Fansided

25 worst college football coaching hires in history

By Nicholas Ian Allen

PASADENA, CA - JANUARY 1: Head coach Mike Price of the Washington State University Cougars manages the game from the sidelines during the 89th Rose Bowl game against University of Oklahoma Sooners at the Rose Bowl on January 1, 2003 in Pasadena, California. Oklahoma defeated Washington St. 34-14. (Photo by Stephen Dunn/Getty Images)
PASADENA, CA - JANUARY 1: Head coach Mike Price of the Washington State University Cougars manages the game from the sidelines during the 89th Rose Bowl game against University of Oklahoma Sooners at the Rose Bowl on January 1, 2003 in Pasadena, California. Oklahoma defeated Washington St. 34-14. (Photo by Stephen Dunn/Getty Images) /
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FAYETTEVILLE AR – SEPTEMBER 17: Head Coach Bobby Petrino of the Arkansas Razorbacks looks on during a game against the Troy Trojans at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium on September 17, 2011 in Fayetteville, Arkansas. The Razorbacks beat the Trojans 38 to 28. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images)
FAYETTEVILLE AR – SEPTEMBER 17: Head Coach Bobby Petrino of the Arkansas Razorbacks looks on during a game against the Troy Trojans at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium on September 17, 2011 in Fayetteville, Arkansas. The Razorbacks beat the Trojans 38 to 28. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images) /

15. Bobby Petrino, Arkansas

  • Hired: December 2007
  • Fired: April 2012
  • Record at Arkansas: 34-17 (.667)
  • Career head coaching record: 109-43 (.717)

Bobby Petrino is a damn good college football coach. He coaches offense as a whole, and quarterbacks in particular, as well as anyone in the nation. However, it’s difficult to imagine a more embarrassing way to lose a job than Petrino did at Arkansas.

After a long and winding road of a coaching career that began as a member of his father’s 1983 coaching staff at tiny Carroll College, Petrino was hired as the head coach at Louisville in 2003. He quickly turned the Cardinals into a power, winning the Conference USA title and finishing No. 6 in the final AP Top 25 in 2004, and adding a Big East championship and No. 5 ranking in 2006.

Petrino, who had been rumored to be looking for another job for years, left for the Atlanta Falcons. After a 3-10 start to the 2007 season, Petrino jumped ship for Arkansas and by 2011 had made the Razorbacks a top-five team.

However, Petrino was involved in a motorcycle accident in April 2012, along with a woman with which Petrino – married with four children – was having an affair. Furthermore, 25-year-old Jessica Dorrell had been hired as a member of the football support staff, and Petrino previously gifted her $20,000. After initially lying to athletic director Jeff Long about the details of the accident and his companion, Petrino was suspended and eventually fired for cause.

Not only was his exit from Arkansas humiliating, it left the Razorbacks scrambling to prepare for the 2012 season. John L. Smith was hired on an interim basis, and the Hogs – who began the season ranked No. 8 in the nation – stumbled to 4-8. Arkansas has yet to finish a season ranked or to win more than eight games in a season under Bret Bielema, who was hired after the 2012 season.

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