Taylen Green building chemistry with new-look offense in 2025

ATLANTA — Much has been said about the effect Arkansas offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino has with quarterbacks in their second seasons under him, but Taylen Green is in a unique situation.

The Boise State transfer is heading into his second and final season with the Razorbacks, but there are a bunch of new faces around him. Between new tight ends, wide receivers, running backs and offensive linemen, there’s not a lot that looks the same as it did a year ago.

Green spoke to the media while at SEC Media Days in Atlanta on Thursday and said he’s been working on building the chemistry with the players heading into their first season in Fayetteville.

“Improving on what I did last year,” Green said when asked what he’s worked on over the summer. “But also building chemistry with the wide receivers, but most importantly chemistry with my teammates, because it’s a whole new team, and we’re having fun and we’re getting better.”

Last season, Green was 21st in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) in passing yards with 3,154, and he led an Arkansas offense that was 10th in the country in total offense.

But his top receiver, Andrew Armstrong, is gone now, as well as a bevy of other players who opted for either the transfer portal or the NFL. That means Green has to turn into a teacher as much as he is a quarterback.

“We have a really great group of receivers,” Green said. “Their work ethic jumps off the page to me. It also challenges me too, because they’re asking questions, how they should run a certain route, the depth; I have to coach out there, so that challenges me to be on my P’s and Q’s.”

Arkansas offense building off-field chemistry

Not just on the field, but off the field as well, the Razorbacks are building chemistry with each other. Green said for him, he wants to know more about the people around him on the field.

“I feel like I really can’t tell somebody what to do unless I know who they are as a person,” Green said. “Everybody is different. Especially being in a leadership role, you got to lead people differently. Some people like to be encouraged, you can’t really get on to them unless you encourage them. Some people, you got to push them a little bit. You got to know what pushes their buttons.”

One way the team has done that recently is through another sport not connected to football — bowling. Green said the team went to Ozark Lanes and bowled against each other last week. He bowled a 187, and won his lane, but the real winner was redshirt senior defensive back Larry Worth III, who bowled a 220.

Taylen Green’s comfortability in Petrino offense

One thing that helps Green next season is the comfortability level he has in Petrino’s offense. It’s a complex system, sure, but now that Green knows better what he’s doing, it’s helped him settle in a bit more.

“The biggest thing is just knowing what to expect,” Green said. “Having my daily regimen and daily schedule on what to do. In the morning, I’m watching film, working out on the field, training. Why coach Petrino calls certain plays, understanding the different details that goes into that, pass protection.

“There’s so many things that I’ve learned just from spring to even now. I’m excited to do it in the fall.”

That comfortability with Petrino’s system works both ways, too. Green said he and his offensive coordinator seem to understand each other better heading into 2025.

“He knows what I like, I know what he likes,” Green said. “I feel like having that chemistry with your OC and quarterback coach is at a premium and it’s really, really important.”