Bobby Petrino
Encyclopedia
Bobby Petrino is an American football
coach and former player. He is currently the head football coach at the University of Arkansas
, a position he has held since the 2008 season. Petrino served as the head football coach at the University of Louisville
from 2003 to 2006 and as the head coach of the NFL
's Atlanta Falcons
in 2007.
, and graduated from Capital High in 1979. He attended hometown Carroll College
, graduating with degrees in math and physical education in 1983. While at Carroll College he played quarterback
and he began his coaching career there as a graduate assistant during the 1983 season. The next year he moved to Weber State University
in the Big Sky Conference
, coaching quarterbacks as a graduate assistant under head coach
Mike Price
. Petrino returned to his alma mater in 1985 as offensive coordinator. In each of his two seasons in that position, Carroll had the top-rated offense in NAIA
football.
under head coach John L. Smith
. In 1992 he took a step up the collegiate coaching ladder when he became quarterbacks coach at Arizona State
. During his two seasons at ASU, he oversaw the development of future All-American and former NFL QB Jake Plummer
.
In 1994 he moved to Nevada
, serving as both offensive coordinator
and quarterbacks coach. During his one season there, the Wolf Pack were second in the nation in both passing offense and total offense, and third in scoring offense. The next year he began a three-year stint as offensive coordinator
at Utah State
under John L. Smith
.
Petrino arrived at University of Louisville in 1998 as offensive coordinator, following Smith. In his one season there as offensive coordinator, the Cardinals were top-ranked in Division I-A in scoring and total offense and posted the biggest positive turnaround among I-A football teams, winning six more games than in the 1997 season. Petrino left the collegiate ranks for three years. His place at Louisville was filled by Scott Linehan
.
In 2002, Petrino returned to the college ranks, replacing Noel Mazzone
as offensive coordinator under Tommy Tuberville
at Auburn
, whose offense significantly improved that season. He returned to Louisville
in 2003 as head coach
.
On July 13, 2006, Petrino signed a 10-year, $25.6 million contract with Louisville
to stay on as head football coach. The deal gave Petrino a raise from $1 million to $1.6 million annually, and he would have been paid $2.6 million in the final year of the deal. The contract included a buyout clause of $1 million. On January 7th, 2007 it was announced Petrino had accepted the head coaching position for the NFL's Atlanta Falcons.
On December 11, 2007, during the middle of the NFL season, Petrino resigned as head coach of Atlanta Falcons and took the head coaching position at the University of Arkansas
. The Razorbacks ended the season with a record of 5–7 (2–6 in the SEC); The two conference wins were over Auburn
, and a last second win against LSU
in the annual Battle for the Golden Boot.
The Razorbacks under Bobby Petrino showed significant improvement in the 2009–10 season with analysts from both ESPN and CBS regularly citing starting quarterback Ryan Mallett
as one of the most impressive collegiate quarterbacks in the country. The Razorbacks came close to upsetting the #1-ranked University of Florida Gators on October 19, 2009. That game culminated in a controversial 4th quarter personal foul call on an Arkansas lineman. The resulting 15-yard penalty allowed the Gators to continue what turned out to be their game-winning drive. The SEC ultimately issued an apology for the call and suspended the officiating crew.
The Razorbacks also enjoyed success under Petrino in the 2010 season finishing 10–2 and notching their first BCS bowl appearance against Ohio State. In the All State Sugar Bowl, the Razorbacks lost in the final minutes when Ryan Mallett threw an interception nearing the Ohio State end-zone. Ohio State later vacated the win in 2011 after coming under fire from the NCAA for numerous violations of league rules.
was 1999–2001, as he spent two seasons as the quarterbacks coach and a third as offensive coordinator
with the Jacksonville Jaguars
. Petrino was praised as an offensive mastermind. Tom Coughlin
, then head coach of the Jaguars, called Petrino “the best play-caller I've ever been around.”
After five seasons as a college assistant and head coach, Petrino returned to the NFL on January 7, 2007, accepting an offer to become the head coach of the Atlanta Falcons
. His contract in Atlanta paid him $24 million over five years.
