petrino did praise the team’s top interior linemen.

“It was great to see guys like Byran Jones and D.D. Jones and Robert Thomas now coming out and helping our leadership,” Petrino said.

II. Personnel Update
Wide receiver Greg Childs is a possibility to play in Saturday’s game with No. 9 South Carolina. He did not travel with the team to Vanderbilt last week because of a “tweaked” knee.

Childs practiced this week, had a good Tuesday, but was slowed the rest of the week.

“It’s one of those things where he felt really good on Tuesday, not so good on Wednesday, was back better today, looked fast,” Petrino said. “I think the rest and the rehab from now [until] Saturday and playing a night game gives him a chance to be at full speed by Saturday night.”

Defensive end Tenarius Wright is not expected to play on Saturday. He’s been out since the Alabama game with a broken arm and was a possibility for South Carolina, but will be unable to go.

“No, he's not ready yet,” Petrino said. “He has worked hard and he is getting closer but he is just not there yet.” 

III. Difficult Week
The week has gone about like you’d expect for freshman Marquel Wade, who was suspended by the SEC for a hit on Vanderbilt punt returner Justin Krause. Wade apologized publicly on Monday and he and his mother reached out to Krause in the middle of the week.

Petrino said the week has been “hard” on Wade.

“He really was out there competing hard and thought he made a good play,” Petrino said. “He didn’t really realize the guy didn’t have the ball for a while. Then obviously we’ve had discussions on how he should act afterwards. But it really was a guy just trying to compete hard and make a play.”

Speaking Out
“That's the key for us is to be physical. That's what we have done the last couple of years is play real physical and stuck together throughout the game. That's going to be the key, I think. We have got to be able to stop their run and hit their young back and we have got to generate some running game yourself.”

—Coach Bobby Petrino on the key to Saturday’s 6 p.m. game between No. 7 Arkansas and No. 9 South Carolina.