FAYETTEVILLE — Former Arkansas offensive coordinator Garrick McGee is not in the mix to become the Razorbacks’ next head coach, a source close to the program said Thursday.
McGee, now the head coach at Alabama-Birmingham, served all four seasons on the staff of fired Coach Bobby Petrino in 2008-2011, the final two as offensive coordinator.
Arkansas Athletic Director Jeff Long fired Petrino with cause Tuesday, citing improper conduct and “a pattern of misleading and manipulative behavior” in Petrino’s hiring of 25-year old Jessica Dorrell, his failure to disclose his inappropriate relationship with her, and her presence on his Harley-Davidson during an April 1 wreck near Crosses in Madison County.
Long provided an update on his search via Twitter on Thursday evening, writing: “No decision on Interim Coach, Know current assts well, no need for folks to lobby, have watched for myself. All scenarios still on table thx.”
Inside the Petrino Crash
PETRINO STATEMENT: “I was informed in writing today at 5:45 p.m. that I was being terminated as head football coach at the University of Arkansas. The simplest response I have is: I’m sorry. These two words seem very inadequate. But that is my heart. All I have been able to think about is the number of people I’ve let down by making selfish decisions. I’ve taken a lot of criticism in the past. Some deserved, some not deserved. This time, I have no one to blame but myself." CONTINUE READING HIS STATEMENT
Later in the evening, Long added on his Twitter account: “Want to express appreciation for outpouring of support for my decision. Please show support for our TEAM by attending spring game in record numbers. Go Hogs!”
McGee helped the Razorbacks to total offense national rankings of No. 29 in 2011 and No. 9 in 2010, and Arkansas was 15th nationally in scoring (36.8 points per game) last season and 17th in scoring (36.5 ppg) the previous season. He took the head coaching job at Alabama-Birmingham on Dec. 3 and is going through his first spring with the Blazers.
Long, who has not decided if he’ll appoint an interim coach to take the Razorbacks through the 2012 season or make a permanent hire, began a series of individual meetings with the coaching staff Thursday to hear the coaches’ thoughts and suggestions for moving forward.
At his Tuesday news conference announcing Petrino’s firing, Long indicated he had met with the coaching staff as a group that day.
“I think all of them expressed to me that they believe they have a great situation here at the University of Arkansas, and have a great team and they were hopeful this staff will remain together, including [offensive coordinator] Paul Petrino [the fired coach’s brother],” Long said.
Long appointed assistant head coach Taver Johnson to be the administrative head of the program on April 5 and reconfirmed that role after Bobby Petrino’s firing five days later. But Long also indicated several members of the current staff could be under consideration for the interim tag.
“I think following spring practice I’d make a decision as to who I thought was the best to lead us on an interim basis,” Long said. “It could be Taver, it could be [defensive coordinator] Paul Haynes or it could be Paul Petrino.”
Paul Petrino has previous experience running the Razorbacks’ offense in 2008-2009 and in Arkansas’ 29-16 victory over Kansas State in the 2012 Cotton Bowl.
Johnson, Haynes and Petrino are all scheduled to address members of the media following this evening’s scrimmage at Reynolds Razorback Stadium.
Long conceded that mid-April, when essentially all college coaching staffs are complete, is a difficult time to be searching for a head coach.
“But I do think that our program is one that there will be people interested in,” he said. “That’s part of my process. I’ll be seeing what coaches have self-identified to us as being interested in our program.
“We can command a high level football coach. We are not going to compromise that. If we have to go through the season with an interim, I’m going to consider that. But again, I need some time to play out the search and see where it is.”
Various Razorbacks have taken to social media to proclaim the team has the pieces in place to contend for the SEC West title and the conference championship this season.
Among them was this Twitter message from defensive end Chris Smith: “Man this is goin to be the year I don’t care what ESPN say coaches aint never played in games WE DID.”
On Thursday, Bobby Petrino’s office in the Broyles Athletic Center was in the process of being cleared out for a second consecutive day.
Petrino’s fall, which came with injuries such as the four broken ribs and cracked vertebra he suffered in his motorcycle wreck, might not keep him out of coaching long.
“He’s still one of the best play-callers there has ever been,” a prominent college football analyst who asked to remain anonymous said Thursday. “He might not get a job anytime soon, but there will still be interest in him.”
The analyst said it was more likely Petrino would wind up back in the college ranks than in the NFL as an assistant coach.
Sports, Pages 17 on 04/13/2012