Since 2003, Bobby Petrino
has been the head coach of five different football programs, including a
brief stop in the NFL. He’s really at his fourth stop due to being the
Louisville Cardinals retread, but Petrino is proving you really can go
home again. This time he's hoping to have the most successful tenure of
any of his coaching stops.
On Thursday, Petrino signed a new contract worth $30.625 million over seven-years.
That amounts to $4.35 million per year. It seems like an inordinate
amount of money for a coach that is 17-9 since returning to the
Cardinals. However, the Cardinals expect monumental seasons over the
next couple of years.
Based on Petrino’s history, it better happen quickly or else
the Cardinals might not see the returns. He hasn’t spent more than four
years at any stop in his career. During his first stint with the
Cardinals, Petrino was 41-9 in four seasons. Unfortunately, he’s already
matched the losses the past two years. The first time he got the
program rolling, Petrino bolted for the NFL. In less than a year, he was
back on the college sideline.
During his four seasons with the Arkansas Razorbacks, Petrino had his only losing season in college football.
However, he quickly built up the program into an SEC power. Shortly
after winning 21 games in the 2010-11 seasons, Petrino short circuited
his college coaching career for a second time.
A motorcycle accident unveiled a secret relationship between
Petrino and his young assistant Jessica Dorrell. Soon after, Petrino
was fired from Arkansas due to this improper relationship. ESPN detailed the spicy relationship
and how it manifested itself. When the dust settled, Petrino was out of
a job thanks to his proficient note taking and not disclosing the prior
relationship.
In the moment, it seemed as though Petrino’s career would
take a huge hit. However, he has bounced back nicely since his fall from
grace with the Razorbacks. Of course Petrino missed the 2012 season,
but was hired by Western Kentucky after a year-long hiatus. Within
months, Petrino was back with the Cardinals coaching in the ACC.
Last season, Petrino made $3 million. His salary upgrade will make him the third highest paid coach in the ACC. According to CBS Sports,
Petrino’s new salary will make him the 10th highest paid coach in
college football based on last season’s metrics. Is it too much too
soon?
Louisville Athletic Director Tom Jurich released a statement on the contract extension-
"I'm thrilled with the job that Bobby has done here, and
it's been great to have his wife Becky, their children and three
grandchildren back in the city of Louisville," said Louisville athletic
director Tom Jurich.
"Their commitment to the community through the Petrino
Family Foundation has been extremely successful in raising charitable
funds and assisting our community. Bobby has done an excellent job
reinforcing our commitment to academics and career development. He has
exceeded my expectations on the field, especially closing last year with
a win in the Music City Bowl over a talented Texas A&M team. I
think the future of this program is extremely bright, and I'm excited
that with this extension, Bobby has reinforced his commitment to the
University of Louisville."
The Red-White Spring Game is set for Saturday April, 16. The first month of the Cardinals' season
is extremely tough. They host the Florida State Seminoles in mid
September and travel to Clemson on the first day of October. If they win
those two games, the Cardinals could be in the running for a College
Football Playoff spot. Based on Dabo Swinney's shiny new $5 million per year contract, the Cardinals maybe getting a bargain if Petrino exceeds expectations next season.
They just hope to have Petrino still affiliated with the
program by then. So far, he's been as committed as he's ever been to one
program.
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