For so much of Arkansas football’s two-month coaching search this fall, interim coach Bobby Petrino was the axis around which all discourse revolved.
Conduct a straw poll amongst Razorback Nation and you’ll still find a plethora of “BMFP” truthers who believe the 64-year-old was truly the best option to resurrect the program.
But the man who brought Arkansas its best successes of the 21st century thus far won’t be sticking around. Ryan Silverfield was hired as the new Head Hog, and he elected to bring offensive coordinator Tim Cramsey with him from Memphis. Jacksonville State OC Clint Trickett is reportedly also coming in to coach quarterbacks in Fayetteville.
Petrino penned a heartfelt goodbye to Arkansas shortly before the regular season finale against Missouri. Despite his 0-7 mark as interim coach and extracurricular activities of yesteryear, most in the Natural State will always revere the hotheaded offensive mastermind.
Ever a cat-like nomad, Petrino will assuredly land on his feet somewhere, if he so desires. His resume includes 23 different jobs across 42 years of coaching, yet the Lewistown, Mont., native still hasn’t lost any velocity on his fastball.
The offense stumbled a bit down the stretch, but still found a way to go nearly point-for-point with the likes of Texas, Texas A&M and Tennessee. Arkansas finished the season ranked 27th nationally in scoring (32.9 points per game) and 19th in total offense (454.8 yards per game).
Thus, it’s unsurprising that Petrino is already receiving interest from other schools. It’s not like he’ll have to stoop to bottom-barrel jobs, either.
The greatest NFL coach of all time is reportedly already on his line.
Bobby Petrino: UNC in More Ways Than One
Bill Belichick’s move to North Carolina last year broke the internet in the college football world.
The eight-time Super Bowl champion whose dynasty caved in when Tom Brady left New England; the 73-year-old with a girlfriend nearly a half century younger than him patrolling the sidelines every Saturday; the (allegedly) washed-up legend with zero college coaching experience taking over a middle-of-the-Tobacco-Road ACC program.
What could go wrong?
The Tar Heels went 4-8, with half of those losses coming in blowout fashion. UNC finished 131st out of 136 FBS teams in total offense and 121st in scoring. Belichick didn’t waste any time cutting ties with offensive coordinator Freddie Kitchens after just one season. Already eight years into his Social Security era, Belichick doesn’t have time for patience.
Enter Bobby Petrino, apparently.
The grizzled veteran is the top candidate to take over as Belichick’s offensive playcaller, according to On3’s Pete Nakos. Old Dominion’s Kevin Decker, Penn State’s Andy Kotelnicki, Chip Kelly and a few other NFL names populate the rest of the reported shortlist.
The move makes a lot of sense. Petrino has NFL experience, but has a much better track record at the college level. Petrino’s also means he and Belichick likely see the sporting world in a similar way. His track record developing quarterbacks is unquestioned, and while he certainly runs a spread offense, there’s a lot of pro-style concepts embedded in his scheme.
Petrino can also tout very recent experience taking over a Power Four offense in the dregs following a 4-8 season and flipping things around immediately. Arkansas went from 107th in the country in total yards B.B. (before Bobby) to 10th the following season, a difference worth 133 yards per game.
It would be interesting to see how two coaches known for their brash personalities would mesh together. Much like Nick Saban, Belichick is very particular about how he wants things done – as is Petrino. He was able to succeed with free reign over the Arkansas offense, but was handcuffed at Texas A&M by an overbearing Jimbo Fisher.
Selfishly, though, North Carolina is about as good a move for Petrino as Arkansas fans could hope for. It’s not just about getting to enjoy the stories that could come out of two of the most acerbic coaches this game has ever seen working together at a Power Four landing spot. More importantly, it means the chances Petrino would unleash that big brain of his on Arkansas would be much slimmer than if he stayed in conference. The Razorbacks and Tar Heels have faced each other only twice all-time (both Arkansas losses), with the last instance being 30 years ago.
Considering how close Petrino got to defeating Arkansas at Missouri State of all places, and how did help Texas A&M beat the Hogs in 2023, Arkansas fans should relish the prospect of a long-distance separation here.
Lord knows it’s a much better outcome than the alternative one of the SEC’s leading voices tossed out.
Get Me a Drinkwitz
Missouri football coach Eli Drinkwitz has been spoiling Thanksgiving for Arkansas fans ever since he came to Columbia in 2020 – after nearly becoming the head coach of the Razorbacks. Drinkwitz is 5-1 against the Hogs, most recently collecting a 31-17 win that was Arkansas’ death rattle in a 2-10 season. It capped off an 8-4 season for the Tigers, who enter the Gator Bowl against Virginia in search of their 30th win in the last three years.
Drinkwitz’s right-hand man, offensive coordinator Kirby Moore, was able to parlay that success into landing the head coaching gig at Washington State. It’s a great regional fit for the Prosser, Wash., native and Boise State grad who reportedly interviewed for the Arkansas job this fall.
With Coach Drink looking to break through and get Missouri to the College Football Playoff, expect the Alma native to swing big with his OC hire.
The first pitch should be to Petrino, according to Michael Bratton, the host of That SEC Podcast.
Rock M Nation reporter Matthew Gustafson, too, placed Petrino near the top of his Missouri shortlist, though he added the caveat that his pass-heavier offense may not mesh with Drinkwitz’s run-first philosophy. Watching Petrino interact with Drinkwitz’s peculiar persona would be fascinating, at the very least. Plus, the two are certainly familiar with each other.
“I know him really well,” Petrino said leading up to the Missouri game last month. “He used to come down here when I was the head coach and watch us practice when he was still (coaching) in high school.
“When he was the University of Missouri and I was at Missouri State, they came down, flew down and watched us practice and met with us for an afternoon on some of the things we were doing offensively. We’ve known each other for a long, long time.”
Gustafson also listed Gus Malzahn as a possibility, another nightmare scenario for Arkansas.
The 60-year-old took the OC job at Florida State this year working under head coach Mike Norvell, his former protegee. With the Seminoles’ ship appearing to be sinking heading into next season, Malzahn could replicate that move by finding a safe haven at Missouri. Drinkwitz was a passenger on the Gus Bus at both Auburn and Arkansas State before heading off on his own. Could he bring his former boss back to the SEC? Arkansas fans will certainly hope not.
The ideal outcome for Arkansas would be Petrino getting to get to stay in the game, but heading out to North Carolina to do it. Drinkwitz, meanwhile, would hire a younger coordinator to incubate, as he did with the 35-year-old Moore.
Petrino and Belichick slowly stalking the sidelines in Chapel Hill with backs hunched over their playsheets would be cinematic. It would also be a tremendous relief for Arkansas fans.
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If you thought Bobby Petrino’s history at the college level has been tumultuous, his NFL stints are worthy of a documentary:
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