By Robbie Neiswanger
Arkansas News Bureau • rneiswanger@arkansasnews.com
FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas defensive coordinator Willy Robinson thought he could fight through it.
Sure, the 53-year-old felt sick for much of the past week, but tried to shake it off. After all, it wasn’t the first time he had been ill on the job. He had pneumonia during a bowl trip during the 1990s and spent roughly a week shuffling between the practice field and the hospital.
So his plan was simple: Keep pushing. Keep grinding.
“I thought it was something minor that I thought I could control by myself,” Robinson said Wednesday night. “Then it escalated, quite — I guess — rapidly at the end.”
Robinson spoke about last week’s health scare, which forced him to miss the Troy game, for the first time since it occurred. He spent one night in the hospital because of what the university has called an “infection” and was resting at home while the Razorbacks beat Troy 56-20.
Robinson is back at work preparing his defense for Saturday’s game against Mississippi State, but his episode was an eye-opener for all Arkansas’ coaches. A not-so-subtle reminder to strike the balance between work and health in a profession defined by long hours and enormous expectations.
“It can be tough,” Arkansas running backs coach Tim Horton said Wednesday. “You’ve just got to take care of yourself and get your rest when you can. Try to eat right and take care of your bodies as much as you can because, obviously, as coaches, we’re getting older, too.”
Horton has struggled to practice that policy most of the season. The 42-year-old said he has pneumonia and has been battling it since Arkansas’ trip to Florida in mid-October.
Horton said he didn’t want to “whine” about it, but it has been a tough month without a chance to rest and recover.
“It’s been a hard deal … but you just grind it,” he said.
Typically, Arkansas’ coaches are in the office by 7 a.m. for a morning meeting and stay as late as 10 p.m. Bobby Petrino said the toughest days are Monday. Arkansas doesn’t practice, but spends hours putting in their next gameplan.
What coaches do during their time at work can be critical to their well-being. Eating right, staying hydrated and getting in some exercise are all important.
But Petrino even admitted to at least one flaw.
“Not drinking so much coffee,” Petrino said. “When I say that, I’m talking to myself. I’m not very good at it. …
“As a football coach a lot of times when you sit down and pick up the remote control and start breaking down the video, a cup of coffee just goes right with it.”
Robinson isn’t the first coach on Petrino’s staff to miss a game. His former defensive coordinator at Louisville, Mike Cassidy, missed one with a health issue, too.
Another Arkansas assistant — quarterbacks coach Garrick McGee — can’t forget something much worse.
McGee worked at Northwestern in 2006 when head coach Randy Walker died after suffering a heart attack. McGee said the 52-year-old Walker was “extremely healthy,” eating right, resting and exercising. So his death stunned everyone.
McGee said he has tried to make sure he is more balanced between work and home. Long hours are part of the profession, but McGee has learned that shouldn’t be it.
“My mother used to always say before I got married my life was not balanced,” McGee said. “It was 100 percent, what do I need to do to win? I never thought about myself.
“When you have 75,000 people out here expecting your guys to perform at a high level, it’s hard to think about anything except that. So it’s a challenge for coaches.”
Petrino said he was relieved when he found out Robinson’s heart was fine last Friday. Robinson declined to reveal details, but did mention his gall bladder Wednesday.
He was unaware of much of went on over the weekend because of his illness, but feels better now. Players and coaches said he is back to normal, too, both on and off the field.
In the end, it proved to be a scare for Robinson. But it was an eye-opening experience, too.
“It’s being treated now and I feel great,” said Robinson, who also thanks fans for cards and calls. “My appetite is back to where it’s supposed to be. My sleep is well-rested and stuff like that and my energy is getting there.”
