Bobby Petrino, ex-Arkansas and Louisville coach, emerges as candidate for Texas A&M offensive coordinator job

Bobby Petrino has emerged as a candidate to be Texas A&M’s subsequent offensive coordinator, based on 247Sports’ Chris Hummer. The previous coach of Arkansas, Louisville and the Atlanta Falcons is anticipated to interview with the Aggies within the coming days. Petrino, 61, simply completed his third season main Missouri State of the Soccer Championship Subdivision.

Texas A&M coach Jimbo Fisher fired offensive coordinator Darrell Dickey following a 5-7 season — Fisher’s fifth with this system. This 12 months marked Fisher’s first dropping effort in 13 seasons as a head coach at Florida State and Texas A&M, and his offense was largely in charge.

The Aggies ranked 94th nationally in whole offense, 102nd in scoring offense and 114th in time of possession. Dickey didn’t name performs — a job that Fisher has sometimes maintained whilst a head coach — however took the autumn for the workforce’s offensive struggles. A partnership between Petrino and Fisher would pair two offensive minds who rose to prominence through the late Nineties and early 2000s however have encounter onerous instances as of late.

Petrino’s ultimate workforce at Louisville in 2018 ranked 108th in whole offense, averaged simply 19.8 factors per recreation and completed 2-10. After a 12 months away from teaching, Petrino resurfaced at Missouri State and led the Bears to FCS playoff appearances in his first two seasons, although this 12 months’s squad completed 5-6. Petrino final labored as an offensive coordinator at Auburn in 2002.

Fisher to relinquish play-calling duties?

As a former NFL coach and distinguished faculty coach with stints at each ranges of Division I, Petrino would absolutely need to put his distinctive stamp on Texas A&M’s offense. The probabilities of him leaving a training gig — even on the FCS stage — for Texas A&M just for Fisher to proceed calling performs appear unlikely.

Arkansas fielded potent offenses in Petrino’s heyday, with the 2010 squad averaging 482.5 yards per recreation throughout a 10-win season that culminated in a Sugar Bowl look. By comparability, the Aggies averaged simply 360.9 yards per recreation this season and didn’t attain 30 factors towards an FBS opponent till an upset win over LSU within the finale.

Whereas the crumbling of Petrino’s second tenure at Louisville in 2018 is regarding, which may be extra of an indictment on his capability to run a program versus his capability to name performs and orchestrate an offense. In Missouri State’s near-upset of Arkansas this season, Petrino schemed his squad to 409 yards, 27 factors and 21 first downs as large underdogs in a hostile setting.

A gorgeous job

If Fisher is keen to relinquish management of the offense, the Texas A&M offensive coordinator job needs to be engaging due to the roster expertise. Although the Aggies have been hit onerous by attrition through the switch portal since season’s finish, there doubtless will not be a scarcity of high quality expertise for the brand new OC. 

Jut this week, the nation’s No. 1 operating again operating again prospect, Rueben Owens, flipped his dedication from Louisville to Texas A&M. Although quarterback play was a difficulty for the Aggies this season, Conner Weigman confirmed promise down the stretch after starting his true freshman season third on the depth chart. The previous five-star prospect and No. 22 general participant from the Class of 2022 threw for eight touchdowns with out an interception in 5 appearances. Although he had inefficient outings, resembling a 14 for 36 efficiency in a loss at Auburn, he additionally confirmed flashes of brilliance. Weighman handed for 338 yards and 4 touchdowns in a loss to Ole Miss and accomplished 12 of 18 passes for 155 yards and two touchdowns within the LSU victory.