It's Looking Like Petrino will Have Options at Quarterback for Hogs

A crowd developing for important position with two added to guys already on team

Author:
Andy Hodges
Publish date:
Dec 20, 2023 7:32 PM EST

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — New offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino is obviously being very involved in picking quarterbacks for Arkansas. If there were any questions, coach Sam Pittman made it pretty clear in his signing day press conference Wednesday.

Everything involving discussion of getting them to the Razorbacks involves Petrino. After losing four-star Little Rock Christian quarterback Walker White to Auburn after the former coordinator didn't think he fit his system, they went elsewhere. But it sounded like Petrino's evaluation was the final okay for Pittman.

"Coach (Petrino) and I spent a lot of time watching film together, whether it’s the ones we have or the recruits we’re trying to get," Pittman said. "When he saw KJ Jackson, he said man this guy is athletic. He’s smooth. He’s got a quick release. He’s very accurate. I said well if you like the tape, you’re going to love the kid. Bobby and I both wanted Taylen Green. That’s the guy that we decided to go after. Fortunately we went after him."

Sam Pittman-Kendal Briles-Kansas-Liberty Bowl

It's going to be a crowded competition. Jackson and Green are the new guys coming in. Jacolby Criswell and Malachi Singleton are already here. Naturally, Pittman likes all of them. We'll apparently find out what Petrino thinks in a few months.

"We've got to get the most reps so Bobby can see them live," Pittman said. "We probably will start early. Two-spotting, it doesn't have to be ones and freshmen and then twos and threes, it can be ones and whoever you want to look at on this field. We may or may not do that, but I'm assuming. It's helped us in the past. I'm assuming we will. Obviously that battle, we've got three guys there in a battle. And KJ will get in here, and he'll jump right in the middle of them, too. Each guy has to earn what they get, but we have to give them an opportunity to do that as well. So, we've got to figure all that out. We haven't talked about that. I don't even know if Bobby knows that we two-spot or not yet."

The Pittmanese translation to all that is it's going to be an interesting spring of competition. Petrino will be doing the evaluation and it's going to be interesting to see who can meet his demanding nature of coaching. A lot of the pressure is mental. The other part is execution. We'll find out starting in spring practice who can handle it and who can't.