FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas coach Bobby Petrino filled the vacancy on his staff by adding former NFL tight end Richard Owens on Monday.

Owens, who spent five seasons in the NFL with the St. Louis Rams, Minnesota Vikings and New York Jets, replaces departed graduate assistant Chip Long. Long was named tight ends coach at Illinois last week after spending two seasons with the Razorbacks as a graduate assistant.

Owens is familiar with Petrino. He played at Louisville from 1999 to 2003 and caught 36 passes for 371 yards and eight touchdowns as a senior.

“When I was an assistant coach I recruited Richard to Louisville and he played for me during my first year there as a head coach,” Petrino said in a press release. “He was an all-conference selection in college and has experience in the NFL. Richard will relate well to the players on our team and they should benefit a great deal from the lessons he can share from his career.”

Owens caught 17 passes for 141 yards and a touchdown in an NFL career that spanned 53 games.

He will be watching over a group that includes all-Southeastern Conference performer D.J. Williams and sophomore Chris Gragg.

— Robbie Neiswanger • Arkansas News Bureau