After Sam Pittman was fired, Bobby Petrino stepped back into the Arkansas football limelight as interim head coach. However, his hopes of getting the job permanently face serious hurdles. Although some boosters support him, powerful figures in the program remain opposed because of his controversial history.
Will Bobby Petrino Get the Permanent Arkansas Head Coach Job?
The coaching dilemma in Arkansas appears to have created a split among decision-makers regarding Petrino’s future. In a recent interview, college football insider Brandon Marcelo shed light on the issue.
“I don’t think it’s likely,” Marcelo said when asked about Petrino’s chances of becoming the permanent head coach. He noted that while support exists from certain quarters, the opposition runs deep.
“There are a couple of big-time boosters who would love to see him be the full-time interim excuse me head coach if they were to pick up some big wins later this season,” Marcelo added.
However, the road gets much tougher when considering other influential voices. “But I got to also tell you that there are some other power players in the Arkansas base there that do not want to see that happening because of Bobby Petrino’s past, because of how he lied about having an affair with a subordinate in Arkansas after a motorcycle crash,” Marcelo said.
The 2012 scandal is still hurting Petrino’s reputation. The motorcycle accident was initially said to have involved only him, but investigators later revealed he was with a woman from Arkansas with whom he was having an affair. The married coach had also offered the woman a job in the football program along with a gift of $20,000.
Marcelo underscored the uphill battle ahead: “So, this is a situation where he was most qualified to step in as the interim head coach, but I think he’s going to have a very hard time trying to get the head coaching gig.”
The journalist suggested Petrino might use this opportunity differently. “I think this is a situation where Bobby Petrino could try to turn things around. Maybe go walk into the sunset and redeem himself a little bit in the eyes of Arkansas fans,” Marcelo noted, adding that success could “maybe parlay that into another opportunity to be a head coach elsewhere”.
Arkansas athletic director Hunter Yurachek confirmed that Petrino expressed interest in the permanent position and will be included in the national coaching search.
Pittman was fired after the Razorbacks started the season 2-3.
