FAYETTEVILLE — Petrino remains on staff
Arkansas offensive coordinator Paul Petrino interviewed for the head coaching position at Western Kentucky over the weekend, but the Hilltoppers tabbed alumnus Willie Taggart,an assistant coach at Stanford, for the job Monday.
Petrino issued a release through the UA sports information department Monday morning saying he had withdrawn his name from consideration about the time word broke that Western Kentucky had hired Taggart.
“That’s a great hold for Arkansas,” quarterback Ryan Mallett said. “He’s a great coach and a great receivers coach, and that’s going to keep building the program.”
Petrino was not available for comment Monday.
In his statement he said he appreciated Western Kentucky’s interest in him, but “my focus is on our remaining games starting this Saturday at LSU.”
Arkansas Coach Bobby Petrino said he was grateful his brother got a chance to discuss the opening in a way that didn’t impede the Razorbacks’ game planning for LSU.
“Paul’s going to be a head coach, there’s no question about that,” he said. “One thing you have to do is you have to be patient and make sure you take the right job.
“We missed absolutely nothing for our preparation on LSU. I don’t think you could have it work out better than that.”Scouting LSU
LSU quarterback Jordan Jefferson played in last week’s 25-23 loss at Ole Miss with a gimpy ankle, and tailback Keiland Williams was lost for the season with a broken ankle.
Williams’ injury drops LSU down to its fourth starting tailback, as Charles Scott and Richard Murphy had already been lost for the season due to injuries.
The Tigers managed 40 rushing yards at Ole Miss on 27 carries. Sophomore Stevan Ridley, who is listed as a 6-foot, 226-pound fullback on LSU’s roster, is expected to start at tailback against Arkansas.
LSU’s top healthy rusher is freshman quarterback Russell Shepard, who has 268 yards on 41 attempts.
Sack trivia
Jake Bequette’s three sack performance against Mississippi State on Saturday was the first for a Razorback since when?
Dominion
Home is where the points are for Arkansas football.
The Razorbacks finished the season with 327 points in their seven home games, for an average of 46.9 points per game. Arkansas went 6-1 at home, with the only loss a 52-41 setback against Georgia.
New LSU duds
LSU unveiled Monday the new Nike-designed uniform the Tigers will debut Saturday against Arkansas.
LSU will dress in the Nike Pro Combat uniform, which the company is touting as the lightest football uniform it has ever created, at 23.7 ounces compared to 37.4 ounces.
Presumably the Tigers will continue their tradition of wearing white at home, giving Arkansas the opportunity to dress in all red, in which they have gone 5-0 under Bobby Petrino.
Mallett selected
Arkansas quarterback Ryan Mallett has been chosen SEC offensive player of the week for the second time in three weeks.
Mallett passed for 313 yards and five touchdowns in Arkansas’ 42-21 victory over Mississippi State Saturday, racking up more school records in the process.
Mallett, from Texarkana, has broken or equaled 12 school records in his first season with the Razorbacks.
Mallett distributed the ball to nine receivers against the Bulldogs, and hit four players with touchdown passes. He has thrown 10 touchdown passes the past two weeks to bump his total to a school record 28 on the season.
Mallett also won the honor two weeks ago after leading the Razorbacks to a 33-16 victory over South Carolina. There is growing sentiment Mallett could unseat Florida’s Tim Tebow for first-team All-SEC honors.
Trivia answer
The last Arkansas player to post a three-sack game before Jake Bequette was his teammate and fellow end Adrian Davis.
As a junior, Davis notched three sacks for 29 yards in losses in Arkansas’ 25-22 victory at Auburn on Oct. 11, 2008.
Sports, Pages 18 on 11/24/2009