Mitch Petrus life and biography

CAREER NOTES

* Played in 49 games at Arkansas as a fullback, left offensive guard, right guard, tight end and on the kick coverage unit…Started his final 25 games as an offensive guard – 12 at left guard in 2007 and 13 at right guard in 2009…Recorded 167 knockdowns/key blocks with 21 touchdown-resulting blocks as a starter on the offensive line…Tied the NFL Scouting Combine 225-pound bench press record with 45 repetitions, a mark first set by Mike Kudla of Ohio State in 2006.

2009 SEASON

* Earned All-Southeastern Conference 1st-team honors from the league's coaches, adding 2nd-team accolades from the Associated Press…Named SEC Offensive Lineman of the Week vs. Eastern Michigan…Started all 13 games at right guard…Registered 113 knockdowns/key blocks with 12 touchdown-resulting blocks and 5 blocks downfield…Helped Arkansas lead the SEC and rank 10th in the nation with an average of 295.5 passing yards per game…The Hogs finished 20th in total offense (427.3 yards per game) and led the conference while placing 9th nationally in scoring (36.0 points per game)…Allowed only 2 quarterback pressures, but no sacks on 439 pass plays…Also recorded a solo tackle vs. LSU.

2008 SEASON

* Petrus was ruled academically ineligible for 2008, but practiced with the team while redshirting.

2007 SEASON

* Earned All-SEC 2nd-team honors from the league's coaches…Shifted from fullback to left guard in fall camp, starting all but the Chattanooga contest…
Cleared the way for 2 All-America running backs – Doak Walker Award winner and Heisman Trophy runner-up Darren McFadden, who led the SEC and ranked 4th in the nation in rushing (140.8 yards a game), and Felix Jones, who ranked 5th in the SEC (89.4)…Graded 83.7% for blocking consistency, as his 54 knockdowns/key blocks ranked 3rd on the team…Paved the way for a running attack that ranked 4th in the nation with an average of 286.5 yards per game, as the Razorbacks tallied a school-record 3,725 yards on the ground…Also advanced a short kickoff 10 yards vs. Tennessee.

2006 SEASON

* When Petrus reported for preseason camp, he was expected to compete for a starting job at one of the guard spots, but the coaches decided to move the-then 288-pounder to fullback…Played in 14 games with no starts…Helped clear the way for a pair of 1,000-yard rushers in McFadden (1,647 yards) and Jones (1,168), marking only the 3rd time in Southeastern Conference history and 38th time in college football that a team had 2 players rush for over 1,000 yards in the same season…Had just 1 carry for the year, gaining 1 yard on that attempt vs. Southeast Missouri…Part of a blocking unit that finished 2nd in the nation in fewest sacks allowed per game (0.64), yielding only 9 sacks in 14 games…The Razorbacks had the SEC-leading and the nation's fourth-best rushing attack, averaging 228.5 yards rushing per game.

2005 SEASON

* Joined the team as a walk-on and was scheduled to redshirt, but the staff played him in the final 9 games of the schedule as a member of the kickoff return team and a reserve tight end and offensive guard…Made his debut in Louisiana-Monroe game, as he graded 91% for blocking consistency, coming up with 3 knockdowns.

HIGH SCHOOL

* Attended Carlisle (Ark.) High School, where he lettered as a tight end, fullback and linebacker…Recipient of the Class AA Conference Lineman of the Year Award and was named All-Conference and All-State as a senior…As a tight end, Petrus had 40 receptions for 750 yards and 8 touchdowns...In his junior season, he broke the state record for tackles in a game with 39…As a senior, led the state with 306 tackles (145 solo)…All-Conference and All-State performer in basketball…Also lettered in track.

PERSONAL

* Agricultural Business major, enrolled in the Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences…Was named to the Razorback Academic Honor Roll (2008-09)…Son of Sue and Phil Petrus… Born Jonathan Mitchell Petrus on May 11, 1987.

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