Petrino was brought in primarily to make star quarterback Michael Vick
into a more complete quarterback. However, before Petrino's first training camp, it emerged that Vick had bankrolled an illegal dog fighting operation
near his hometown in Newport News, Virginia
. For all intents and purposes, the Falcons' 2007 season ended when Vick was arraigned on federal dog fighting charges on July 26. The terms of Vick's bail barred him from leaving Virginia before the November 26 trial, making it all but impossible for him to get into game shape in time to join the team. With their franchise quarterback effectively sidelined for the season, the Falcons appeared to be a rudderless team.
On December 10, 2007, with the Falcons languishing in the NFC South cellar with a 3-10 record, Petrino resigned his position in Atlanta to succeed Houston Nutt
as the Arkansas Razorbacks
head coach.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
coach and former player. He is currently the head football coach at the University of Arkansas
University of Arkansas
The University of Arkansas is a public, co-educational, land-grant, space-grant, research university. It is classified by the Carnegie Foundation as a research university with very high research activity. It is the flagship campus of the University of Arkansas System and is located in...
, a position he has held since the 2008 season. Petrino served as the head football coach at the University of Louisville
University of Louisville
The University of Louisville is a public university in Louisville, Kentucky. When founded in 1798, it was the first city-owned public university in the United States and one of the first universities chartered west of the Allegheny Mountains. The university is mandated by the Kentucky General...
from 2003 to 2006 and as the head coach of the NFL
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
's Atlanta Falcons
Atlanta Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are a member of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
in 2007.
Early years
Petrino grew up in Helena, MontanaHelena, Montana
Helena is the capital city of the U.S. state of Montana and the county seat of Lewis and Clark County. The 2010 census put the population at 28,180. The local daily newspaper is the Independent Record. The Helena Brewers minor league baseball and Helena Bighorns minor league hockey team call the...
, and graduated from Capital High in 1979. He attended hometown Carroll College
Carroll College (Montana)
Carroll College is a private Catholic liberal arts college in Helena, Montana, USA. Carroll College has earned national and regional awards for its academic programs. Carroll's colors are purple and gold...
, graduating with degrees in math and physical education in 1983. While at Carroll College he played quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
and he began his coaching career there as a graduate assistant during the 1983 season. The next year he moved to Weber State University
Weber State University
Weber State University is a public university located in the city of Ogden in Weber County, Utah, USA. It was founded in 1889 and is a coeducational, publicly supported university offering professional, liberal arts and technical certificates, as well as associate, bachelor's and master's degrees...
in the Big Sky Conference
Big Sky Conference
The Big Sky Conference is an intercollegiate college athletic conference affiliated with the NCAA's Division I, with football competing in the Football Championship Subdivision. The BSC was founded in 1963. Member institutions are located in the western United States in the states of Arizona,...
, coaching quarterbacks as a graduate assistant under head coach
Head coach
A head coach, senior coach or manager is a professional at training and developing athletes. They typically hold a more public profile and are paid more than other coaches...
Mike Price
Mike Price
Mike Price is an American football coach. He is currently the head coach at the University of Texas at El Paso , a position he has held since 2004...
. Petrino returned to his alma mater in 1985 as offensive coordinator. In each of his two seasons in that position, Carroll had the top-rated offense in NAIA
National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics
The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics is an athletic association that organizes college and university-level athletic programs. Membership in the NAIA consists of smaller colleges and universities across the United States. The NAIA allows colleges and universities outside the USA...
football.
College coaching career
Petrino spent a year as quarterbacks coach before being promoted to offensive coordinatorOffensive coordinator
An offensive coordinator is a member of the coaching staff of a gridiron football team who is in charge of the offense. Generally, along with his defensive counterpart, he represents the second level of command structure after the head coach...
under head coach John L. Smith
John L. Smith
John L. Smith is an American football coach and former player. He is currently the special teams coach at the University of Arkansas, under head coach Bobby Petrino...
. In 1992 he took a step up the collegiate coaching ladder when he became quarterbacks coach at Arizona State
Arizona State University
Arizona State University is a public research university located in the Phoenix Metropolitan Area of the State of Arizona...
. During his two seasons at ASU, he oversaw the development of future All-American and former NFL QB Jake Plummer
Jake Plummer
Jason Steven "Jake" Plummer is a former American football quarterback in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Arizona Cardinals in the second round of the 1997 NFL Draft. He played college football at Arizona State....
.
