Petrino May Think Touchdowns, Not Field Goals for Hogs' Offense

With all the changing faces, maybe there won't be the goal of settling for field goals now

Author:
Andy Hodges
Updated:
Dec 27, 2023 8:44 AM EST
Original:
Dec 26, 2023

In this story:

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — For the next few weeks, there's going to be a lot of introductions going on around Arkansas football. Not many folks know an awful lot of the players and coaches they will be lining up with on Saturdays next fall. It's how things go. Maybe even a new way of thinking.

From new offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino to a new quarterback in Taylen Green or Jacolby Criswell or Malachi Singleton, there are more questions than ever lately. That's because the biggest question on the team may be, "Who's that?" The hope is it's enough to push the envelope for scoring touchdowns.

There's no idea exactly who's going to be on offense exactly where. There are "likely" things, but probably nothing is in stone. Plus, the revolving door doesn't look like it will slow down an awful lot at this point. It might in a few months, but not soon. The offense has a lot to learn, including terminology, probably some positions and likely a new way of doing things.

At least that's the hope from fans. What they had last year didn't work out at all for reasons that can be debated later. For now, though, there are even questions about the kicking game with Cam Little heading to the NFL. For the first time in a while, Pittman won't have his 3-point security blanket once the offense crosses the 35-yard line.

Once at that point, the mindset for Arkansas coach Sam Pittman became don't do anything to jeopardize fairly certain points. It lead to a conservative approach that proves costly in this day and age because the rules favor the offense.

Now that philosophy likely falls on Petrino's shoulders. Unless he's changed his way of thinking, field goals are probably a last resort to salvage something because he wants twice that much. That's a good thing.

After a couple of years of "wanting" good things to happen, maybe now the Razorbacks will trying to "make" it happen. It usually has better results, but might take a few games to really be understood.