Bobby Petrino

College coach infobox
Name = Bobby Petrino
ImageWidth = 220px
Caption = Bobby Petrino during his tenure at University of Louisville.
Title = Head coach
College = Arkansas
Sport = Football
Conference = SEC
CurrentRecord = 2–1
DateOfBirth = birth date and age|1961|3|10
Birthplace = Lewistown, MT
DateOfDeath =
Deathplace =
OverallRecord = 43–9 (NCAA)
3–10 (NFL)
Contract = $2,850,000
BowlRecord =
TournamentRecord =
CFbDWID = 2828
Championships = 2004 C-USA
2006 Big East
Awards =
CoachingRecords =
Player = Y
Years = 1980-1982
Team = Carroll College
Position = Quarterback
Coach = Y
CoachYears = 1983
1984
1985-1986
1987-1988
1989
1990-1991
1992-1993
1994
1995-1997
1998
1999-2000
2001
2002
2003-2006
2007
2008-"present"
CoachTeams = Carroll (GA)
Weber State (GA)
Carroll (OC)
Weber State (WR/TE)
Idaho (QB)
Idaho (OC)
Arizona State (QB)
Nevada (OC/QB)
Utah State (OC)
Louisville (OC)
Jacksonville Jaguars (QB)
Jacksonville Jaguars (OC)
Auburn (OC)
Louisville
Atlanta Falcons
Arkansas
FootballHOF =
CollegeHOFID =
BBallHOF =

Bobby Petrino (born birth date|1961|3|10 [ [http://uoflsports.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/petrino_bobby00.html Bobby Petrino] University of Louisville, accessed January 16,2008] in Lewistown, Montana) is an American college football coach and the current head coach of the Arkansas Razorbacks. He previously served a majority of the 2007 season as head coach of the Atlanta Falcons and four seasons at the University of Louisville. Petrino is considered by many to be one of the most innovative offensive minds in the college game today. [ [http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/columns/story?columnist=forde_pat&id=3151061&sportCat=ncf "ESPN:" Petrino's been down this road before … and likely will again] ]

Early years

Petrino grew up in Helena, Montana, 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 College 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.

College coaching career

Petrino became a full-time assistant in the Division I ranks as wide receivers and tight ends coach at Weber State in 1987. In 1989 he moved to the University of Idaho, spending a year as quarterbacks coach before being promoted to offensive coordinator under head coach John L. Smith. In 1992 he took a step up the 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. [ [http://www.orangebowl.org/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=11800&ATCLID=776801 Bobby Petrino Bio] The Orange Bowl, accessed January 16, 2008]

In 1994 he moved to Nevada, serving as both offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. During his one season there, the Wolf Pack was 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, 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, and has since burnished his reputation as one of the top offensive minds in football.

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 was an effort by the university to put an end to the annual wooing of its football coach. During his tenure at Louisville, Petrino talked with Auburn, LSU, and the NFL's Oakland Raiders before finally leaving the Cardinals in January 2007 to accept an offer from the NFL's Atlanta Falcons.

On December 11, 2007, Petrino resigned as head coach of Atlanta Falcons and took the head coaching position at the University of Arkansas. [ [http://www.ajc.com/news/content/sports/falcons/stories/2007/12/11/falcons_1212.html Petrino quits Falcons to take Arkansas job] ]

College head coaching record

CFB Yearly Record Subhead
name = Louisville Cardinals
startyear = 2003
conf = Conference USA
endyear = 2004CFB Yearly Record Entry
championship =
year = 2003
name = Louisville
overall = 9–4
conference = 5–3
confstanding = T–3^rd
bowlname = GMAC Bowl
bowloutcome = L
bcsbowl =
ranking = —
ranking2 = —CFB Yearly Record Entry
championship = conference
year = 2004
name = Louisville
overall = 11–1
conference = 8–0
confstanding = 1^st
bowlname = Liberty Bowl
bowloutcome = W
bcsbowl =
ranking = 7
ranking2 = 6CFB Yearly Record Subtotal
name=Louisville
overall=20–5
confrecord=13–3CFB Yearly Record Subhead
name = Louisville Cardinals
startyear = 2005
conf = Big East Conference
endyear = 2006CFB Yearly Record Entry
championship =
year = 2005
name = Louisville
overall = 9–3
conference = 5–2
confstanding = 2^nd
bowlname = Gator Bowl
bowloutcome = L
bcsbowl =
ranking = 20
ranking2 = 19CFB Yearly Record Entry
championship = conference
year = 2006
name = Louisville
overall = 12–1
conference = 6–1
confstanding = 1^st
bowlname = Orange Bowl
bowloutcome = W
bcsbowl = yes
ranking = 6
ranking2 = 5CFB Yearly Record Subtotal
name=Louisville
overall=21–4
confrecord=11–3CFB Yearly Record Subhead
name = Arkansas Razorbacks
startyear = 2008
conf = Southeastern Conference
endyear =CFB Yearly Record Entry
championship =
year = 2008
name = Arkansas
overall = 2–3
conference = 0–2
confstanding =
bowlname =
bowloutcome =
bcsbowl =
ranking =
ranking2 = CFB Yearly Record End
overall = 43–11
bcs =
poll = two
polltype =

Pro coaching career

Petrino's first stint in the NFL 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. [ [http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2723700 Falcons nab Louisville's Petrino to succeed Mora] ] His contract in Atlanta paid him $24 million over five years. The NFL Network reported that a clause in Petrino's contract with Louisville required him to pay the school $1 million for failing to honor his 10 year commitment to the school.

Despite declaring his intentions to return in 2008 for his second year as coach of the Atlanta Falcons, [ [http://www.nwanews.com/adg/Sports/210331/ Petrino plans to return with Falcons next year] ] Petrino resigned his position in Atlanta to succeed Houston Nutt as the Arkansas Razorbacks head coach. [ [http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=3150783 Sources: Petrino leaving NFL for Arkansas job] "ESPN.com", 11 December 2007.] [ [http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/7553354 Petrino resigns as Falcons coach] "FOX Sports", 11 December 2007.]

Pro head coaching record

Personal

Petrino is married to Becky Schaff and the couple has four children: Kelsey, Nick, Bobby Jr. and Katie.

References

External links

* [http://www.razorbacklegacy.com/hog_archive/thumbnails.php?album=272 Photo gallery: introducing Bobby Petrino to Arkansas] at RazorbackLegacy.com