Razorbacks staff takes another hit

— Arkansas Coach Bobby Petrino will have to reopen his search for coaches because linebackers coach Reggie Johnson has departed to join Garrick McGee at Alabama-Birmingham as defensive coordinator.

Johnson’s departure to Birmingham was made official Thursday, and Arkansas graduate assistants Brandon Sharp and Richard Owens are also joining the Blazers’ staff headed by the former Arkansas offensive coordinator, who took the job in December. Sharp will handle the safeties and Owens the tight ends.

Johnson had been with Petrino since Petrino’s first head coaching stint at Louisville, Johnson’s alma mater, in 2003.

“Any time someone has opportunity to take the next step in their career and do what they feel is right for their family, it is a great thing for them,” Petrino said through a statement released Thursday. “Reggie has been an assistant during each season I’ve been a collegiate head coach and I am grateful for his hard work.

“Richard Owens and Brandon Sharp both played and coached for me, and they are two young men who have bright futures ahead of them. ... I am hopeful they are able to take the principles they helped put in place here as they build the program the right way together in Birmingham. I wish them all nothing but success.”

McGee, another longtime Petrino assistant, said he and Johnson became close in Fayetteville.

“Reggie and I are really good friends, our families are very close and our wives are really good friends,” McGee said in a UAB release. “I think Reggie is a potential star in this business and can develop into one of the top defensive coordinators in the country. He is passionate and understands the wide vision of the game and how to motivate kids.”

Johnson called the defensive plays for Arkansas’ 56-20 victory over Troy on Nov. 14, 2009, when then-defensive coordinator Willy Robinson was dealing with a health issue.

Johnson also handled the defense for a couple of practice days in December after Petrino dismissed Robinson.

New Arkansas defensive coordinator Paul Haynes now has a chance to influence a couple of hires, the new linebackers coach and Sharp’s old spot as defensive graduate assistant.

Sports, Pages 21 on 01/13/2012