Petrino, Arkansas can't afford rusty mistakes against top SEC defense

Hogs' first game with Bobby Petrino at controls not without growing pains against Tennessee

Arkansas Razorbacks interim coach Bobby Petrino walks off the field after loss to the Tennessee Volunteers at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tenn. | Munir El Khatib-allHOGS Images

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Arkansas coach Bobby Petrino refused to let the thought of him being the head coach at Arkansas consume him after a 13-year hiatus in a 34-31 loss to No. 11 Tennessee.

Instead, Petrino put a big portion of the blame of the loss on his coaching, specifically his decision to bypass a game-tying 42-yard field goal and go for it on 4th-and-3 trailing 20-17 with just under 6 minutes left in the third quarter.

Quarterback Taylen Green's pass to O'Mega Blake fell incomplete.

"We had the call for the last one," Petrino said. "Raylen Sharpe was wide open, and we chose to go to the other side, so that– sometimes you pick the wrong side and on that one we did." 

Tennessee scored 14 unanswered points after the turnover on downs and nursed the 17-point lead over the line.

"I still haven't really thought about it." Petrino said about being the head coach again. "Mad about not kicking the field goal, kick myself in the head all the time for that one, but I feel like we could still be out there playing and seeing if we could win or not, so it's a bad decision."

Petrino also lamented the decision to stick with the run, even after Tennessee made adjustments to stop the run after the Arkansas running attack led by Mike Washington gashed the Tennessee front for 157 yards in the first half.

Through the third quarter, Arkansas ran twice as many running plays (38) versus passing plays (19).

"They made some good adjustments in the third quarter that hurt us being able to continue to run the ball," Petrino said. "Probably too stubborn with it because I wanted to keep them on the sideline. But then we came out and started throwing it around, and I thought we did a good job of throwing and catching."

The finer details can be excused for someone who hasn't handled in-game management decisions in nearly three seasons since he was last head coach at Missouri State in 2022. The degree of difficulty for Petrino goes up with his next test against No. 4 Texas A&M, where points will be at a premium.

The Aggie defense found new life once the calendar turned to SEC play. After struggling against Notre Dame early in the season, giving up 40 points, Texas A&M has allowed a SEC-best 12.0 points per game.

Florida's rejuvenated offense put up just 17 points against a week after putting up 29 in an upset win over Texas. Texas A&M also leads with just 238.6 yards allowed per SEC game, nearly 60 yards better than Oklahoma in second. The Aggies also rank second with 12 sacks.

Arkansas' offensive line will have its hands full for the second straight week after the Tennessee defense ran wild, allowing five sacks and nine tackles for loss.

Petrino will see familliar colors on the opposite sidelines. Petrino was the offensive coordinator for the Aggies in 2023 in the final year of Jimbo FIsher's tenure before returning to Arkansas after Fisher was fired in favor of Mike Elko.

Arkansas and Texas A&M will kickoff from Razorback Stadium 2:30 p.m. Saturday. The game will be broadcast on ESPN.