Just days into his tenure as interim head coach of the Arkansas Razorbacks, Bobby Petrino is already making bold moves to reshape the program. On Friday, Arkansas formally announced the hiring of Jay Hayes, a veteran with more than two decades of NFL coaching experience, as the team’s new defensive line coach.
For Petrino, who returned to Arkansas under dramatic circumstances, this move signals a commitment to strengthening the Razorbacks’ defensive identity. Hayes, 64, is widely respected for his ability to develop talent at the highest levels of football, and he brings a wealth of knowledge from both professional and collegiate coaching.
Hayes has spent the past few years sharpening his craft in alternative leagues. Since 2022, he has served as co-defensive coordinator and defensive line coach for the Arlington Renegades of the UFL, while also holding roles with the St. Louis Battlehawks of the XFL and the Jousters of The Spring League. These stints followed a long and accomplished NFL career.
His NFL résumé spans nearly 20 years, beginning with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1999 as a special teams coach before transitioning to defensive line work with the Minnesota Vikings. Hayes cemented his reputation during his 13-year tenure with the Cincinnati Bengals, where he molded one of the league’s most consistently tough defensive fronts. He later coached with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2016 and 2017 before finishing his NFL run with the Green Bay Packers in 2018.
Before his professional coaching journey, Hayes had a brief but meaningful run in the college game. He worked under legendary coach Lou Holtz at Notre Dame in 1988 as a graduate assistant, a season that culminated in a national championship. He also spent time at California and Wisconsin, adding to his diverse coaching background.
Hayes’s playing career was equally wide-ranging, spanning stints in the NFL, USFL, and CFL after his college days at Idaho, where he was a four-year letterman.
Arkansas is on a bye this week, giving Hayes a chance to acclimate before his debut on the sideline. He will officially begin his duties in Week 7 when the Razorbacks face No. 15 Tennessee in Knoxville.
For Petrino and Arkansas, the message is clear: this is not just a short-term patch. The hiring of Hayes underscores a serious effort to rebuild and compete in the SEC trenches.
