It hasn’t taken long for the Petrino era 2.0 to make waves in Fayetteville. Less than 24 hours after Arkansas fired Sam Pittman and elevated Bobby Petrino to interim head coach, he’s already begun reshaping the staff.
Defensive coordinator Travis Williams, defensive line coach Deke Adams, and co-defensive coordinator Marcus Woodson have all been dismissed.
Arkansas football moves on from Travis Williams, Deke Adams, and Marcus Woodson
The move comes after a disastrous start on defense. Through five games, Arkansas ranks No. 116 nationally in total defense, surrendering 425 yards per game, and No. 112 in scoring defense, giving up 30 points on average.
Williams had been a rising star, earning back-to-back Broyles Award nominations in 2023 and 2024 as one of the nation’s top assistants. Adams, meanwhile, was one of Pittman’s longest-tenured staffers. Since 2022, he has helped land five 4-star defensive linemen, including current sack leader Quincy Rhodes.
Sources: Arkansas has dismissed DC Travis Williams, DL coach Deke Adams and CO-DC Marcus Woodson. Bobby Petrino has begun a staff overhaul.
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) September 29, 2025
With three defensive staff members gone, Arkansas will only have secondary coach Nick Perry left to lead the defense. Petrino will likely have to bring in someone from outside the program, which might be hard, not even halfway through the season. However, Oklahoma State just fired its defensive coordinator, Todd Grantham, and the two have previously paired up at Louisville from 2014 to 2016.
Petrino will have two weeks to figure it out as the Razorbacks head into a bye week. Afterward, Arkansas will have to prepare for a trip to Tennessee, regardless of whether it has filled the vacant positions.
Follow Razorbackers on Twitter (X) & Facebook, and avoid missing out on the latest Arkansas news by signing up for our daily FanSided newsletter and selecting Arkansas football and/or basketball!