By Robbie Neiswanger
Arkansas News Bureau • rneiswanger@arkansasnews.com

FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas’ coaching staff accomplished something rare in a nomadic profession last winter, remaining completely intact for the 2011 season.

The past several days has proven that won’t be the case once again for 2012.

Arkansas coach Bobby Petrino, who lost offensive coordinator Garrick McGee and special teams coordinator John L. Smith to head coaching jobs this week, made two moves Tuesday. He announced his brother, Paul Petrino, was returning to the program to replace McGee as offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach after a two-year stint at Illinois. He also revealed defensive coordinator Willy Robinson had offered his “resignation” after four seasons.

The hectic week means Arkansas — which finished the regular season 10-2 for the second straight year — will field a staff with three new coordinators next season.

Petrino wasn’t available for comment Tuesday, but Paul Petrino said the Razorbacks will work through the changes.

“I think any time you have a leader at the top and everything is ran with consistency and discipline, then that transition is smooth,” Paul Petrino said.

“We have a great leader at the top. There’s no question in my mind that will go smooth.”

Robinson’s departure had been a source of speculation for several weeks after Arkansas’ defense struggled in 2011, finishing ninth in total defense (371.4) and scoring defense (22.8 points) during his fourth year.

Willy Robinson

It wasn’t what Arkansas expected at the beginning of the season with a large number of veterans returning to a team that made big strides in 2010. So Robinson — who came to Arkansas in 2008 after spending the previous eight seasons as an assistant in the NFL — was let go.

“I want to thank Willy Robinson for his role in helping our defense, which he leaves in better shape than when he arrived,” Petrino said in a statement. “I have the utmost respect for Willy Robinson as an individual who wants the best for the young men he coaches.

“I give Willy credit for his part in the building process the last four years and wish him future success.”

Robinson is not expected to be with the team for the Cotton Bowl, which would leave two defensive positions open.

Linebackers coach Reggie Johnson, who served as defensive coordinator during a game in 2009 when Robinson was hospitalized, is one candidate to run the defense on an interim basis. Defensive tackles coach Bobby Allen and defensive ends coach Steve Caldwell also have experience as defensive coordinators previously in their careers.

It’s not clear where Petrino will turn in his search for a new defensive coordinator, although the biggest name available is former Arizona head coach Mike Stoops. Illinois’ Vic Koenning, who is working as the program’s interim coach, could be another possibility. Joe Whitt Jr., who is the Green Bay Packers cornerbacks coach, also has been mentioned as a potential candidate after working for Petrino as a defensive assistant at Louisville (2003-06) and in Atlanta (2007).

But if his offensive coordinator hire is any indication, Petrino won’t waste much time finding the new coach.

Paul Petrino left Arkansas’ staff in Dec. 2009, stepping out of his brother’s shadow to run an offense at Illinois under Ron Zook. The Illini enjoyed success in 2010, but struggled this season. Zook was fired last month.

Paul Petrino said he interviewed at a few different places in the past couple of weeks, but decided the best move was reuniting with his brother on Arkansas’ staff.

Paul Petrino

“I wanted to get back and be at a school where they ran things from the top to the bottom what I believed in,” Petrino said. “If I wasn’t going to be the head coach I wanted to go to a school where the discipline, the day-to-day how things are done, the belief in what we do on offense, defense and probably more than anything the discipline, and just how the whole program was run. And I know how it’s run here. That made no hesitation at all.”

Paul Petrino, who coached receivers in his first stint at Arkansas, will now work with quarterbacks. Petrino spent time with Arkansas’ quarterbacks in his first stint with the Hogs and has other experience as a quarterbacks coach at Southern Miss (2000-02) and Carroll College (1990-91).

He is stepping into the offensive coordinator role immediately and will be with the Razorbacks as they prepare for the Cotton Bowl. Petrino was asked when he would begin and said immediately after Tuesday’s press conference.

“Every year things are a little bit different,” Paul Petrino said. “You always have what your bread and butter is, some of the different plays. So I will be here late — as late as I have to be the next couple of days and watch every cut-up from this season and see what we have been doing best here and then just get a great feel.”

The familiarity should help Petrino settle in quickly. He worked closely with veteran receivers like Jarius Wright, Joe Adams and Greg Childs in 2008 and 2009. He also said quarterback Tyler Wilson was the first recruit he visited when his brother became Arkansas’ coach in Dec. 2007.

“I am extremely thrilled to have Paul become a member of our staff again,” Bobby Petrino said in the statement. “Paul has had several options with high level programs the past few days and I’m excited he made the decision to rejoin our program. His experience the last two seasons, blended with our philosophy will give us continuity with our aggressive scheme.”