If you’re not familiar with Arkansas head coach Bobby Petrino, then don’t feel bad, because you’re not alone. While there are many casual college football fans who won’t be knowledgeable about Petrino’s history, the truth is that the basics of that history make it unlikely that even those around him get to know him that well. You see, Petrino has this affinity for leaving a place shortly after arriving. He seems to be a now-you-see-me-now-you-don’t, should-I-stay-or-should-I-go kind of guy, and usually the answer comes back as “I should go.”
While short stints at Louisville and in the professional ranks with Atlanta are the most well-known stops on the Petrino Express (coming soon to a city near you – one year only!), a look at his overall coaching career reveals that Bobby’s years at Louisville were like a lifetime for him, relatively speaking:
1983 – Carroll
1984 – Weber State
1985-86 – Carroll
1987-88 – Weber State
1989-91 – Idaho
1992-93 – Arizona State
1994 – Nevada
1995-97 – Utah State
1998 – Louisville
1999-01 – Jacksonville Jaguars (NFL)
2002 – Auburn
2003-06 – Louisville
2007 – Atlanta Falcons (NFL)
2008-? – Arkansas
Go ahead and take a minute to catch your breath…
So what is Petrino’s deal? Well, currently it’s a deal for an average of $3.56 million per year through 2017, making him the sixth highest paid coach in the country, but what’s with all the short stays? A few different perspectives could be offered:
- Petrino becomes discontent easily and therefore doesn’t hesitate to flee to greener pastures
- Petrino is a career-builder, and these positions have all represented “promotions,” with the possible exception of going from NFL head coach back to SEC head coach, although that’s probably more of a style or personality issue
- Petrino understands the value of the dollar, and when somebody calls and says “I’ll pay you more,” it becomes a pure financial comparison
- Petrino likes to be liked! It feels good when somebody calls and says “We want you!” You naturally look at all the positives, and everything seems right so you jump on it. Who cares if you never go past the honeymoon?
- Petrino works for Wikileaks and must constantly stay on the move to avoid capture
While the recent contract extension signed between Petrino and Arkansas may bring some assurance of a longer-than-usual tenure, the fact of the matter is that we’ve seen similar arrangements fall through before. Exhibit A is the 10-year extension signed at Louisville, which was followed by Petrino bolting for Jacksonville only six months later (6 months < 10 years). However, the buyout for Petrino currently stands at $18 million, so unless the Yankees come calling, Razorback fans have some reason to feel secure, especially since the Florida job is now filled. The only thing that could potentially upset the balance is if assistant John L. Smith takes the top dog position at another school, because Petrino seems to have a real interest in following him around (see Idaho, Utah State, Louisville). Once the learner, now the master…..but open to the possibility of becoming the learner again?
Why do schools keep hiring Petrino when his resume clearly says “job hopper?” Well, probably because the man brings some real credentials when it comes to offensive play-calling. His 2004 Louisville team led the nation in offense, a repeat performance from Petrino’s first year with the team in 1998, and in 2006 he led the Cardinals to a 12-1 record, including an Orange Bowl win and a #6 national ranking. This past season the Razorbacks led the SEC in passing and scoring for the first time since joining the conference. Having been a quarterback during his own years playing college football at Carroll, it’s no surprise that Petrino is an offensive-minded coach, and he has met with great success wherever he has gone to implement his pass-heavy system.
You would think that the excitement and improvements that Petrino brings to his programs would leave the teams singing his praises even when he decides to leave after just a short time, but the manner of leaving seems to bring about the angst. Coach Petrino takes the bare bones approach in this regard, rejecting a one-hour Decision special in favor of a simple note posted in the locker room. What, no flowers to commemorate the good times that were had? Maybe there were three games remaining in the Falcons’ season, but you’ve got to move fast to take advantage of an opportunity like the head coaching job at Arkansas, and when your star quarterback has suddenly become a non-factor in your high-powered offensive plan in Atlanta, the decision becomes a bit clearer.
It will be interesting to see how the Buckeye defense handles Ryan Mallett and the rest of the Petrino-guided Razorback blitzkrieg. While it does seem that Petrino has finally settled in Fayetteville, athletic directors seeking a new coach may still want to proactively set their speed dials to 479-575-4849, because if the Ohio State D comes through and things are looking tough for the Hogs, Petrino could revert to form and start having second thoughts mid-game…
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