By Robbie Neiswanger
Arkansas News Bureau • rneiswanger@arkansasnews.com
FAYETTEVILLE — Garrick McGee knew Arkansas offensive coordinator Paul Petrino was going to leave his brother’s side.
He wasn’t necessarily referring to Monday, when Petrino was introduced as Illinois’ new offensive coordinator. Instead, McGee had a pretty good idea several years ago when he was watching Louisville’s offensive success under Bobby Petrino.
“When they were at Louisville and they were the top five team in the nation and their offense was No. 1 in the nation, Paul Petrino was the offensive coordinator,” McGee said Wednesday. “At some point, he’s going to be moving on.”
So McGee said the Razorbacks had a plan in place for the possibility. Shortly after Paul Petrino stepped away from his seven-year run as offensive coordinator on his brother’s staff Monday, Bobby Petrino promoted McGee from quarterbacks coach to offensive coordinator.
It made McGee the first African-American offensive or defensive coordinator in school history. It also left the Razorbacks confident nothing will change as they continued to prepare for the Liberty Bowl on Wednesday.
“I really don’t think there’s any adjustment period,” Arkansas quarterback Ryan Mallett said. “We all do the same stuff around here, so it really helps us out as far as them moving him up. He’s a great coach and the relationship he has with the players is unbelievable.
“We think it’s a great opportunity for him, and for us and the whole program.”
McGee spoke about his promotion for the first time Wednesday, crediting Bobby Petrino for being a “loyal guy.” McGee played for Petrino at Arizona State in 1992 and worked for him with the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2000 and 2001.
McGee was on his own for a few years after that, spending two season as the offensive coordinator at Northwestern. But he reunited with Petrino at Arkansas, accepting a position as quarterbacks coach. It was a move that McGee said many questioned because it was perceived as a step down, but it has paid off now.
“I looked to him as a mentor before I got here,” McGee said. “It’s really comforting for me and I hope that it is for recruits that this is a guy I met when I was 19 years old. Here I am still with him as his offensive coordinator.”
McGee will continue to work with Arkansas’ quarterbacks in bowl practices, while graduate assistant Chip Long is coaching the receivers in Paul Petrino’s absence. The Razorbacks are looking for a new assistant, but McGee said there is no rush to fill the spot.
McGee will likely stay on the field to coach during the Liberty Bowl to be closer to Arkansas’ quarterbacks. Paul Petrino was positioned in the press box, helping his brother identify schemes and call plays.
“You can see more than you think from the sideline,” McGee said. “When you understand the gameplan, when you know the defensive structure, you can see what you need to see.”
Several offensive players said Petrino’s departure for Illinois was surprising, but the changes have not become a distraction.
McGee met with the entire offense before Wednesday’s practice and tight end D.J. Williams said it’s clear he and Petrino have different coaching styles. In fact, McGee described himself as laid-back, while Petrino was fiery.
Receiver Jarius Wright said McGee’s personality was the only difference in practice. But he added that it shouldn’t matter who is in charge because the Razorbacks still have a job to do.
“We’re still going to come out and go to work the way we did if Coach Paul was the offensive coordinator,” Wright said. “Football is going to be football. Our team is going to be our team.”
