Why do college football teams keep hiring Bobby Petrino?

Bobby Petrino’s name doesn’t inspire a positive reaction, but he’s got another coaching job anyway.

Bobby Petrino is back as a head coach in college football, which begs the question, why?

Petrino was fired from his second stint as head coach at Louisville after a 2-8 start in 2018, and over nearly nine combined seasons there he had a 77-35 record with two conference titles. Overall, at Louisville, Arkansas and Western Kentucky, Petrino has a 119-56 record as a college coach with four 10-win seasons and four other seasons with nine wins.

That record explains why Petrino keeps getting opportunities. But his firing from Louisville before the 2018 season was over is the tamest of his less than ideal, at times very messy exits from jobs.

His run at Arkansas ended in the spring of 2012, as he had hired his mistress to a position within the athletic department and then lied about her presence during a motorcycle accident he was involved in. The pictures of a red-faced Petrino at the podium with a neck brace will live forever in infamy.

Prior to landing at Arkansas, Petrino lasted less than one season as head coach of the NFL’s Atlanta Falcons in 2007 before resigning. He announced that decision to the players by leaving notes in their lockers, and some assistant coaches from his staff (notably including Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer) still lamented how Petrino handled his exit years later.

Western Kentucky was likely going to be a redemptive stepping stone for Petrino, and an 8-4 record in his lone season in 2013 led to his return to Louisville. Staying one season in a job is never ideal, but Western Kentucky surely knew what they were getting into by hiring Petrino and knew he would leave as soon as a bigger opportunity came.

Missouri State and Dave Steckel parted ways after a 1-10 record this past season, and with just 13 wins over his five seasons as head coach. There apparently were some initial indications they would get a prominent head coach, and Petrino fits that bill for better or worse.

After being fired by Louisville and spending the 2019 season out of coaching, Petrino’s next stop (if there was going to be one) was anyone’s guess. His stint at Missouri State stands to be pretty short, with the range of reasons that will be the case across the entire possible spectrum from good to bad.

But if it’s a big name coach Missouri State wanted, for whatever reasons, they got one. But a departure that is ultimately clunky, messy and possible controversial has to be expected.

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