From the Bench

Annual Report Card: Petrino Makes the Grade

Robert Shields

Anytime the Hogs win a bowl game, the faithful will be happy, and even as ugly as the Liberty Bowl was for the Hogs, it was still a win. But did head coach Bobby Petrino have this team playing at the appropriate level all season? It’s time to let the grades for the head coach roll in my annual assessment of the past year, always highly anticipated by the Razorback coaching staff.

Player Development: B
(Last year: C-)
After playing a ton of freshmen in 2008, this was the year to see improvement as they became sophomores. There was no doubt that Ryan Mallett improved all season even though his bowl game was less than perfect. Mallett struggled the entire Liberty Bowl, but even in one of his worst performances, at the end he was awarded the game’s outstanding player. The receiving corps was vastly improved, especially Joe Adams, Greg Childs, and Jarius Wright. I might have given this area an “A,” but Alex Tejada struggled throughout the year and did not improve -- and that was one area that needed improvement. The guys in the secondary also improved as the season went along.

Fundamentals: B
(Last year: D-)
This grade would be higher if you could throw out the special teams. Just like in 2008, the special teams haunted this team all season up to and including its bowl game. The extreme irony of the season was that in the end the last play of the season came down to special teams winning the game. Special teams this season shanked punts, allowed a punt return, missed several crucial field goals, and allowed long kickoff returns. The upside is that the turnovers of 2008 disappeared. The Hogs took care of the ball. The team limited its false starts and had few delay-of-game penalties.

Play Calling: B+
(Last year: C+)
This would have been an “A” but for a few areas. Petrino seemed to usually dial up the right play, but there were a few times that left me scratching my head. The Hogs’ final series in regulation of the Liberty Bowl comes to mind, which gave the poor East Carolina kicker another opportunity. The play calling at the end of Georgia game also comes to mind. The Hogs had a chance at the end of it but then the Hogs’ offense faltered. Lastly, in the overtime at LSU, the offense also stalled on some bad calls, but maybe that was because Childs and Adams were out of the game.

Image: B
(Last year: C)
The circus following Houston Nutt’s ouster and the ESPN bashing of Petrino deservedly or not is gone. Even in the loss at Florida, the Hogs moved forward on the national stage as a team to be reckoned with in the future. Also, Mallett’s off-the-field ordeal during the offseason was put to rest quickly last season, and that helped moving into the 2009 season. The Razorback football brand has definitely improved, and I am sure Jeff Long likes that fact but you have to at least finish in the top 25 for this to be an A.

Success: C+
(Last year: D)
As mentioned earlier, it is always a good year for the Hogs when they win their bowl game. Still, this cannot be an “A” unless you at least finish in the top 25. I have not asked Petrino, but I doubt he would give himself anything above a “B” in this category. The Hogs finished below .500 in the SEC and were 7-5 in the regular season, which is not that great.

Management of the Athletic Director: A
(Last year: A)
In the days of Frank Broyles, this was a very important category. I am not sure that it means that much anymore and may be discontinued in the future. Petrino seems to have a good relationship with Jeff Long. In fact, he doesn’t seem like he takes orders from anybody, fans included. Petrino ordered up some artificial turf, and Long wrote the check. That’s good management of your athletic director.

Hiring Assistant Coaches: C
(Last year: C)
This is hard to know. I fear the loss of his brother, Paul Petrino, may be a big loss and is still a very curious move. I don’t know if the guy they brought in to replace him is superior. The offense certainly didn’t look better without Paul in the booth at the Liberty Bowl.

Leadership: B-
(Last year: B)
Discipline always seemed to come fast from the top. Petrino seems to be the type that does not take much lip from anyone. This would have been an “A” but for the Georgia game. He lost his cool along with his players and the team took four 15-yard penalties in six plays when the Hogs were on the verge of blowing the game open. That game alone almost drops this to a “C.”

Overall grade: B-
(Last year: D+)
This may be a little high. What happens if Petrino has nine wins next season? Is that a B+? I will stick with the “B-“ mainly because the Program seems to be moving in the right direction. I caught a ton of flack last year giving the guy a D+ after he went 5-7. This year’s final record at 8-5 is a three-game jump, so if he does the same next year and ends with 11, he gets an “A.”

Extra CreditStadium: B+
(Last year: D)
The loss of all SEC games at home in Fayetteville in 2008 was staggering, andmost of the losses were in ugly fashion. The lone home SEC win came in Little Rock against LSU. This was all reversed in 2009. The Hogs won all their home games that they could have and should have won
-- except for Georgia.


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