Sad News:Sam Pittman has been suspended today due to the way he …….
GET LOCAL BREAKING NEWS ALERTS
The latest breaking updates, delivered straight to your email inbox.
Who is Bobby Petrino? Here’s why his return to Arkansas is making headlines
KHBS logoUpdated: 5:36 PM CST Nov 28, 2023
Infinite Scroll Enabled
Adam Roberts, DMM
Digital Media Manager
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. —
Bobby Petrino is, without question, both the most successful and most controversial Razorbacks head football coach of the 21st century so far.
Here’s a quick look at Petrino’s life and why his hiring is making headlines.
Advertisement
Early Days
Bobby Petrino played quarterback for Carroll College in his hometown of Helena, Montana. His father was the head coach at the time, and hired Petrino on as a grad assistant after graduation.
Petrino took on various assistant coaching jobs at various schools in the west for most of the next two decades. He got a break in 1999 when the Jacksonville Jaguars hired him as quarterbacks coach.
Head Coach
Bobby Petrino’s first head coaching job was at Louisville. He brought the Cardinals to unprecedented heights, bringing them to the 2007 Orange Bowl.
Recommended
Biden and Trump win Louisiana’s presidential primary having already clinched nominations
A few days after winning the bowl — and six months after signing a 10-year contract — Petrino took a job as head coach of the Atlanta Falcons. The team got off to a 3-10 start, and Petrino resigned to take a job with the Arkansas Razorbacks.
Falcon’s owner Arthur Blank blasted Petrino’s move, saying the coach had told him just 24 hours prior that he was staying, according to The New York Times.
“The best way to describe the way we feel is betrayed and let down,” he said.
Petrino wrote a four-sentence letter to his Falcons players and left it for them to find in the locker room.
Success At Arkansas
Petrino’s Hogs notched win records and bowl achievements not seen in decades, or since.
Arkansas was ranked as high as No. 3 during Petrino’s tenure. They beat Ohio State in the Sugar Bowl and won 11 games for only the third time in team history.
Petrino coached Ryan Mallett, who broke the team’s career record for throwing touchdowns and was drafted into the NFL.
Mallett drowned at a beach in Florida earlier this year.
“Pattern Of Misleading Behavior”
Petrino’s Razorbacks appeared to just be getting better and better. But on April Fool’s Day, 2012, it all came crashing down.
The coach originally told the university and the news media that he was alone on the motorcycle.
Petrino later admitted he was with a 25-year-old employee, with whom he was having an affair.
Petrino had given her $20,000 at one point and had helped fast-track her hiring at the athletic department one month before the crash. She had been one of 160 applicants.
“Coach Petrino engaged in a pattern of misleading and manipulative behavior designed to deceive me and members of the athletic staff, both before and after the motorcycle accident,” Jeff Long, athletic director, said.
Long initially received plaudits for his decision to fire Petrino. He was given national awards. A donor gave $1.25 million to the school, asking for a program to be named after him.
The College Football Playoff Committee named Long as its inaugural committee chair.
But after a few disappointing football seasons, the university fired him.
Western Kentucky hired Petrino as head coach after he was fired from Arkansas. He spent one year there before returning to Louisville from 2014 to 2018.
He then spent three years as head coach at Missouri State before taking over as offensive coordinator for Texas A&M under Jimbo Fisher, who was fired earlier this month.
2022 Game
Petrino made a return of sorts to Razorback Stadium in September 2022 when he was head coach of the visiting Missouri State Bears.
Fans purchased neck braces ahead of that game, in reference to the neck brace Petrino wore after that infamous motorcycle wreck.
Current Arkansas head coach Sam Pittman praised Petrino ahead of the game.
“Last time Arkansas was relevant was when Coach Petrino was here,” Pittman said. “We are very grateful for his time here and what he did for the program.”
The Razorbacks beat the Bears 38 to 27.
TOP PICKS
March Madness Day 3 recap
Women’s NCAA Tournament Day 2 recap
Rossen roundup: Top consumer stories from the past week
Bug-proof your home with these top-selling gadgets we found online
KHBS/KHOG FORT SMITH-FAYETTEVILLEHearst Television logo
Contact Us
News Team
Apps & Social
Email Alerts
Careers
Internships
Advertise with 40/29TV
Advertise with The Arkansas CW
Digital Advertising Terms & Conditions
Broadcast Terms & Conditions
RSS
EEO Reports
Captioning Contacts
KHBS Public Inspection File
KHOG Public Inspection File
Public File Assistance
FCC Applications
News Policy Statements
Hearst Television participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites.
