Reports: Arkansas preparing to hire Bobby Petrino for OC job

League: NCAA Football


Posted on: 28 Nov, 2023 at 09:36 PM

Credit: Nathan Papes/Springfield News-Leader / USA TODAY NETWORK

Bobby Petrino and Arkansas appear to be headed for an unlikely reunion.

Arkansas is finalizing a deal to make Petrino its next offensive coordinator, ESPN and 247Sports reported Tuesday.

After ESPN reported that Arkansas was "vetting" its former head coach, 247Sports reported that "the deal is done," only missing Petrino's signature.

Petrino, 62, spent 2008-11 as the Razorbacks' coach and led them to a Cotton Bowl win in the 2011 season. But he was fired in April 2012 after a motorcycle accident led to the revelation that he was conducting an extramarital affair with an athletic department employee.

Arkansas fired offensive coordinator Dan Enos midway into his first season in the role, but Sam Pittman will return after the Razorbacks' 4-8 campaign. Arkansas finished the season ranked 70th in the country in scoring (26.6 points per game).

Petrino spent the 2023 season as offensive coordinator at Texas A&M, which fired head coach Jimbo Fisher earlier this month. Petrino's unit still managed to rank 25th in the nation at 34.2 ppg despite the Aggies' disappointing 7-5 season.

Petrino compiled a 34-17 record in his four years at Arkansas. He has also served as head coach of the NFL's Atlanta Falcons (2007) along with Louisville (2003-06, 2014-18), Western Kentucky (2013) and FCS Missouri State (2020-22).

--Field Level Media