FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas running backs coach Tim Horton tried his best to recount his path earlier this week.
There was the Florida trip that bounced him from Miami to Ft. Lauderdale to Jacksonville. He spent a day in the Atlanta area, checking on high school prospects. He made appearances in Little Rock and Heber Springs, too.
And, of course, there were those days where Horton spent at least some time in Fayetteville, working with Arkansas’ running backs in practice. But don’t ask how many practices he attended.
Horton isn’t real sure.
“I think I was at two practices,” Horton said, scratching his head. “I think. Well, I don’t remember.”
Welcome to the life of an Arkansas football coach during the month of December. For much of the past three weeks, Horton and the rest of Bobby Petrino’s staff have balanced a hectic schedule loaded with recruiting and preparation for the Liberty Bowl against East Carolina on Jan. 2 in Memphis, Tenn.
Horton’s path is just one example of the dizzying pace that has left many coaches understandably unsure of which day it was or what city they were in. The good news: The hustle and bustle has come to a temporary end because the Razorbacks have taken a break for Christmas before reporting to Memphis on Sunday for the bowl.
But it has been quite a stretch for the entire staff.
“The No. 1 question when you walk into the office is, ‘OK, what day of the week is it?’” Petrino said last week. “We’re trying to figure out where we’re at with all the double duties that we’ve been doing.”
Don’t get them wrong, though. They aren’t complaining.
In fact, Petrino said it’s much better than last season when the coaches had only one duty this time of year — recruiting. Arkansas didn’t qualify for a bowl game, leaving the staff with ample time to be on the road showcasing the program. But the opportunity to squeeze in practices in preparation for next season has been a valuable luxury that was sorely missed in 2008.
“To be honest with you, it has been hard,” Horton said. “Not just on me, but all the coaches because you’re trying to balance two jobs. ...
“But that’s what we want to be doing this time of year. Last year, we were just recruiting and not practicing. We don’t want it to ever happen again.”
Arkansas has hosted prospects on campus the past two weekends, fitting visits in between practices.
There were days when the coaching staff wasn’t at full strength on the field with some out on the road visiting recruits. There were other days when assistants were at practice, but dashed to the airport as soon as the workout ended to hop on an airplane.
“It can make the days a little bit longer,” Arkansas defensive coordinator Willy Robinson said. “But through coach Petrino and coach Horton, we keep things very organized. We know where we’re supposed to be.”
Robinson then offered a slight correction.
“Well, I can’t say we all know where we’re supposed to be sometimes because of the fact that you don’t know quite well what day of the week it is,” he said with a laugh. “But it seems to be moving very smoothly.”
The coaching staff will be rewarded for the work the next few days. Arkansas has ended its December mini-camp and players have headed home for the holidays.
Offensive coordinator Garrick McGee said the time off will be valuable for the players. But he added that it will be important for the staff, too, as coaches get a chance to recharge before bowl week begins on Sunday.
“We haven’t spent a lot of time with our families,” McGee said. “We’ve been grinding with bowl preparation and recruiting, recruiting weekends the last couple of weekends. So it will be good to get to spend some time with your family. No doubt about it.”