By Robbie Neiswanger
Arkansas News Bureau • rneiswanger@arkansasnews.com
FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas coach Bobby Petrino appears to be close to unveiling a new defensive assistant.
Former Tennessee defensive line coach Steve Caldwell is expected to accept a position on Petrino’s staff, according to reports. Caldwell, who did not coach during the 2009 season, spent 13 years on Phillip Fulmer’s staff at Tennessee and is an Arkansas State alum.
Caldwell would likely fill the opening created by defensive ends coach Kirk Botkin’s departure. However, it is not clear what job duties Caldwell would handle with the Razorbacks.
Either way, former Arkansas State coach Larry Lacewell said the Razorbacks will get a top notch coach and recruiter if Caldwell is hired. Caldwell was on Lacewell’s staff at Arkansas State. He also followed Lacewell to Tennessee in 1990 as a defensive assistant.
“Of all those guys I had up here that went on to the so-called big-time, I always thought Steve was the best coach/recruiter combination that I’ve ever had,” Lacewell said Tuesday afternoon. “He was just outstanding.”
Arkansas would not confirm Caldwell’s hiring on Tuesday, but the school did release a statement regarding Botkin’s departure. The statement said Botkin “resigned to pursue other career opportunities.” Botkin told the Arkansas News Bureau on Monday night that Petrino informed him he would not be returning in 2010.
As for Caldwell, Petrino reportedly offered him the position as defensive coordinator after the 2007 season, but he turned down the job. Caldwell and Petrino coached together at Nevada in 1994. Lacewell said Caldwell also had opportunities last winter, but was “being a little picky” and eventually opted to take the year off.
However, Caldwell did make appearances on various campuses to watch practices and visit with coaching staffs. That included at least one trip to Arkansas, which isn’t far from his hometown of Thayer, Mo.
Lacewell said adding Caldwell to Arkansas’ staff would only help the Razorbacks. Especially in recruiting.
“It would bode well if Arkansas hired him,” Lacewell said. “Better hope he doesn’t go somewhere else around here because he’s beaten Arkansas on so many players.
“All those Arkansas kids that went to Tennessee, he was it. He was the reason.”
If Caldwell is hired, Arkansas would still have an opening on its staff for a receivers coach.
The frontrunner for the position appears to be Central Florida receivers coach David Kelly. The Orlando Sentinel has reported that Kelly has not made any decision regarding his future as of Tuesday night.
Like Caldwell, Kelly is regarded as a strong recruiter who has had plenty of success in Florida. Kelly also has had coaching stops at Duke, Stanford and LSU, among others, during his long career.
