When the University of Arkansas hired Bobby Petrino as its head football coach on Dec. 11, Christmas came early for many Razorbacks fans.

For the better part of three decades, a portion of Razorbacks fans have longed for more creative play calling, less predictability and most of all more of the forward pass.

The Spread offense Petrino patronizes would seem to be an answer to those fans ’ prayers. But his balanced offense is not neglectful of the running game, which has been Arkansas ’ trademark of late in the Southeastern Conference.

Though it would be a misnomer to classify the offense Petrino guided with outstanding success at Louisville from 2003-2006 as completely pass happy, based on his record, Petrino will call enough pass plays in 2008 to calm even the most frustrated of Razorbacks fans.

ADVERTISEMENT

Louisville averaged 41. 1 points per game in Petrino’s four seasons as coach, and the Cardinals averaged 49. 8 ppg. in 2004.

In 2006, Louisville ranked second in the nation in total offense (476. 8 yards per game ) and third in scoring (38. 9 points per game ).

The Cardinals accomplished those numbers by being so balanced on offense that they were dictating the flow of the game to the defense rather than vice-versa.

“ I do believe in a balanced attack, ” Petrino said in a question and answer session with local media earlier in the month. “ I do believe you have to be able to run the football when you want to, run the football when you have to. I believe you have to be able to throw the football when you want to. ”

And when Petrino’s offense does opt to throw the ball, it’s not just a slant and screen game like some Spread offenses. He likes to test a defense deep several times in a half.

However, what differentiates Petrino’s Spread from others is that he uses a power running game rather than an option attack to springboard into the passing game. In fact, in 2006, Louisville’s sports information department began to label the offense the Power Spread.

Like other Spread offenses, Petrino’s can position between three to five wide receivers across the field to stretch a defense horizontally in order to dink and dunk the ball down the field with a short passing game. However, his Louisville squads were as likely to try to bowl a team over with power running to set up the big pass play down field.

Paul Petrino, Arkansas ’ offensive coordinator and Bobby’s younger brother, explained when the offense will use multiple formations and creative personnel packages to keep defenses on their heels.

As for playcalling, Petrino is known to be one of the best in the college game. Even his most ardent detractors acknowledge this. ESPN. com’s college football columnist Pat Forde, who covered Petrino’s Louisville teams, ranked him on par with Steve Spurrier despite taking Petrino to task on a series of career moves.

New York Giants head coach Tom Coughlin, whose squad faces the Green Bay Packer in tonight’s NFC Championship Game, said Petrino was the best playcaller he’d coached with when Petrino was his offensive coordinator with the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Petrino and his brother both said many play-calling decisions are made during the week while breaking down opponents’ strengths and weaknesses. In other words some plays are scripted and other are based on down or distance.

But Paul Petrino added that his brother’s playcalling is not a mere rote function, either.

“ One of the best things he does is call plays, ” Paul Petrino said. “ It would be silly for him not to do it. ”

Bobby Petrino said one of the keys to his success as a playcaller is the tactic of establishing a fast tempo for his team to work from.

“ We get the call in and we’re out of the huddle at the line of scrimmage quickly, ” Petrino said. “ We want a fast tempo. Sometimes it’s not so much the play that’s called as the defense not having time to react to it or the situation. ”

The fast pace often denies defenses the ability to make personnel changes, which allows Petrino to target weaknesses and exploit the mismatches more effectively.

However no play can work without proper execution no matter how great the call, and Paul Petrino paid homage to that fact.

“ We’re going to know the game plan and all 11 are going to be on the same page and we’re going to play fast, ” Paul Petrino said.

Proper execution begins in spring practice when the task of installing the offense begins.

“ We will install the offense in the first half of spring practice, and then we will go back and re-install it in the second half, ” Bobby Petrino said. “ In August, we come back and install it for a third time. And then we build around what our quarterback and other personnel do best. ”

Paul Petrino pointed out that wherever he and his brothers have coached they have had at least one receiver ranked among the top in the league and nation.

“ We believe in the ‘ FTS ’ principle — Feed the Stud, ” Paul Petrino said. “ We want to get the ball to our playmakers in a position to score and our goal is to score on every possession. ”