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INTRODUCING BOBBY PETRINO'S 2008 ARKANSAS STAFF : Melding newcomers, holdovers Published: Saturday, January 05, 2008 PRINT E-MAIL FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas Coach Bobby Petrino announced the completion of his initial coaching staff Friday, three days after the Razorbacks finished an 8-5 season with a 38-7 loss to Missouri in the Cotton Bowl. Petrino’s staff will include his brother, Paul, as offensive coordinator, SEC veteran Ellis Johnson as defensive coordinator and a pair of former Razorbacks in Tim Horton and Kirk Botkin. Horton is slated to coach running backs and tight ends and will serve as recruiting coordinator. Botkin will handle defensive ends and serve as special teams coordinator. Horton and Bobby Allen (defensive tackles ) are holdovers from the 2007 staff of 10-year Arkansas Coach Houston Nutt. Other full-time assistants are quarterbacks coach Garrick Mc-Gee, offensive line coach Mike Summers, linebackers coach Reggie Johnson and defensive backs coach Lorenzo Ward. Courtney Sanders will return as the defensive graduate assistant, and Chip Long will handle offensive graduate assistant duties.
Additionally, Dean Campbell has been hired as director of high school relations, Mark Robinson will be director of football operations and Jason Veltkamp will be the head strength and conditioning coach. All the on-the-field hires had been reported previously in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette with the exception of Reggie Johnson and Ward. “I’m excited about the staff we have assembled for the University of Arkansas,” Petrino said in a statement released by the university. “These coaches and administrators have a wealth of experience at the highest levels of collegiate athletes and in the professional ranks. “ I’m confident that they will work tirelessly as we mold our program and that they will represent the Razorbacks in a first-class fashion.” Reggie Johnson will reunite with Petrino after coaching the past five seasons at his alma mater, Louisville, the first four under Petrino. Under Johnson’s watch, Cardinal linebackers Robert Mc-Cune and Nate Harris both signed NFL contracts. Ward was a seven-year member of Frank Beamer’s staff at Virginia Tech, from 1999-2005, before he jumped to the NFL’s Oakland Raiders for one season. Ward coached five All-Big East players and one All-ACC performer during his stint as defensive backfield coach at Virginia Tech. The 1999 Hokies finished third in total defense and seventh in pass defense efficiency, while the 2000 unit was third in the nation in interceptions and the 2002 team led the country with 24 interceptions. In Ward’s final season, Virginia Tech led the nation in total defense, ranked second in pass defense efficiency and third in pass defense. Campbell, a Texas graduate, has an extensive coaching background that includes stints at Texas A&M, Texas, Rice and Texas Tech. He spent the past seven years as an assistant coach at the Air Force. Robinson played at Appalachian State and was last at Texas A&M (2004-2007 ) as a football operations assistant and coaching assistant. Veltkamp spent the past four seasons as head strength and conditioning coach at Louisville, a tenure which saw 14 Cardinals selected in the NFL Draft. GRADUATE ASSISTANTS Chip Long, offense Courtney Sanders, defense ADMINISTRATION Dean Campbell, director of HS relations Mark Robinson, director of football operations Jason Veltkamp, strength and conditioning Yesterday's Most Popular 2. Exceptions rule Fayetteville High alums well represented at FCC match-play championship Today's Most E-mailed 1. LIKE IT IS : Football prognosticators ready to fire up fans 2. FIRECRACKER FAST 5K : Former Hog Forrest too fast for competition |
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