Bobby Petrino and Reggie Johnson may never go on vacation again.

Along with the entire Razorback football staff, head coach Petrino and linebackers coach Johnson have been on a well-earned vacation.

Now they must feel like they could use a vacation from the vacation.

First, they learned Sunday, June 29 that sophomore backup outside linebacker Freddy Burton was charged with driving while intoxicated.

Then on Tuesday, July 1 they learn that junior 2-year letterman Wendel Davis, projected to contend for the middle linebacker starting job, faces a felony criminal mischief charge.

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Davis’ situation may have extenuating circumstances.

Onyebuchi Odunukwe, whose car Davis pummeled evoking the criminal mischief charge against Davis plus injuries to Davis’ right hand that were treated at Washington Regional Medical Center, himself faces charges. UA police reported July 2 Odunukwe faces a felony aggravated assault charge and a misdemeanor charge of terroristic threatening for his alleged part in the altercation.

The two had a history of conflict before the Odunukwe driven Nissan Altima struck from behind a scooter driven by Davis at Garland Avenue and Maple Street in Fayetteville.

That charges later surfaced against Odunukwe should serve as a cautionary reminder for those inclined to demand a coach instantly boot a player off the team at trouble’s first blush.

Particularly so during the offseason. No rush to judgment is required like in season when a coach must on the spot decide if a player suspected of wrongdoing will or won’t be allowed to play in that week’s game and beyond.

With the Hogs not reporting for preseason drills until Aug. 3, Petrino has time for his own review while the justice system sort things out.

“ I always like to take my time, ” Petrino said. “ We’ll let things play out for a little while. Certainly they’ll be dealt with and hopefully we can get everything straightened out the right way. Whether there’s some suspensions involved or not I don’t know. I think we’ve got to wait and see. ”

In the meantime, it would behoove all Hogs to stay off the police blotter.

“ We’ve had some things going on that we’re not proud of and we’re certainly going to work to have those not happen again, ” Petrino said.

From past observance, including regarding former Arkansas coach Houston Nutt who was often criticized as too lenient, eventually coaches’ patience tends to get shorter and their penalties harsher upon disciplinary incidents occurring in a flurry.

Conversely, incoming freshman linebackers Tenarius Wright of Memphis and Jelani Smith of Abbieville, La. may find themselves presented a bigger welcome mat than their fellow freshmen.

They already are almost secondteamers by default.

With Freddie Fairchild, a starting junior outside linebacker last year, already permanently dismissed from the team, and Burton and Davis subject to review, plus Davis adding a hand injury to rehabbing from knee surgery last winter, the Hogs seem desperately to need linebackers.

Wright and Smith are the lone scholarship additions to a scholarship crew so depleted that last spring the Hogs closed with senior Elston Forte both listed first-team ahead of Burton at the outside Sam ‘ backer and second-team behind Ryan Powers at outside Will ‘ backer with redshirt freshman Jerry Franklin of Marion and sophomore Jermaine Love competing in the middle.

That was all the healthy scholarship linebacking hands they had while Davis rehabbed from knee surgery.

The lack of linebacking depth would seem to beckon sophomore Chip Gregory, moved from linebacker to running back last spring, back to linebacker.

However, Petrino still wants a big back complement to little scatback tailbacks Michael Smith and Texarkana’s Brandon Barnett.

He seems inclined to see if Gregory, 6-3, 225, but injured during much of his tailback trial last spring, can provide a big-back complement.

““ I haven’t thought about that at all, ” Petrino recently replied to a question about putting Gregory back to ‘ backer. “ I wish we would have gotten more looks at running back and looking forward to seeing that when we get started in August. ”

Arkansas adds two touted true freshmen tailbacks in Camden’s De’Anthony Curtis and Texarkana’s Dennis Johnson.

However, neither Curtis, listed 5-11, 210 upon signing, nor Johnson, listed 5-10, 192 upon signing, would seem deemed big backs extra large.

Nate Allen covers the Razorbacks for the Northwest Arkansas Times.