FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Arkansas Razorbacks football coach Bobby Petrino crashed his motorcycle after veering off a highway and was taken to a hospital for treatment, a state police official said Monday.
Police spokesman Bill Sadler said the crash happened Sunday night on Arkansas Highway 16 in Madison County near Crosses, a community in northeast Arkansas about 20 miles from Fayetteville, where the school is located. Sadler said Petrino's motorcycle left the highway and crashed.
Sadler says Petrino was taken to a hospital in Washington County, but he declined to say which one. He said he didn't know the coach's condition or whether he was still hospitalized Monday.
Zack Higbee, a spokesman for Petrino, would not comment or confirm Monday that the coach was involved in the crash.
Petrino, an avid motorcycle enthusiast, led Arkansas to an 11-2 record last season and a Cotton Bowl win over 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 nearby Beaver Lake.
The noted offensive coach has led the Razorbacks to the top passing offense in the Southeastern Conference over 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-SEC quarterback Tyler Wilson.
Prior to Arkansas, Petrino coached the NFL's Atlanta Falcons. He left the Falcons after 13 games in 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.
Receive your weekly recap of all the happenings around the world of sports.