Petrino stresses positivity and discipline on return to Razorback radio show

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — The sound of applause and the smell of fried catfish filled the Catfish Hole restaurant Wednesday night as Bobby Petrino returned to a familiar seat — the head of Arkansas football’s weekly radio show.

It was a throwback scene. For the first time since 2011, Petrino sat alongside play-by-play voice Chuck Barrett for “Razorback Football Live,” rebranded this week after Sam Pittman’s dismissal following a 2-3 start. The crowd inside the packed Fayetteville restaurant greeted the 64-year-old coach with a standing ovation.

“This is awesome,” Petrino said as he settled in. “It’s great to be back at the Catfish Hole. Unbelievable support. I can’t say enough about it.”

The appearance marked Petrino’s first radio show since his 2011 departure.

He was the first Arkansas coach to host one, starting “Bobby Petrino Live” in 2009 — in the same building where he now returns as interim head coach.

Transition brings emotion and renewed structure

Much of the discussion focused on how players responded to the sweeping staff changes that came with Petrino’s promotion.

His first act as interim head coach on Sept. 29 was to fire defensive coordinator Travis Williams, co-defensive coordinator Marcus Woodson, and defensive line coach Deke Adams.

Petrino then promoted defensive assistant Chris Wilson to interim defensive coordinator and Kolby Smith to interim offensive coordinator, later adding longtime NFL assistant Jay Hayes as defensive line coach.

“There were hurt feelings,” Petrino said. “That first meeting wasn’t easy for anybody. It’s a big change.”

Petrino said he understood that emotional adjustment firsthand. “I came here to coach quarterbacks and coordinate the offense,” he said. “All of a sudden, the guy who was loyal and great to me is not here anymore. Everybody in the room is going to go through changes the rest of their life. How you handle it — the attitude you have — determines how quickly it becomes a positive.”

The veteran coach credited upperclassmen for steadying the transition. “We’ve got good leadership,” he said. “I’ve been really happy with the leaders stepping forward and doing it by example, but also being able to comfort some of the other players.”

Refocusing Arkansas’ offense after setback

Petrino made clear that the offense’s rhythm needs to return to early-season form after being stifled in a 56-13 loss to Notre Dame.

The Razorbacks averaged 552 yards and 43.5 points per game in their first four contests but managed just 365 yards and 13 points against the Fighting Irish.

“We felt like we were one of the top offenses in the country,” Petrino said. “We’re going to get our running game established again and be able to throw the ball downfield and make big plays.”

Among the offensive priorities is increased involvement for freshman running back Braylen Russell, who has 165 yards and three touchdowns on 32 carries.

“That’s a big goal of mine — to get him more involved,” Petrino said. “More touches, more catches. He’s done a really nice job this week. You can just see him making a conscious effort that he wants to go out there and help us find a way to win.”

Russell’s physicality and acceleration, Petrino added, have been “the best I’ve seen in practice.”

A defensive reset and a “Perfect Thursday”

While the offense works to rediscover its balance, Petrino said the defense is taking a “clean slate” approach. Arkansas has given up 30 points per game, most in the Southeastern Conference, and ranks near the bottom of the league in rush defense.

“We tore that mirror off,” Petrino said. “We didn’t look back at what went wrong in games earlier in the year or against Notre Dame. It was, ‘OK, this is how we’re going to move forward.’”

To help establish that mentality, Petrino introduced his long-held concept of Perfect Thursday — a tradition dating to his Louisville days. The practice is focused on error-free execution before game day.

“Thursday is what we’re going to call ‘Perfect Thursday,’ where we want to take the field and not make a mistake,” Petrino said. “Everybody goes full speed, does everything right, and we stay positive.”

Facing Tennessee with composure

The Razorbacks (2-3, 0-1 SEC) now turn their attention to a trip to Knoxville, where they’ll face No. 12 Tennessee (4-1, 1-1) on Saturday. Petrino called the Volunteers “a very good football team in all three phases” during his midweek press conference, noting the need for clean execution and sideline composure in front of a loud crowd.

“We’ve had two really good, grind-it-out practices,” he said. “It’s about focus, doing things right, and getting ready to battle.”

He also referenced one of his favorite sideline mottos — playing together and celebrating as a team. “You play hard, you play together, and you tap your teammate’s helmet when we make a big tackle,” he said. “Celebrate in the end zone when we score. The game of football can be really fun.”

Looking ahead

Whether the Razorbacks’ fun translates into a turnaround will depend on consistency. Arkansas hasn’t won a conference road game since 2022 and is 1-8 in its past nine SEC games. But Petrino’s message to fans and players alike — stay process-driven — echoes the approach that once brought him 21 wins across the 2010 and 2011 seasons in Fayetteville.

“It’s been a good week,” Petrino said. “Now we’ve got to go do it when it counts.”

Key takeaways

• Petrino used his radio return to reset Arkansas’ focus on attitude, leadership, and discipline.
• Freshman running back Braylen Russell is expected to see more carries in an offense seeking balance.
• “Perfect Thursday” symbolizes Petrino’s effort to create a detail-oriented, unified team culture.