Changing coaches something couple of Razorbacks have dealt with previously

Quarterback Taylen Green, safety Caleb Wooden have gone through second midseason firing

Arkansas Razorbacks quarterback Taylen Green takes a snap from center against the Notre Dame Fighting irish at Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville, Ark. | Nilsen Roman-allHOGS Images

Arkansas quarterback Taylen Green has been here before. A mid-season firing like the one Arkansas just executed on former coach Sam Pittman is something Green is familar with.

In 2023, while splitting quarterback duties with Maddux Madsen, Boise State head coach Andy Avalos was fired with two games left in the regular season.

Boise State Broncos head coach Andy Avalos during the first half against the San Jose State Spartans at Albertsons Stadium. | Brian Losness-Imagn Images

The Broncos were 5-5 and at risk of its first losing season in 26 years. Defensive coordinator Spencer Danielson took over for the rest of the season. Under Danielson, the team went 3-1, clinched bowl eligibility and beat UNLV in the Mountain West Championship.

Danielson also led the Broncos to the College Football Playoff as the No. 3 seed in his first full season after Green transferred to Arkansas. Green is using his previous experience to impart wisdom on younger players going through the chaos of a mid-season firing for the first time.

"My coach was let go," Green said. "Just a lot of feelings and a lot of emotions that come with it and  we have to reflect. We're blessed enough to have a bye week to have time to reflect. Just tell the younger guys, just keep one foot in front of the other, keep going, put your head down and work."

Arkansas is looking for similar results after getting rid of Pittman, seven games remain for interim coach Bobby Petrino to engineer a similar turnaround.

Safety Caleb Wooden once was in the same position as the Arkansas freshmen. Auburn head coach Brian Harsin was fired with four games left in the 2022 season when he was a freshmen.

Even though Auburn still missed out on a bowl that year, the change allowed the Tigers to finish out the year 2-2, including a win over Texas A&M. The game immediately following the dismissal, the Tigers lost to Mississippi State in overtime after losing three straight by double-digits in the final games under Harsin, including a 41-27 loss to Arkansas.

The Hogs also fired former assistant coaches Travis Williams, Deke Adams and Marcus Woodson. Wooden's position coach. Zac Etheridge coached the Auburn safeties from 2021-23, before leaving to coach defensive backs in 2024.

Auburn Tigers defensive coordinator Derek Mason (right) talks with cornerbacks coach Zac Etheridge during warmups before the start of the spring game at Jordan-Hare Stadium. | John Reed-Imagn Images

Additionally, across Wooden's three seasons at Auburn, the Tigers went through three different defensive coordinators (Jeff Schmedding, Ron Roberts and DJ Durkin).

"It's all familiar to me," Wooden said. "I know it's part of the business. It's a win or lose business. If you win, you stay. If you don't, you go. So, I understand that."

Wooden will go through yet another midseason change with Che Hendrix taking over the safeties after the dismissal of Woodson. Chris Wilson also takes over the playcalling duties from Williams.

"What we've been trying to do the last two weeks is tear off the rear view mirror and look forward," Petrino said. "[We're trying] to really have a positive attitude and get prepared for a game and get our players in a position where we play full speed, play fast and play physical."

All the new coaches take to the field in their new roles against No. 12 Tennessee on the road. Kickofff is scheduled for 3:15 p.m. Saturday and will be broadcast on SEC Network.