FAYETTEVILLE — Former Arkansas quarterback Barry Lunney Jr. has talked to Razorbacks Coach Bret Bielema about filling the final spot on his coaching staff.
Bielema, who is looking to fill the final offensive spot on his nine-man staff, talked with Lunney on Tuesday.
Lunney, a four-year letterman (1992-1995) who led the Razorbacks to the 1995 SEC Championship Game, is the offensive coordinator on his father Barry’s staff at Bentonville High School. The Tigers have played in the past two Class 7A state championship games.
Pete Roussel of coachingsearch.com reported Thursday that Rogers native John Bond, the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Georgia State, is also in the running for a spot on Arkansas’ staff. Bond, who has 28 years of coaching experience, began his career as a student assistant at Arkansas in 1983.
Bond, an all-state quarterback for his father Gary at Rogers High School, was on the Arkansas roster for one season before sustaining a career-ending injury. He worked under Lou Holtz and Ken Hatfield on the Razorbacks’ staff.
Bielema was also thought to have pursued Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive line coach Bob Bostad, who worked on Bielema’s Wisconsin staff for six years, and he offered a position to former Arkansas assistant coach Tim Horton, who accepted the tight ends job at Auburn last week.
The Razorbacks announced Thursday their first spring game under Bielema will be April 20 at Reynolds Razorback Stadium. The start time will be released later.
Arkansas will open spring drills March 10 and will have three workouts before the start of the week-long spring break.
The Hogs drew a school-record 45,250 fans to last year’s spring game, which was played the week after Athletic Director Jeff Long fired Bobby Petrino.
The Razorbacks will play their first game under Bielema on campus against Louisiana-Lafayette on Aug. 31.
In other football news, Arkansas has emerged as a potential destination for Georgia Tech receiver Jeff Greene, who has decided to transfer.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported Thursday that Greene’s high school coach, Chad Phillips of Starr’s Mill in Peachtree City, Ga., said Arkansas and Cincinnati are possible landing spots for the 6-4, 210-pound receiver.
Greene was leading Georgia Tech with 18 receptions for 284 yards when he announced his decision to transfer after the Yellow Jackets’ loss to Florida State in the Atlantic Coast Conference Championship Game.
Sports, Pages 24 on 01/11/2013