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Few football coaches have experienced quite as far a fall from grace as has Bobby Petrino.
Petrino made his name in coaching as the at-the-time young leader of Louisville Cardinals. He led the Cardinals to a 12-1 record and an Orange Bowl victory in 2006 before bolting to greener pastures with the Atlanta Falcons of the NFL.
His NFL career, if you could even call it that, was a complete and utter disaster. Petrino lasted just 13 games, going 3-10, before abruptly resigning from the position. Though his success in the college ranks meant it didn’t take long for him to land on his feet.
Petrino became the head coach of Arkansas Razorbacks in 2008 and once again found success. He went just 5-7 in year one, but went 8-5 the following year, 10-3 the next, and 11-2 in 2011. The Hogs won the Cotton Bowl and finished the season ranked No. 5 in the final AP Poll.
But that is where things ended.
Petrino was fired early in 2012 after a scandal involving a motorcycle crash and an illicit affair with a former Arkansas volleyball player turned football staffer.
Somehow, that did not kill his career. Petrino rebounded with a job as the head coach of Western Kentucky in 2013 before returning to Louisville a year later. His second stint did not go as well as the first and he was fired following a 2-8 season in 2018.
Petrino had spent the last three seasons toiling at FCS program Missouri State. But now he’s back in the big time…though not where many expected to be.
Bobby Petrino Lands Offensive Coordinator Job With UNLV
Petrino’s name had been bandied about in recent weeks in association with the offensive coordinator job with Texas A&M. The Aggies are looking for a spark after an embarrassing 2022 season.
News broke Thursday morning that Petrino would, in fact, be a Division I FBS offensive coordinator in 2023. But it won’t be in College Station
Bobby Petrino is returning to the FBS ranks as the offensive coordinator at UNLV under new coach Barry Odom, sources tell ESPN. Petrino was head coach at Missouri State the last three seasons. He’s widely regarded as one of the top offensive minds/play-callers in the game.
— Chris Low (@ClowESPN) December 15, 2022
Instead, he’ll be calling plays for new UNLV head coach Barry Odom. The irony of the embattled head coach moving to Las Vegas was not lost on college football fans.
Bringing Bobby Petrino to Las Vegas. pic.twitter.com/jbDW6a2Ijw https://t.co/F7EzCPRPKL
— Ben Stevens (@BenScottStevens) December 15, 2022
Petrino in Vegas! https://t.co/TlSIyaHXLU pic.twitter.com/wDYfpD90iD
— Robbie Faulk (@robbiefaulkOn3) December 15, 2022
Bobby Petrino in Las Vegas just sounds like a scandal waiting to happen.
— Mike J. Asti (@MikeAsti11) December 15, 2022
College football continues to be the world’s best soap opera.