Bobby Petrino joins Jimbo Fisher at Texas A&M less than one month after accepting role at UNLV: report
Petrino is expected to be the offensive play-caller under Fisher, who has called his own plays for years
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}It’s been less than one month since Bobby Petrino, the former Arkansas and Louisville head coach, accepted the offensive coordinator job at UNLV under head coach Barry Odom.
Petrino has taken another job instead.
Petrino is set to become the offensive coordinator for the Texas A&M Aggies under head coach Jimbo Fisher, according to ESPN. And the move is a bit surprising considering Fisher is one of the last head coaches who calls his own offensive plays.
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Head coach Bobby Petrino of the Missouri State Bears on the sidelines during a game against the Arkansas Razorbacks at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium Sept. 17, 2022, in Fayetteville, Arkansas. (Wesley Hitt/Getty Images)
But ESPN added that Petrino, one of the most creative offensive minds in the sport, will be the man calling plays on Saturdays. Fisher will likely still be heavily involved in the offense, though.
Fisher needed a shake-up somewhere after the Aggies went 5-7 and missed a bowl for the first time in 14 years as they dealt with crushing injuries and other adversity this season. Fisher will enter his sixth season as Texas A&M’s head coach next season.
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Petrino and Fisher spoke in early December about a potential alliance, but it never came together. Then, Petrino joined Odom Dec. 15.
On Wednesday, Petrino informed Odom he was leaving to join Fisher and an announcement should be coming soon, per ESPN.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Head coach Jimbo Fisher of the Texas A and M Aggies walks off the field after taking on the Arkansas Razorbacks in the first half of the 2022 Southwest Classic Sept. 24, 2022, in Arlington, Texas. (Tom Pennington/Getty Images)
The 61-year-old Petrino has spent the previous three seasons as head coach of Missouri State, where he has gone to the playoffs twice. Prior to Petrino heading the program, the Bears hadn’t made the playoffs in 30 years.
Petrino’s track record doesn’t come without controversy. In April 2012, school officials said Petrino lied about a motorcycle accident with a female staffer that he had hired and was having an affair with.
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"I will always get to carry that with me, how it ended there," Petrino told ESPN.
In his time with Arkansas and Louisville, Petrino went 119-56. His most notable bowl win was in the 2011 Cotton Bowl with Arkansas, which finished 11-2 that year.
Head coach Bobby Petrino of the Missouri State Bears on the sidelines during a game against the Arkansas Razorbacks at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium Sept. 17, 2022 in Fayetteville, Ark. (Wesley Hitt/Getty Images)
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Petrino has some work to do with Fisher’s offense, which averaged 22.8 points per game.