Humor

Haynes Introduced as DC

Date: 2011-12-13T06:00:14.460
Author: Zach Turner
Editor note: Paul Hayes is a big man who talks "loud". And ... kids do listen.
Number of Views: 453

What a difference a year has made for Paul Haynes.

Arkansas’ new defensive coordinator was preparing for the Ryan Mallett-led Razorbacks this time last season while defensive backs coach at Ohio State. This year Haynes finds himself as the Razorback’s newest addition to the coaching staff and will help the team prepare for its 12th appearance in the Cotton Bowl.

“When this kind of happened that was the first thing my family sat there and talked about how crazy this was,” Haynes said. “It goes back to the process of where you want to be and where you want to challenge yourself to be. You look in this coaching profession and want to be where the best is.”

Haynes spent this past season as co-defensive coordinator for the Buckeyes along with interim head coach Luke Fickell who replaced the legendary Jim Tressel after Tressel resigned in May. Haynes replaces Willy Robinson, who spent four seasons with the Razorbacks, as Arkansas’ defensive coordinator.

“Pretty much for the last seven years I called defense,” Haynes said. “It changed a little bit from 05, 06 and 07 because the secondary coach, which was me, called third down. During 2009 and 2010 me and coach Fickell kind of took over with calling it.”

Hayne relationship with coach Bobby Petrino dates back to the time when both were on the Jacksonville Jaguars staff in 2001. Petrino was the offensive coordinator that season while Haynes was the quality control coach for the defense.

“The first thing I really like about him is his work ethic,” Petrino said. “I was in the room with him a bunch doing that. And we were staying late. He’s an extremely hard worker. He’s very, very sharp and really understands the game.

The thing I liked is being able to make the adjustments that they made. It was fun, because when I was talking with him, we were talking about not only what they do defensively but what we did in our bowl game.”

During his time at Ohio State, Haynes helped coach current NFL stars Malcolm Jenkins and Donte Whitner. Ohio State’s defense while Haynes was on staff also produced the likes of All-Pro linebacker AJ Hawk and Rams starter James Laurinaitis.

“To me it is all about recruiting,” Haynes said. “You have heard the statement that ‘it is not the X’s and O’s it is the Jimmy’s and the Joe’s.’ I think we spend a lot of time here on recruiting. I kind of found that out with the meeting we had yesterday, that it is important. It is not about what area they come from, although I think you need to recruit the surrounding area the most because you have a better chance.

But I have found this out. Guys who are from here and guys who want to be here will perform better than those guys you have to try and convince to want to be here.”

Petrino said it hasn’t been determined what recruiting area Haynes will be in charge of.

“Not yet,” Petrino said about Haynes recruiting territory. “Was really interested in that we’ve gone into Georgia quite a bit lately and obviously we’re in Florida. With Steve Caldwell being pretty thin going both Houston and going into Georgia, so that might be where we put Steve down in Houston more. We haven’t really sat down as a staff and really dictated that out, and we probably won’t until after the signing date.”

Even though the Razorbacks have become known for their offense under Petrino, Haynes believes a championship-quality defense can still be established at Arkansas.

“You definitely can just because you can control that in practice,” Haynes said.

Haynes will be a part of the Razorbacks Cotton Bowl preparation against No. 8 Kansas State, but will stay with the same schemes and terminology that Arkansas’ defense has been use to all season.

“We are not going to do anything different bowl game terminology,” Haynes said. “They are kind of trying to teach me their terminology and what they are doing. Anywhere you go there is not a whole lot of difference, it is just how you call it.”

Haynes becomes just the second defensive coordinator during coach Petrino’s four-year tenure at Arkansas.

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