In 1994 he moved to Nevada
University of Nevada, Reno
The University of Nevada, Reno , is a teaching and research university established in 1874 and located in Reno, Nevada, USA...
, serving as both offensive coordinator
Offensive coordinator
An offensive coordinator is a member of the coaching staff of a gridiron football team who is in charge of the offense. Generally, along with his defensive counterpart, he represents the second level of command structure after the head coach...
and quarterbacks coach. During his one season there, the Wolf Pack were second in the nation in both passing offense and total offense, and third in scoring offense. The next year he began a three-year stint as offensive coordinator
Offensive coordinator
An offensive coordinator is a member of the coaching staff of a gridiron football team who is in charge of the offense. Generally, along with his defensive counterpart, he represents the second level of command structure after the head coach...
at Utah State
Utah State University
Utah State University is a public university located in Logan, Utah. It is a land-grant and space-grant institution and is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities....
under John L. Smith
John L. Smith
John L. Smith is an American football coach and former player. He is currently the special teams coach at the University of Arkansas, under head coach Bobby Petrino...
.
Scott Linehan
Scott Thomas Linehan is an American football coach, currently the offensive coordinator for the Detroit Lions of the NFL. He was previously the head coach of the St...
.
In 2002, Petrino returned to the college ranks, replacing Noel Mazzone
Noel Mazzone
Noel Mazzone is an American football coach and former player in the United States. He is currently the offensive coordinator at Arizona State University, a position he had held since the 2010 season.-Early life and playing career:...
as offensive coordinator under Tommy Tuberville
Tommy Tuberville
Thomas Hawley Tuberville is an American football coach and former player. He is currently the head football coach at Texas Tech University, a position he has held since the 2010 season...
at Auburn
Auburn University
Auburn University is a public university located in Auburn, Alabama, United States. With more than 25,000 students and 1,200 faculty members, it is one of the largest universities in the state. Auburn was chartered on February 7, 1856, as the East Alabama Male College, a private liberal arts...
, whose offense significantly improved that season. He returned to Louisville
University of Louisville
The University of Louisville is a public university in Louisville, Kentucky. When founded in 1798, it was the first city-owned public university in the United States and one of the first universities chartered west of the Allegheny Mountains. The university is mandated by the Kentucky General...
in 2003 as head coach
Head coach
A head coach, senior coach or manager is a professional at training and developing athletes. They typically hold a more public profile and are paid more than other coaches...
.
On July 13, 2006, Petrino signed a 10-year, $25.6 million contract with Louisville
University of Louisville
The University of Louisville is a public university in Louisville, Kentucky. When founded in 1798, it was the first city-owned public university in the United States and one of the first universities chartered west of the Allegheny Mountains. The university is mandated by the Kentucky General...
to stay on as head football coach. The deal gave Petrino a raise from $1 million to $1.6 million annually, and he would have been paid $2.6 million in the final year of the deal. The contract included a buyout clause of $1 million. On January 7th, 2007 it was announced Petrino had accepted the head coaching position for the NFL's Atlanta Falcons.
On December 11, 2007, during the middle of the NFL season, Petrino resigned as head coach of Atlanta Falcons and took the head coaching position at the University of Arkansas
University of Arkansas
The University of Arkansas is a public, co-educational, land-grant, space-grant, research university. It is classified by the Carnegie Foundation as a research university with very high research activity. It is the flagship campus of the University of Arkansas System and is located in...
. The Razorbacks ended the season with a record of 5–7 (2–6 in the SEC); The two conference wins were over Auburn
2008 Auburn Tigers football team
The 2008 Auburn Tigers football team represented Auburn University during 2008 NCAA Division I FBS football season. Tommy Tuberville served his tenth season as head coach at Auburn...
, and a last second win against LSU
2008 LSU Tigers football team
The 2008 LSU Tigers football team represented Louisiana State University in the college football season of 2008–2009. The team's head coach was Les Miles who entered his fourth year at the helm of LSU Football. They played their home games at Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge, Louisiana...
in the annual Battle for the Golden Boot.
