Petrino Compares Razorback Freshman QB with Heisman Winner

It may be a little stretch, but Imaleava doing something that reminds Hogs' offensive coordinator of Jackson

Arkansas Razorbacks offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino watches the quarterbacks in spring practice at Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville, Ark. | Andy Hodges-Hogs on SI Images

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — It was interesting to hear Arkansas offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino make a comparison to his only Heisman Trophy winner.

That doesn't mean he said freshman quarterback Madden Imaleava is the second coming of Lamar Jackson. Simply one aspect looks similar. There will be somebody twist it around to greatness comparison.

"Madden’s a special talent now," Petrino said giving the overview of the offense for the first time this spring. "He can really get the ball out of his hands. He sees stuff and has a great, quick release."

Arkansas Razorbacks quarterback Madden Imaleava follows through on a pass in spring practice drills on the outdoor fields in Fayetteville, Ark. | Nilsen Roman-Hogs on SI Images

That's not the comparison. It's also not physical. The wildcard factor with quarterbacks is how they see the coverages and what they can when they throw the ball.

I"There’s times [Imaleava} drops back and he doesn’t know what the play is," Petrino said. "Somebody pops open and he can stick it and put it right on their hands. The last guy that I coached that did that a lot as a true freshman was Lamar Jackson.."

He explained that process a little more that maybe got a little deep into the technical part of the game, but it's educational for fans paying attention.

"You know where you don’t see anything but all of a sudden they throw a post for a touchdown and everyone’s going, ‘Damn, how did he see that?’" he said. "That wasn’t even in his progression. Now we do need to get him to know the plays. There’s no question about that. But that ability is something that is hard to coach. His vision is just something that’s really good."

Arkansas Razorbacks offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino at spring practice on outdoor practice fields in Fayetteville, Ark. | Andy Hodges-Hogs on SI Images

It's part of his juggling with an offense replacing more faces than maybe he's ever done before. When he was a head coach they didn't have all this transfer portal, NIL and some other stuff going on.

"I can absolutely never remember a year," Petrino said. "This is crazy stuff now. This is a new era. It used to be like in January you’d get maybe two, three, sometimes five or six new players in. I think we had 49 or something like that this year, 49 new guys. It’s different but it’s what we’re having now."

The numbers are mind-boggling for us old guys. The Razorbacks have had to replace about 50 guys in total this year.

"It’s different, but it’s what we’re having now," he said. "The challenge is going to be to take that next step forward as an offense, as a group, being able to build on it and mature and get better because there’s been a lot of new teaching."

Arkansas Razorbacks quarterback Taylen Green throwing a pass during practices indoors in Fayetteville, Ark. | Nilsen Roman-Hogs on SI Images

Hogs coach Sam Pittman and quarterback Taylen Green are confident there's going to be a lot of improvement in Petrino's second season with his offense.

"I’m interested to see that myself because there’s not a lot back," Petrino said. "I believe that we’ll be a lot better on offense, more consistent, more explosive, because our quarterback understands not only what we’re doing, but what the conference is all about.

"How you have to get the ball out of your hand. How you have to see things and know what you’re doing just because of the pass rush that you’re going to get and the tight coverage that you’re going to get. He’ll take a huge step forward, and as your quarterback goes, your offense usually goes."

It is the most important position on the field. A lot of the Razorbacks' offense might just be some addition by subtraction. Petrino's offenses can get a little complicated at times.

"Actually, we’ve reduced what we put in this spring," he said. "Still going to go back to what my father taught me a long time ago: You gotta get good at something, then you can move on and get better at something else. We’re definitely going to get good at something and then take the next step forward."

That something doesn't include the starting quarterback. Green is firmly entrenched there. The guys behind him with KJ Jackson and Imaleava leading the way don't have many snaps at all, even less in SEC games.

"What helps and makes me feel more comfortable is it’s not at the quarterback position," Petrino said about the learning curve. "Taylen knows the offense. He’s much more comfortable in it. Last year sometimes it was every day was a new day — new coverages, new blitzes, new this. Now he understands defenses a whole lot better and that’ll allow him to operate our offense way better."

It's pretty much that way for the entire offense. But at least he feels good that a freshman backup can do something that reminds him of his only Heisman winner.

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