Fayetteville–Offensive coordinator Paul Petrino told reporters on Tuesday that the first team offense and defense will go up against the second and third units in Saturday’s Arkansas Red-White football game. Former head coach Bobby Petrino had spilt the two teams equally in the past. Paul Petrino said keeping the first unit on the same team would provide better continuity for the game.
Petrino said that back up quarterbacks Brandon Mitchell and Brandon Allen will primarily operate the second unit but the pair will have an opportunity to take at least some snaps with the first team offense.
Petrino also reaveled that his family and extended family is hurting over the situation with his brother Bobby Petrino who was recently fired as the team's head coach but, he added, things happen for a reason and all he can do now is view his situation as "an opportunity."
Paul Petrino is one of four current staff members who have a shot at being named the interim head coach if athletic director Jeff Long decides to go that route. Petrino told reporters that none of the coaches on the staff have heard from Long on the status of the search for Bobby Petrino's replacement.
Meanwhile quarterback Tyler Wilson confirmed that he and running back Knile Davis had spoken with Long on behalf of the players. He said they expressed a desire by the players for the current coaching staff to remain intact for the 2012 season.
Petrino raved about the play of Wilson saying that Wilson had a great scrimmage last Friday and looked even better in Tuesday's workout. He compared the senior signal caller to "Superman."
As for the mood of the team going into the spring game on the heels of losing its head coach Petrino said, "When you have different things going on in your life and you're an athlete or a coach the nicest thing is to go out on that practice field."
"To be honest with you," Petrino continued, "sometimes the days you don't practice are harder than the days you practice. When you have to sit around and think about it. But when you actually get out on the grass and get to run around and play and that's something that they love and something that we love to do is coaching, really that's the best part of every day right now is when you're out at practice."
