FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas’ players began getting text and phone messages that Bobby Petrino was their new coach before they practiced Tuesday night.

But they weren’t sure whether to believe it.

“So many names have been in the mix,” junior center Jonathan Luigs said. “You kind of wonder what’s true around here and what’s not.”

Arkansas’ search had lasted more than two weeks.

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“We heard Jim Grobe was coming, we heard Tommy Tuberville was coming, we heard Tommy Bowden was coming,” junior guard Mitch Petrus said. “We said, ‘We’ll believe it when we see it.’”

Actually, the Razorbacks heard it after practice from interim head coach Reggie Herring.

“When Coach Herring told us, that’s when we knew,” Petrus said.

Herring didn’t mention Petrino specifically, but told the players they had a new coach.

“I know he had good success at Louisville, and from what I’ve heard he spreads the ball around really well,” Petrus said. “I know he hasn’t had the greatest run with the Falcons this year, but a lot of that has to do with the Michael Vick situation.”

The Atlanta Falcons are 3-10 in what’s turned out to be Petrino’s only year with the NFL team.

Petrino expected to be calling plays for Falcons star quarterback Michael Vick, but Vick hasn’t played this season and his career may be over after he was sentenced to 23 months in jail for running a dogfighting operation.

“I think [Petrino ] got caught in a bad situation,” Petrus said. “He didn’t tell Vick to raise dogs and fight them. It was a bad situation for him there, and it’s good for us he’s coming here now.”

In the four years before taking the Falcons’ job, Petrino led Louisville to a 41-9 record, including an Orange Bowl victory over Wake Forest to cap the 2006 season.

“I love his [offensive [system, he runs a Spread offense,” said tight end Ben Cleveland, who redshirted this season because of injuries and will be a third-year sophomore in 2008. “Hopefully, he’ll help us take another step up.”

Petrino becomes the fourth current SEC coach to have a short and unsuccessful stint as an NFL head coach. The others are South Carolina’s Steve Spurrier, Alabama’s Nick Saban and Kentucky’s Rich Brooks.

Cleveland said it’s been stressful waiting to find out who would replace Houston Nutt after he resigned as Arkansas ’ coach Nov. 26.

“Supposedly, we’ve hired three coaches in the last week and finally to have it over with and get a big-name coach like Bobby Petrino is really a blessing for all of us,” Cleveland said. “He’s going to bring big-time coaches with him, and with his record, he’s going to be able to recruit really well.”

Junior defensive end Antwain Robinson said he’s excited the Razorbacks are getting a coach from the outside.

“I just wanted a new, fresh start with the coaching staff,” Robinson said. “The [current ] coaching staff just wasn’t working so good.

“ I’m glad Coach Herring and the other guys are here coaching us [in the Cotton Bowl ]. But I’m glad we have a new coach here.”

Luigs said he’s eager to learn more about Petrino.

“I know he’s been successful and had a powerful program at Louisville and developed some good players,” Luigs said. “I look forward to meeting him.”

The overall reaction of the players seemed to be one of relief.

“Getting a coach here will take the focus off the administration,” Luigs said. “It gives us a breath of fresh air knowing we can looking forward to having him as our coach now.”

Information for this article was contributed by Chris Cocoles of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.