HOG CALLS: Smith, Haynes are a comfortable fit

FAYETTEVILLE — It seemed that John L. Smith and Paul Haynes passed like Arkansas ships on a December night, but their Razorback courses intersected more than most realized.

Last December, as Coach Bobby Petrino’s Razorbacks preparedfor their eventual Ja n u a r y Co tto n Bowl conquest of Kansas State, their defensive staff was shuffled.

Defensive coordinator/secondary coach Willy Robinson wasn’t retained while Smith, the special teams coordinator/outside linebackers coach, became Weber State’s head coach.

Petrino hired Haynes from Ohio State to be defensive coordinator/safeties coach, moved defensive tackles coach Bobby Allen to coach cornerbacks, and moved Kevin Peoples from director of high school relations to coach the defensive tackles while defensive ends coach Steve Caldwell additionallycoordinated special teams.

Smith never coached with the revised staff yet played a hand forming it.

Haynes was a young quality control coach with the NFL’s Jacksonville Jaguars in 2001 when Petrino was Jacksonville’s offensive coordinator.

So they knew each other and had worked some with each other, but they didn’t have the head coach/assistant coach relationship that Smith and Haynes had from 2002-2004.

Smith was the head coach at Louisville and Haynes was a firstyear cornerbacks coach there who moved with Smith in 2003 when Smith became Michigan State’s head coach.

Assisting Smith at Idaho, Weber State and Louisville until their roles reversed at Arkansas, Petrino asked his departing mentor about the defensive coordinator he was considering hiring.

“Bobby and I had some conversations when he was dealing with hiring Paul here,” Smith said.

Did he endorse Haynes?

“Exactly,” Smith said. “We have been together a long time. I love Paul Haynes.”

Good thing Smith bears Haynes such trust and respect, because Petrino’s defensive coordinator soon becameSmith’s defensive coordinator.

Smith was hired away from Weber State two days after Arkansas’ spring drills completed after Petrino had been fired midway through them.

For Haynes, it was a new old boss at a still new place.

“It’s been good for me,” Haynes said. “I worked with John L. before. I know what he is looking for incoaching styles. He is really a defensive guy, so the transition from Bobby to him has been smooth for me because I have a background with him.”

Haynes says Smith’s style exudes less stress than Petrino’s did, but he assures whether players or staff, those who slack surely will feel stressed.

“He lets the coaches coach, but he is a little bit more intense than what people think just because he is so outgoing,” Haynes said. “We won’t fall off from what people think of these two guys [Smith and Petrino] and the intensity and being demanding to be perfect in what we do.”

Smith smiles, joking that Haynes should see stress looming in the rear-view mirror.

“Paul worked for me at Louisville as well and then we went to Michigan State and we were coaches of the year right off the bat,” Smith said. “Then Ohio State recruited him and he left me, but I will get him back. This is my opportunity to get even.”

Of course, Smith would prefer getting even upon Arkansas getting ahead.