It’s mighty peculiar how things work out in life. Almost exactly seven years after Bobby Petrino left Louisville to take the Atlanta Falcons job, he is coming back to the Cardinals to coach the football program again.
Bowling Green Daily News reporter Chad Bishop confirms that Petrino has been offered and accepted the head coaching position at Louisville.
Petrino’s journey back to Louisville has been a long, convoluted one. Petrino signed a five-year, $24 million deal with the Falcons in 2007, the year Michael Vick was investigated, suspended and punished for bankrolling a dog fighting ring. Petrino had to roll with Joey Harrington at quarterback instead of Vick, and the team struggled. He ended up leaving the Atlanta mess during his first season to take the Arkansas job. He left notes in the lockers of his players to let them know he was ditching them mid-season. Current Cincinnati Bengals coach Mike Zimmer ripped Petrino, calling him a “gutless coward” for the way he handled things.
Petrino’s move to Arkansas was looking like a good career move for him. Though the Hogs went 5-7 in his first year, they improved to 8-5 after that and then went 10-3 and 11-2. He led them to a BCS bowl and some serious success, but he was ousted as coach for his affair and motorcycle scandal involving athletic department employee Jessica Dorrell, whom Petrino hired over many other qualified candidates.
Just when it looked like Petrino had done too much damage to his reputation and career, Western Kentucky hired him to replace Willie Taggart. He led the Hilltoppers to an 8-4 season.
With Charlie Strong leaving the Cardinals for the Texas job, Louisville needed a coach and is going for round two with Petrino. And now it all comes back full circle. We imagine he’ll do very well at Louisville because he is a very good coach, but you have to question how long he’ll stay there.
