What Arkansas interim coach Bobby Petrino said about Tennessee on Wednesday

What interim head coach Bobby Petrino said Wednesday on the SEC Coaches Teleconference, previewing Arkansas (2-3, 0-1 SEC) at No. 12 Tennessee (4-1, 1-1 SEC) on Saturday (4:15 p.m. Eastern Time, SEC Network) at Neyland Stadium:

Opening Statement

“I think our players are excited about the challenge that we have ahead of us. We’re going in to play a very good football team in Tennessee in all three phases in front of a hostile environment. So it presents quite a challenge. But our players have had great. We’ve worked extremely hard coming off of bye week. I feel good about where we’re at and we’re just looking forward to going in there and playing good football.”

Tennessee’s offensive pace causing problems, facing a new-look Arkansas defense that wants to play faster

“Yeah, it’s something that obviously they’ve been very good at for a long time. They’re good at executing, good at moving fast. It’s important for us to make sure we have great communication, we get in the right stances and get our eyes where they belong. Something we’ve been working on the last two weeks. And obviously it presents a challenge, but it’s something that I think that we’ve been doing a good job of at practice.”

Arkansas offensive lineman Shaq McRoy scoring a rushing touchdown against Notre Dame in a goal-line formation 

“I think Shaq’s a big man and he’s hard to stop. But it’s a play that I’ve carried for a number of years. I always like to give it to the big guy. We call the formation ‘Mouse,’ just because we put that little guy in the backfield.” 

Arkansas playing well defensively against Tennessee last season, how the Razorbacks have used that game tape the last two weeks

“You always go back and watch the year before and put it in all your breakdowns, all your cutups and everything like that. We did do a nice job of playing defense. The key to always playing Tennessee is to be able to have a way to stop the run and not give up big explosive plays running the football. They do such a good job of spreading you out and throwing it that the run is what’s really a major concern. So we’ve definitely spent a lot of time on what we did in that game and then who they are this year. They’re always a little bit different year to year on what they emphasize and what they do.” 

If Arkansas quarterback Taylen Green can contribute to a better run game in the second half of games

“Certainly a part of our offense is his ability to run the football. And finding different ways to get him out in the open so that he can do that, I think we have to work harder at and do a better job of.” 

Arkansas playing close games on the road the last three years

“Yeah, sorry about that, Trey. I wouldn’t know, like you said, I wasn’t here. 

And what we’ve been trying to do the last two weeks is tear off the rearview mirror and look forward and try to really have a positive attitude and get prepared for a game and get our players in a position where we play full speed, play fast, and play physical.”

If there will be any changes in travel plans to Tennessee with him as interim head coach

“Yeah, we change it up a little bit because I like to do what I know. And we weren’t able to change the flight. I would like to get in town a little bit earlier and spread things out a little bit, but we weren’t able to do that with the plane and the arrangements we already had made. We’ll go through a routine at night that includes meetings and relaxation. So the routine will be different.” 

Support he’s had from Arkansas players, like Monte Harrison 

“Yeah, you know, we really missed not having him out on the field. He’s such a strong older man. But he provided a lot of leadership to our players and still does. He’s here every day. He’s in the locker room every day. He’s very mature. He talks a lot about don’t pass by the chances and opportunities that you have, because he knows how that goes. So his strength and his leadership is still with our team.” 

What his messages to the team have been during the bye week after taking over as interim head coach

“I mean, what we’re working hard at is doing our jobs. Everybody, all 11 guys working together as one, trying to really play with a lot of effort and speed and understanding that we play one play at a time. But everyone does their job and whether you did it properly or didn’t do it properly, you put it behind you and the most important thing is the next play. And I think we need to really learn that and understand that as the game goes on, we have no time to put your head down. If you got beat, you got to just line up and shake it off and go win the next battle.”