Petrino Wanted Green Before, but 'No Chance' at Missouri State

Once with SEC school, Arkansas Razorbacks' offensive coordinator didn't waste time landing him

Author:
Andy Hodges
Apr 02, 2024

In this story:

Arkansas Razorbacks

Transfer Portal

Bobby Petrino

Taylen Green

Sam Pittman

SEC

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — When Arkansas Razorbacks offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino finally got a fighting chance to land quarterback Taylen Green, he wanted him bad. When Petrino spoke Tuesday morning, fans found out just how much.

"I had a bunch of young guys on the staff [at Missouri State] and aggressive recruiters," Petrino said. "They brought Taylen to me and showed [film] and we got all fired up. They’d had great talks with him."

Petrino brought the staff back down to reality really quickly.

"I said, ‘We ain’t getting him,'" he said, laughing about it later. "Sorry guys. We’re not getting him.’ ‘Oh no, Coach, he likes us.’ And I said, ‘Yeah, we’re not going to get him.’"

Petrino, like most coaches, doesn't forget things he sees. He remembered the 6-foot-6 size, the speed and the arm. He didn't really have much shot of getting him to come to Missouri State, an FCS school. Green went to Boise State and won a conference championship. However, in a college football world that turns with the transfer portal, he got a second chance at Arkansas.

"When I got here, Coach Pitt said, ‘Go get a quarterback. Do whatever you want to do. Go get us a quarterback,’" Petrino said. "I had help with Miles Fishback, who’s an analyst for us, and then Will (Kennedy), our graduate assistant. We scoured the portal, everywhere, traveled around the country. I really liked Taylen. I liked his video. I liked what other coaches said about him. I talked to Barry (Odom) about him because Barry played against him in the championship game I think it was."

All of that went well, but the biggest thing usually comes down to a visit from the coach. Petrino found out about his football IQ, which is always something that's huge for him. His offense works better when guys have that to handle all the things he throws at them with study and preparation, then doing it on the practice field over and over. That pays off the in the games and what fans get to see.

"The thing I was most impressed (with) was when I was talking to him, I could see him picturing the plays and the formations and everything in his mind and his ability to do that," Petrino said. "I’ve always felt that’s the one thing a quarterback has to be able to do. That’s how you get better on the sideline when you come off the field. That’s how you get better at halftime. I can say something to him and he can see it and understand what I’m talking about coverage-wise or route-wise. Then I just liked his motivation. He’s a very highly motivated young man. He spends more time in that building than anybody. He’s got this little routine he goes through where he takes his iPad out on the field and watches video and does his footwork. He’s just going to continue to get better and better."

It's a good start for the offense. Fans expect the Petrino offense he left in 2011 at Arkansas. It took some time before it got there and, has been said a few times, it comes down to having the players, particularly in the offensive line and wide receivers. That's easier to put together quickly with the transfer portal.

"It’s different now and it’s easier for the players," Petrino said. "You’ve got older kids that have already been through offenses, and, predominantly back then, everybody was a freshman. Boy, they were good freshmen. Saw a couple of them this past weekend with Joe Adams and Jarius Wright and Chris Gragg. They were freshmen that year. And they (the team) haven’t been through it. They haven’t been through installs. They haven’t been through the grind. They haven’t been through the preparation. But, when you get guys with experience, even if it's from the portal, you start to learn the offense. It doesn’t take as long anymore."

There's the glimmer of hope for Hogs fans that the Razorbacks can hit the ground running with Petrino's offense after last year's complete train wreck that even athletics director Hunter Yurachek is talking about now on podcasts.

At this point in spring practice, hope is about the best thing fans can have. The quarterback situation appears answered if they can get everything else around that position figured out.