Washington - Arabstoday
Arkansas football coach Bobby Petrino was involved in a motorcycle accident Sunday evening near the town of Crosses in Madison County, Ark. A statement from Petrino\'s family that was released Monday morning by the school said Petrino, 51, is in stable condition and expected to make a full recovery. State police say Petrino veered off a highway near Crosses. Police spokesman Bill Sadler said Petrino was taken to a hospital for treatment, but he declined to say which hospital. The family statement goes on to say: \"Coach Petrino was involved in a motorcycle accident on Sunday evening that involved no other individuals. ... Our family appreciates respect for our privacy during the recovery and we are grateful for the thoughts of Razorback fans at this time.\" Petrino, an avid motorcycle enthusiast, led Arkansas to an 11-2 record last season and a Cotton Bowl win against Kansas State. He\'s 34-17 in four seasons at the school, 21-5 over the last two. He\'s talked in the past about owning a motorcycle and going for rides around Beaver Lake, which is near the Fayetteville campus. The school statement said athletics director Jeff Long has been in touch with Petrino\'s family and will consult them to provide additional information at a later time. Until then, the school said there will be no further information or comment on the accident at the family\'s request. Arkansas is in the midst of spring practice but had been off since conducting a scrimmage Friday. The Razorbacks are scheduled to resume practice Tuesday and are scheduled to have their spring game April 21. The noted offensive coach has led the Razorbacks to the top passing offense in the Southeastern Conference the past three seasons. He\'s helped develop former Arkansas and current New England Patriots quarterback Ryan Mallett and last season\'s first-team all-Southeastern Conference quarterback Tyler Wilson. Before Arkansas, Petrino coached the NFL\'s Atlanta Falcons. He left the Falcons 13 games into the 2007 season to join the Razorbacks. Petrino was a college head coach at Louisville before that, guiding the Cardinals to a 41-9 record from 2003-07.