FAYETTEVILLE — Taver Johnson is the newest member of Arkansas’ football staff after leaving his position at Ohio State to join the Razorbacks as assistant head coach/linebackers coach in January.
But after Arkansas coach Bobby Petrino was placed on paid administrative leave by athletic director Jeff Long on Thursday night, Johnson now finds himself in charge of the program.
Johnson, 39, was named Arkansas’ new leader while Long decides whether Petrino will retain his job with the Razorbacks. He has no experience as a head coach and said when he was hired in January it was nothing he considered until the Arkansas opportunity arrived.
“Having the responsibility of being an assistant head coach was definitely appealing,” Johnson said at the time. “That was the first time, actually, after speaking with Coach Petrino, that really sparked my interest, in terms of, ‘Wow, there’s going to be an opportunity to be a head coach, for sure.’”
Johnson said at the time he and Petrino hadn’t discussed what the title would mean at Arkansas.
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
“Obviously, that’s something that’s going to be up to his discretion,” Johnson said in January. “Whatever it is that coach decides to put on me, I’m ready for it. I’m excited about it.”
It’s clear Johnson won’t be alone in guiding the Razorbacks through the current situation.
Defensive coordinator Paul Haynes, who worked with Johnson at Ohio State, and offensive coordinator Paul Petrino will likely continue to shoulder more responsibility on both sides of the ball throughout spring drills. Arkansas is six practices into its spring schedule and will be on the practice field this afternoon.
Bobby Petrino said Tuesday before being placed on paid leave he had confidence his staff would be fine as he recovered from injuries.
“I love our staff,” Petrino said. “I think they have done an excellent job. … I have complete confidence that any time I step out of the room they are running it just like it should be ran.”
Johnson, a Cincinnati native and 1994 graduate of Whittenburg College, spent five seasons as cornerbacks coach at Ohio State before joining Arkansas’ staff. He also has coaching experience as defensive coordinator/assistant head coach at Miami (Ohio) in 2005-06 and a one-year stint in the NFL as special teams coordinator for the Cleveland Browns. He was the linebackers coach at Miami (Ohio) from 2000-03 as well.
He and Haynes have experience working through a scandal after being on staff at Ohio State when coach Jim Tressel was fired.