The Razorbacks under Bobby Petrino showed significant improvement in the 2009–10 season with analysts from both ESPN and CBS regularly citing starting quarterback Ryan Mallett
Ryan Mallett
Ryan Mallett , nicknamed "Big Tex", is an American football quarterback for the New England Patriots of the National Football League , taken in the third round of the 2011 NFL Draft. He played college football for the Arkansas Razorbacks...
as one of the most impressive collegiate quarterbacks in the country. The Razorbacks came close to upsetting the #1-ranked University of Florida Gators on October 19, 2009. That game culminated in a controversial 4th quarter personal foul call on an Arkansas lineman. The resulting 15-yard penalty allowed the Gators to continue what turned out to be their game-winning drive. The SEC ultimately issued an apology for the call and suspended the officiating crew.
The Razorbacks also enjoyed success under Petrino in the 2010 season finishing 10–2 and notching their first BCS bowl appearance against Ohio State. In the All State Sugar Bowl, the Razorbacks lost in the final minutes when Ryan Mallett threw an interception nearing the Ohio State end-zone. Ohio State later vacated the win in 2011 after coming under fire from the NCAA for numerous violations of league rules.
Pro coaching career
Petrino's first stint in the NFLNational Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
was 1999–2001, as he spent two seasons as the quarterbacks coach and a third as offensive coordinator
Offensive coordinator
An offensive coordinator is a member of the coaching staff of a gridiron football team who is in charge of the offense. Generally, along with his defensive counterpart, he represents the second level of command structure after the head coach...
with the Jacksonville Jaguars
Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jacksonville Jaguars are a professional American football team based in Jacksonville, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
. Petrino was praised as an offensive mastermind. Tom Coughlin
Tom Coughlin
Thomas Richard Coughlin is an American football coach who is currently head coach for the New York Giants of the National Football League . Coughlin has led the Giants to victory in Super Bowl XLII. Coughlin was also the inaugural head coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars, serving from 1995–2002 and...
, then head coach of the Jaguars, called Petrino “the best play-caller I've ever been around.”
After five seasons as a college assistant and head coach, Petrino returned to the NFL on January 7, 2007, accepting an offer to become the head coach of the Atlanta Falcons
Atlanta Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are a member of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
. His contract in Atlanta paid him $24 million over five years.
Petrino was brought in primarily to make star quarterback Michael Vick
Michael Vick
Michael Dwayne Vick is an American football quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League...
into a more complete quarterback. However, before Petrino's first training camp, it emerged that Vick had bankrolled an illegal dog fighting operation
Bad Newz Kennels dog fighting investigation
The Bad Newz Kennels dog fighting investigation began in April 2007 with a search of property in Surry County, Virginia, owned by Michael Vick, who was at the time quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons football team, and the subsequent discovery of evidence of a dog fighting ring...
near his hometown in Newport News, Virginia
Newport News, Virginia
Newport News is an independent city located in the Hampton Roads metropolitan area of Virginia. It is at the southeastern end of the Virginia Peninsula, on the north shore of the James River extending southeast from Skiffe's Creek along many miles of waterfront to the river's mouth at Newport News...
. For all intents and purposes, the Falcons' 2007 season ended when Vick was arraigned on federal dog fighting charges on July 26. The terms of Vick's bail barred him from leaving Virginia before the November 26 trial, making it all but impossible for him to get into game shape in time to join the team. With their franchise quarterback effectively sidelined for the season, the Falcons appeared to be a rudderless team.
On December 10, 2007, with the Falcons languishing in the NFC South cellar with a 3-10 record, Petrino resigned his position in Atlanta to succeed Houston Nutt
Houston Nutt
Houston Dale Nutt, Jr. is an American football coach and former player. Most recently he was the head football coach at the University of Mississippi from 2008 to 2011. Previously, he served as the head coach at Murray State University , Boise State University , and the University of Arkansas...
as the Arkansas Razorbacks
Arkansas Razorbacks football
The Arkansas Razorbacks football program is a college football team that represents the University of Arkansas. The team is a member of the Southeastern Conference's Western Division, which is in Division I's Football Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletic Association...
head coach.
College
NFL
| Year | Team | Overall | Finish | Playoffs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 2007 NFL season The 2007 NFL season was the 88th regular season of the National Football League.Regular-season play was held from September 6 to December 30.... |
Atlanta Falcons Atlanta Falcons The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are a member of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League... |
3–10 | 4th NFC South | |
| |
3–10 | |||