Razorbacks interim head coach Bobby Petrino reportedly overhauling defensive staff

Less than 24 hours after being named the interim head coach of the Razorbacks following the decision to part ways with Sam Pittman, Bobby Petrino is making significant staff changes.

Multiple reports share this morning that defensive coordinator Travis Williams, as well as defensive line coach Deke Adams and co-defensive coordinator Marcus Woodson are all being let go.

Williams has been a Broyles Award nominee in each of the past two seasons, but the Razorbacks defense has been underwhelming five games into the 2025 campaign.

Following their 56-13 public dismantling at home against Notre Dame over the weekend, Arkansas has given up at least 30 points in three of their four games this season against FBS opponents, and currently rank 113th nationally in scoring defense.

Williams - who will long be remembered for his impromptu rap during a team meeting - had enjoyed a rapid rise to the role of SEC defensive coordinator, going from a standout member of the Auburn All-Decade team to spending a decade in the NFL before starting in coaching as a graduate assistant at Auburn. He would go on to serve as linebackers coach at FCS Northern Iowa before taking over the defense at Creekside HS (GA). After one season at the high school level he returned to college football as a defensive analyst at Auburn in a role he spent two seasons in before he moved to coaching the Tigers linebackers.

He got the nod to co-defensive coordinator in 2019, and spent three seasons in that role before following Gus Malzahn to UCF as defensive coordinator for two seasons.

T-Will left Orlando to join Sam Pittman's Arkansas squad in December of 2022.

He made an immediate impact on the defensive side of the ball, helping Arkansas record their first shutout in about five seasons before limiting a top-5 Tennessee squad to a season low 14 points last season in what very likely goes down as the signature victory of the Sam Pittman era.

Adams spent the last four seasons with the program, helping the Razorbacks to a top 40 ranking in rush defense last season, while Woodson spent the past three seasons in Fayetteville working with a much improved secondary he helped to improve nearly 100 spots in yards per game from 2022 to 2023.

The decision to part ways with Williams, as well as the additional moves on the defensive side of the ball, come as Petrino puts his cards on the table, showing he wants to be the permanent leader of the program he previously led from 2008-11 before he was fired after a secret relationship was uncovered following the now-famous April 2012 motorcycle incident on Arkansas Highway 16.

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