Arkansas Business

This story is from the archives of ArkansasSports360.com.

Arkansas players have a pretty clear understanding of what Saturday’s Red-White game means for them. Those with solidified starting roles are using the game to further establish themselves entering the summer. Other Razorbacks view the day as a tryout for spots somewhere on the depth chart, either as a starter or key backup.

But the final spring practice isn’t only for evaluating the players. It also feels very much like an audition for the coaching staff.

Athletic Director Jeff Long confirmed again Friday he is considering inside and outside candidates to replace Bobby Petrino. Long fired Petrino on April 10 and on that night outlined his plan for finding a replacement.

That same timetable is still in play. Long turned football operations over to assistant head coach/linebackers coach Taver Johnson through the spring game. Once spring football officially ends, Long will weigh his options and decided whether to name someone on staff as a permanent interim or continue looking for a replacement elsewhere.

Johnson is among those Long is considering. Offensive coordinator Paul Petrino and defensive coordinator Paul Haynes are also in the running and while no formal interviews have been conducted with current staff members, Long has had meetings and is watching. There has also been a movement of support for running backs coach/recruiting coordinator Tim Horton.

Petrino said the nearly two weeks that have passed do have the feel of an audition. Petrino wants Long and others to take notice of the work Razorback assistants are doing.

Maybe the efforts don’t result in the interim coaching gig, but how the coaches handle the situation is important for job security. Bring in an outside coach now or in the fall and the guys on staff need to have shown they’re worth keeping around the program.

“I think everything in life there's a reason for it one way or another,” Petrino said. “It's a very sad, sad thing for me and my family, but as far as work it's an opportunity. So I've got to go out there and be my best and show everybody what I can do.”

Johnson didn’t agree that the last few days felt like an audition, but noted the additional workload taken on by the coaches, primarily administrative duties, is a daily reminder that the head coach’s chair is vacant. For Johnson, the expectation to perform is no different than it was before Petrino was fired.

Coaching was a results-oriented business before April 10, Johnson said. Motivation to perform hasn’t grown for Johnson.

“You want to put pressure on yourself. You want to make sure your players are putting pressure on each other,” Johnson said. “It’s more the pressure of not letting a man down next to you, behind you.”

Whoever gets control of the program through 2012 gets to run what was becoming a Top 10 program. Arkansas entered the spring expected to be among the Top 10 teams for 2012. Following a Cotton Bowl victory against Kansas State the Razorbacks were ranked No. 5 to end the 2011 season and they figured to again be in the hunt for SEC and BCS titles.