Bobby Petrino back in charge of Arkansas football program that fired him 13 years ago

FAYETTEVILLE — Time has proven to be a flat circle for Bobby Petrino and the Arkansas football program.

After Petrino’s firing for misconduct in April 2012 wrecked the Razorbacks for the better part of the next 13 years, he has found his way back to the Arkansas sideline as head coach. That is, in an interim role.

Petrino was given the interim tag following Sam Pittman’s firing Sunday and will lead the Razorbacks through a daunting remaining 7-game schedule that includes 5 games against teams ranked inside the AP poll’s top 19.

Those matchups will provide an opportunity for the 64-year-old Petrino to prove he should have the interim tag removed. According to Sunday’s news release, Petrino has expressed his desire to be a candidate for the full-time job.

How did the Razorbacks get here?

By hiring Petrino as offensive coordinator in November 2023, Arkansas showed it was willing to look past his past. In fact, it required special provisions.

Petrino’s hiring required authorization from then-University of Arkansas System president Donald Bobbitt due to UA Board Policy 405.6, which prohibits campuses from rehiring employees who have been terminated for cause. An exception of the policy can be made with the approval of the president.

   Arkansas head coach Sam Pittman (right) and offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino (left center) wait for players to get off the busses before the Razorbacks’ game against Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Thursday, Aug. 29, 2024, at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock. (Thomas Metthe/Arkansas Democrat-Gazette)
  

Arkansas has a 69-96 overall record, including 27-80 in SEC play, since Petrino’s firing. For perspective, Vanderbilt is 66-97 overall and 25-81in the SEC during the same time span.

When the Razorbacks made the move to bring Petrino back as Pittman’s offensive coordinator, there were whispers about the exact scenario that has played out over the 22 months since.

Pittman’s seat was hot then, fresh off a 4-8 season. Petrino’s hiring helped provide some relief and brought excitement back around the football program.

Petrino was greeted back in Northwest Arkansas by “Bobby! Bobby!” chants during a men’s basketball game vs. Duke.

   Bobby Petrino (right) sits with Sam Pittman (left), Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2023, during the second half of an Arkansas men’s basketball game against Duke at Bud Walton Arena in Fayetteville. (Hank Layton/WholeHogSports)
  

The same way that Barry Odom was a trusted advisor for Pittman as his defensive coordinator from 2020-22, so too was Petrino. Pittman liked having a former head coach to consult.

The plan worked briefly, as Pittman’s seat cooled some during a 7-win 2024 season that included a 19-14 upset over then-No. 4 Tennessee and a 39-26 Liberty Bowl win over Texas Tech.

But as the Razorbacks were embarrassed during a 56-13 loss to Notre Dame on Saturday to drop to 2-3, the temperature of Pittman’s seat reached a boiling point.

Now, it’s Petrino’s chance to potentially earn back the post he held from 2008-11 when he led Arkansas to a 34-17 overall and 17-15 SEC record, and back-to-back seasons with at least 10 wins from 2010-11.

Should the team’s performance over the final stretch of the season strengthen Petrino’s full-time head coaching candidacy, he could become part of a recent trend with coaches being rehired to jobs they held in the past.

Among the notable coaches to be recent repeat hirings are Rich Rodriguez (West Virginia), Scott Frost (UCF) and Greg Schiano (Rutgers). Others who have started their repeat stint at an age close to Petrino’s include Mack Brown (North Carolina), Bill Snyder (Kansas State) and Brady Hoke (San Diego State).

According to research from Split Zone Duo, the average win percentage of 19 FBS coaches who have been rehired since World War II has dropped from 63.8% in their first stint to 53.3% during their second stint.

Petrino is among the coaches who have been part of the trend already, as he coached at Louisville from 2003-06 in Conference USA and the Big East, and again from 2014-18 in the ACC. His first stop with the Cardinals saw him win 82% of his game. He won at a 58.1% chip during his second stop.

What would it take for Petrino to gain the full-time job? Likely exceeding expectations like notable past interims Dabo Swinney at Clemson and Ed Orgeron at LSU.

Orgeron took over for Les Miles at LSU after the Tigers started the 2016 season 2-2. Orgeron earned the full-time job by leading LSU to a 6-2 (4-2 SEC) record over the remainder of the season.

Swinney took over as Clemson’s interim in 2008 after the Tigers started the year 3-3 under Tommy Bowden. Swinney closed the year 4-3 (3-2 ACC) and has been Clemson’s leader since.

If Petrino was to lead the Razorbacks to bowl eligibility, it would require a 4-3 or better record against the following teams: No. 6 Texas A&M, No. 9 Texas, No. 13 LSU, No. 15 Tennessee, No. 19 Missouri, Mississippi State and Auburn. That would give Arkansas an impressive collection of wins.

It would also require an unprecedented turnaround for a team that has looked lifeless on defense during a 3-game losing streak.

Could Petrino earn the job with anything less than bowl eligibility? Only time will tell.

But the fact Petrino is back to being the leader of Arkansas football — even if it’s only for the remainder of the 2025 season — is a wild turn of events for a program that has failed to fully recover from his firing 13 years ago.