Arkansas Sports 360 - ArkansasSports360.com

9/22/2010 at 11:39am

Arkansas will honor former player and coach Ken Hatfield as a honorary captain for this week’s game against top-ranked Alabama.

Could this be the week that Bobby Petrino and his team make good on a promise made to Hatfield prior to the season? Petrino guaranteed a punt return for a touchdown this season during an appearance at the Northwest Arkansas Touchdown Club.

Here’s a portion of a note I wrote that day and an explanation of why a promise to Hatfield about punt returns is significant:

PROMISED IMPROVEMENT
Hatfield was seated at a table near the podium, and Petrino acknowledged him when a question about punt returns came his way. Hatfield was a noted punt-return specialist as a Razorback player, including an 81-yard touchdown against Texas in 1964.

“Coach Hatfield, we’re going to get a punt return for a TD this year,” Petrino said. Hatfield led the nation in punt return yardage as a junior and senior for Arkansas.

Joe Adams nearly had a punt return for a touchdown at Georgia. His 62-yarder was negated, however, because of a block in the back.

That Hatfield punt return, by the way, came against No. 1 Texas and helped the Razorbacks on their way to an undefeated season and national title. Arkansas was No. 8 at the time.

Here’s more from the UA on Hatfield:

As a player, Hatfield lettered for the Razorbacks from 1962-64. He ranks first on UA’s career punt return yardage and career punt return average lists. He also ranks fourth on the all-time total return yardage list. Hatfield helped captain the Razorback team to the 1964 national championship and earned All-Southwestern Conference honors in the process.

Hatfield is one of just two Arkansas graduates to serve as head football coach at his alma mater. Heading the squad from 1984-89, he led the Razorbacks to 55 wins, including SWC titles in 1988 and 1989, and posted a program-best .760 winning percentage. Each of his Razorback teams participated in a bowl game, with three of them playing in a New Year’s Day game or later.

Hatfield was inducted in to the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame in 1989. In 1995, he was inducted into the University of Arkansas Sports Hall of Honor.

Kickoff is set for 2:30 p.m.

Tagged: Alabama Crimson Tide, 1964 National Championship, Texas Longhorns, Ken Hatfield, Bobby Petrino, Joe Adams, Arkansas Razorbacks, Honorary Captain