Bobby Petrino to Take Over as Arkansas Head Coach Again?

Many people are divided over Bobby Petrino, not only in the SEC but in college football in general.

After being discovered riding his motorcycle with 25-year-old Jessica Dorrell at the time of the collision, Petrino was fired from his position as head coach of the University of Arkansas during his final SEC tenure.

Although the details of their connection and the motivation behind the joyride remain unclear, it created a significant media storm at the time, which compelled the Hogs to terminate Petrino. In addition, Dorrell left her job at the University of Arkansas Athletic Department.

At the time of the event, Petrino was coming off back-to-back seasons with ten wins for the Hogs in 2010 and 2011, and he was loaded for the 2012 campaign. In 2012, many predicted the Hogs to challenge Alabama and Nick Saban. They never did, however, get the chance. Following Petrino’s dismissal, John L. Smith was named the Hogs’ acting head coach. Despite this, the club had a dismal 4-8 season.

The Hogs have struggled since 2012; they have only had two successful seasons since then: one in 2015 with eight wins and another in 2021 with nine.

The Hogs are currently 3-7 and there is conjecture over who the team should select as their future head coach, with many suggesting that current head coach Sam Pittman may be leaving after the 2023 season.

Even though Petrino’s notorious motorbike incident occurred 11 years ago, Hog country still remembers the pledge he made to the program at the time. That, along with the difficult seasons they’ve experienced subsequently, has made it more likely than ever that Petrino will return to Fayetteville.

Could Arkansas welcome back Bobby Petrino as head coach?

Petrino has been an FBS head coach twice since leaving Fayetteville, once for one season at Western Kentucky and once for five at Louisville. Before being fired from Louisville after a 2-8 2018 season, Petrino had six winning seasons between the two schools.

Following that, Petrino coached the Missouri State Bears in the FCS from 2020 to 2022, going 18-5 before leaving to take a position as offensive coordinator under Jimbo Fisher, the newly dismissed head coach of Texas A&M.

In light of this, may Petrino and the Hogs, who are eager for long-term success and are likely to have their disagreements resolved by 2024, reconcile and play again after 11 years apart? In a few weeks, we might learn.