You could probably base a soap opera around what has transpired with the Arkansas football program earlier this year, but most Razorback fans would much rather look forward to the upcoming season rather than dwelling on the past. Thanks to CBS Sports Network, College Football Confidential: Arkansas does just that.
Premiering tonight at 7pm ET, the seven-part series will offer a behind-the-scenes look at one of the most talked-about teams for the upcoming season. And the best part is that the conversation will revolve around what is taking place on the field and not the chaos that took place when head coach Bobby Petrino was fired in April.
It was disclosed then that the married father of four was not only having an affair but also hired his mistress to work in the Arkansas athletic department. Making matters worse, the couple was involved in a motorcycle accident in which Petrino suffered broken ribs, a cracked vertebra in his neck and several facial abrasions.
“Coach Petrino engaged in a pattern of misleading and manipulative behavior designed to deceive me and members of the athletic staff, both before and after the motorcycle accident,” Athletic Director Jeff Long said at the time of the firing.
Fast forward four months, and things are surprisingly very promising. The Razorbacks are ranked #10 in both the Associated Press and USA Today preseason polls, quarterback Tyler Wilson decided to temporarily put the NFL career on hold and is now a Heisman Trophy candidate, and everybody seems to be onboard with the promotion of former special teams coach John L. Smith to head coach.
Throughout the 2012 season, CBS Sports Network will follow Arkansas to provide fans an inside look at practices, road trips and team meetings. Fans will enjoy candid interviews with administrators, coaches and team members, including Long, Smith and Wilson. The September 19 episode will offer inside access as Razorbacks prepare to play Alabama in a big SEC showdown that will be part of CBS Sports’ season-long coverage of the SEC Game of the Week.
One thing is for sure: When Arkansas’ season kicks off on September 1 against Jacksonville State, everything that took place in April will seem like a distant memory.
