Razorbacks interim coach: "Can't place blame without facts."

Opening Statement
“Good afternoon. First of all, I’d like to say that I’m overly excited and extremely proud of this football team. The leadership that we have in our locker room is tremendous. Our guys have done a great job and making sure that we get together and unite. We’ve done an excellent job all day preparing for a big day today. We’re going to have a full-blown scrimmage. We’re going to play the game like it’s supposed to be played, in our stadium, in Razorback stadium. We are extremely excited about that. Last night, I was informed about the situation in terms of having some leadership for our football team. In that we’ve all, in the coach staff, and the players, understood our roles and are extremely excited about being able to go out and represent all of Razorback nation. Since Coach Petrino’s accident, our main focus has been our football team. Throughout spring, our main focus has been the football team. Nothing has changed in that regard. I’m extremely proud of our guys’ effort, the leadership we have in that locker room, and I’m ready to get out on that field and represent our state.”

On the message Bobby Petrino gave to him: “I haven’t had much contact with coach. I know he’s hurting internally, so I really haven’t had much conversation with him there. However, our conversations leading up to this day, we all understand the expectations and goals we set out for our team. That will definitely exude through all of us.”

On how the scrimmage will be operated: “I want to operate it as if coach was here. Myself as well as the other coaches, all together, are ready to go.”

On his time at Ohio State leading up to this: “I don’t know if you can ever prepare. When you’re going through tough situations, any kind of adversity you’ve been through, prepares you mentally and makes you step into a leadership role like all of our coaches have done.”

A combined team meeting: “We have had a meeting. We had that today. It was very quick, very brief. Our players got together and really did most of that. We broke down into individual meetings and went on as usual to get ready for the scrimmage.”

Reaction to Coach Petrino’s statements yesterday: “I think it was a human reaction, like everyone else. It’s something that happened, and all of us are probably trying to ask questions and things like that, but I think the human element came out. Right now, we don’t have any facts, we can’t place any blame. We have to let our administration, who’s done a great job gathering all of the information, take care of that.”

On Coach Petrino’s job: “I don’t know if that is a question I can answer right away. You never come to work and feel that way. The only thing you can be concerned about is coming here and doing the best job you can for the University.”

His role as head coach: “My role is to act as head coach, I’m also coaching the linebackers. We have a scrimmage today and I’ve got to get ready to coach those guys up and get ready to go.”

His duties as coach: “Coach Petrino cannot be here, but we can still have conversations with him. It shouldn’t be a problem that way, but we’re going to go on as business as usual. We’re going to get our guys ready and make sure were doing the right things like going to class, and when it’s time to practice, and play, well make sure we are attacking.”

Have you discussed what would happen if Coach Petrino were let go: “No, we haven’t discussed that at all. That is something that we can’t get into until the administration takes care of that. You can’t go about business that way when you’re in the football world. You have to attack the moment, and that is the scrimmage we have coming up.”