Just when you thought you were done with Arkansas football, they reeled you right back in.
On Tuesday, reports emerged that former Arkansas head coach and former Texas A&M offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino is set to fill the vacant offensive coordinator role for the Razorbacks.
While we are still waiting on an official announcement from the UA, Petrino hasn't wasted time. Heavy on his mind with the return seems to be former Arkansas quarterback Ryan Mallett, who was one of the best passers in program history under Petrino in the 2009-10 seasons.
Petrino also edited his Twitter/X bio to include Fayetteville, Arkansas, as his location and also added #WPS for good measure on Tuesday evening. Not to mention, this video of his granddaughter calling the Hogs.
After taking a lot of heat on social media and in press conferences for the better part of the 2023 season, head coach Sam Pittman and athletics director Hunter Yurachek have now won back most Hog fans.
The all-but-official hiring of Petrino came on the same day that the UA announced Arkansas Edge as the school's official NIL collective. I'm sure donations are skyrocketing right now.
HawgBeat released a column Tuesday stating how it didn't matter what kind of NIL funding the Hogs had if they didn't have a winning program. Petrino is the last coach to have a true winning program in Fayetteville, so this potential hire makes a lot of sense.
What will the relationship between Pittman and Petrino be like? It could be awkward, given Petrino's history in Fayetteville and the way the fanbase feels about each right now. But reports indicate that he's taken a step back from the hot-tempered guy that most Hog fans remember.
Still, there is no question that Pittman and Yurachek got this hire right on paper. Following a 4-8 campaign that saw the offense lose the team a lot of games, this hire will bring plenty of momentum and excitement throughout the offseason.
Typically, hiring a retread coach for any position on a staff never really works out. In this case, though, an exception can be made. After a blowout loss to Missouri to end the season, Pittman talked about what was needed in his offensive coordinator hire. Petrino checks all of the boxes.
"Well, I think you have to find a fit," Pittman said. "You certainly want a guy that brings something special to the university, whether that be what (Kendal Briles) did in the past. Whether that be a combination of what Kendal did and some pro style stuff. I think we need a guy that really wants to be here and understands Arkansas.
"But the No. 1 thing is we need somebody who understands how to run the football, because we have to run the football in my opinion to win. Of all the problems that we’ve had this year, in all honesty it all stemmed, a bunch of it, because we can’t run the football. That would be my No. 1 thing is to sit down and visit with a man that knows how to run the football."
When it comes to having passion for the state of Arkansas, Petrino is at the forefront of that list. Look no further than this video from his appearance at the Little Rock Touchdown Club from 2019 for proof of what the Diamond State means to him.
"I wanted to come here to thank you for everything that the people in this room did for me and my family," Petrino said. "You were great to us (choked up). You know, you're a special, special group. Special crowd. And you don't really understand how much effect y'all have on the players and their families and the support and how much that means.
"There's no question, the Hogs can come back. But their going to need everybody's help here, so stay with them and keep supporting them, because you are what makes the University of Arkansas a special job. There's no question about it."
As far as on the field goes, Petrino called plays for the Aggies this season. Texas A&M ranked 53rd in total offense (403.8), 87th in rushing offense (141.4), 41st in passing offense (262.3), 25th in scoring offense (34.2) and 32nd in third down conversion percentage (43.9%).
Is this potential hire the perfect one to save Pittman's job? To be determined. But it's perfect for Arkansas fans — and for a program in desperate need of positivity and momentum — that's all that really matters in the end.
