As Arkansas looks to improve its offense following an underwhelming 2023 campaign, the Razorbacks might be turning to a familiar face.
According to ESPN’s Pete Thamel, Arkansas is “vetting” Bobby Petrino for its open offensive coordinator position. Petrino served as Texas A&M’s offensive coordinator during the 2023 season, although his tenure with the Aggies will likely end after just one season following the firing of head coach Jimbo Fisher and subsequent hiring of Mike Elko as his replacement.
News of the Razorbacks “vetting” Petrino came as a surprise to many considering the nature of the 62-year-old’s exit from the Arkansas program following his four-year tenure as its head coach from 2008-2011. In April 2012, Petrino was famously involved in a motorcycle accident, which resulted in the head coach’s adulterous affair with a program staffer being revealed.
Petrino was subsequently fired and went on to serve as the head coach at Western Kentucky (2013), Louisville (2014-2018) and Missouri State (2020-2022) before joining Fisher’s staff in 2023. Speaking to reporters ahead of Arkansas’ matchup against Texas A&M in September, Razorbacks head coach Sam Pittman praised Petrino as “one of the best offensive minds in the game,” according to Sports Illustrated.
Arkansas’ search for an offensive coordinator comes after Pittman fired Dan Enos from the position in October. In 2023, the Razorbacks ranked 83rd in the country in scoring (23.9 points per game) and 101st in yards per game (321.7) en route to amassing a 4-8 record, including a 1-7 mark in SEC play.
After news of Arkansas’ interest in a reunion with Petrino was first reported, many took to social media to weigh in.
About Ben Axelrod
Ben Axelrod is a veteran of the sports media landscape, having most recently worked for NBC's Cleveland affiliate, WKYC. Prior to his time in Cleveland, he covered Ohio State football and the Big Ten for outlets including Cox Media Group, Bleacher Report, Scout and Rivals.