Razorbacks' coaching search should take different direction after Auburn loss

Even when it mattered in the fourth quarter, Arkansas was never able to get its offense off the ground while being forced into four consecutive turnovers, including a crippling pick six.

Arkansas was never able to recover from that single mishap and allowed Auburn to score 17 unanswered points in the final stanza to pick up its first conference victory of the season.

For Arkansas, this could be the loss that shuts the door on all possibilities of Petrino having the interim tag removed from his job title.

He had everything to gain from guiding the Razorbacks to its first home victory in a SEC game since last year's victory over Tennessee.

Sure, the argument can be made that it's not Petrino tossing interceptions, making bad reads through the air or taking drive crippling sacks.

The fact of the matter is Green was Petrino's handpicked quarterback when he took Arkansas' offensive coordinator job and has been a turnover machine since his arrival in December 2023, committing 26 turnovers (17 interceptions, nine fumbles).

While blame can be placed in many different places such as not having the Jimmy's and Joe's to execute the X's and O's, Arkansas has shown enough offensive firepower in recent weeks to nearly upset potential College Football Playoff teams.

With a season on the verge of being lost, there's a portion of the Arkansas' fan base who wants to treat Petrino like an untouchable savior of its struggling football program, but it seems like most defenses have him figured out.

Since Arkansas' six game losing streak began at Ole Miss in September, this is the fourth time in six games that the Razorbacks' scored seven points or less in the second half.

A system that's proven magical a decade ago can probably be considered expired now that things haven't quite gone the way many hoped after Pittman snatched him off the unemployment line.

Some might've thought Petrino pulled off the ultimate coup when athletics director Hunter Yurachek decided to part ways with his sixth-year coach.

With an 0-3 start to his interim tenure, Petrino's team will now be tasked with a way to respond or ultimately let go of the rope with four games left in the 2025 season.

"We talked about, when you lose, it always challenges your attitude and your work ethic and how you're going to respond to it," Petrino said following the game. "Everybody in that room is still working hard at trying to make their brand better. I expect them to come out and continue to work hard and do that and have a good attitude.

"I think defensively, they've got to build on what they did today and work on it. And offensively, we got to get back to work and back to how we play."

HOGS FEED: