BROOKE McNEELY Northwest Arkansas Times Arkansas head football coach Bobby Petrino talks to members of the media about Razorbacks ’ season Wednesday during a press conference at the Raymond Miller Room at the Broyles Athletic Center.

Bobby Petrino says he wants to start his second year coaching the Razorbacks with the same nine-man staff that coached for him this first year.

Asked during his Wednesday press conference wrapup of the 2008 season if he was happy with his staff, Petrino replied, “I am. I anticipate no movement in our staff. Sometimes there is always a coach that walks in and has an opportunity somewhere else. But I certainly feel our staff worked extremely hard and did a good job in the transition.”

They were a new staff inheriting a young team and that sometimes reflected during a 5-6, 2-6 SEC season.

Now that staff and players have weathered this first-year storm, Petrino sees fairer skies ahead knowing what’s expected of each other and what needs to improve.

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“They are very good teachers,” Petrino said. “Very detail-oriented. We got better as the year went on and played a lot of young guys. So the continuity of being able to carry over what we do, not only scheme-wise, but what we do as far as our technique and detail to our position, I think will really help our young guys.”

Petrino’s offensive staff includes two of his longtime assistants from the University of Louisville and the Atlanta Falcons, offensive coordinator/receivers coach Paul Petrino and line coach Mike Summers.

He hired quarterbacks coach Garrick McGee, who had been an NFL assistant with Bobby Petrino for the Jacksonville Jaguars, and running backs coach Tim Horton retained from the staff of former Arkansas coach Houston Nutt.

On defense, Petrino brought in defensive coordinator/safeties coach Willy Robinson, a longtime NFL defensive coordinator, cornerbacks coach Lorenzo Ward, defensive ends coach and former Razorback All-SEC tight end Kirk Botkin, and linebackers coach Reggie Johnson, who played and coached for Bobby Petrino at Louisville, and retained veteran Arkansas defensive line coach Bobby Allen.

As the defensive coordinator of a young unit that struggled — not unexpected since last year’s senior-dominated defense disintegrated in the 38-7 Cotton Bowl loss to Missouri — Robinson has taken the most fan heat on the radio talk shows and message boards.

No doubt that comes in part because Robinson has been so upfront about taking blame for the defense’s shortcomings, putting public heat on himself rather than the players.

Petrino knows well what Robinson was up against.

“I think he did a very, very good job,” Petrino said. “There were times we had four freshmen and five sophomores out there at the same time. We are very young. We had some injuries that set us back a little bit at some points during the season.”

All expect that defense to be deeper and certainly tougher against the run than they were in disappointing late-season SEC losses at South Carolina and at Mississippi State before finishing with a flourish in the 31-30 victory over LSU last Friday in Little Rock.

“Personally, I would like us to be more physical throughout the entire year,” Petrino said. “There are a couple of games we didn’t play as physical we need to play. Obviously everybody understands that."

Senior-to-be wide receiver Lucas Miller will undergo knee surgery soon to repair the torn ligaments suffered during the LSU game, Petrino said.

Miller will miss spring ball but Petrino has hopes he’ll be ready soon after the opening of August preseason drills.

Senior-to-be running back Michael Smith has undergone surgery for the torn hamstring suffered during the Mississippi State game.

Smith “probably won’t do much” in spring ball but should be “100 percent” for the August preseason, Petrino said.

Petrino also was asked about freshman safety Elton Ford. Ford missed the final four games with a neck injury that will be monitored closely before he’s allowed to return to football.

“His last checkup and Xray and MRI, they were very encouraged,” Petrino said. “But it’s still a process. He has four more weeks where they go back and re-X-ray it and see where he’s at. But everything has been encouraging. ”

Petrino said the injured thumb that sophomore-to-be quarterback Nathan Dick suffered in the first half against LSU is healing.

Petrino said “it should be good competition,” as Nathan Dick, sophomore redshirt and former Michigan and Texarkana, Texas High quarterback Ryan Mallett, redshirt freshman Tyler Wilson of Greenwood and Jim Youngblood of Camden Fairview battle for quarterback.

Because they were so limited in game appearances by injuries or illness in 2008, the UA will appeal to restore the freshman eligibility of Tyler Wilson and linebacker Jelani Smith and appeal to restore cornerback Jerell Norton’s junior eligibility.