Arkansas names interim head coach after Sam Pittman firing
By Sydney Hunte
Published:
Arkansas parted ways with Sam Pittman on Sunday, as the embattled head coach was fired a day after an embarrassing home loss to Notre Dame.
While the Razorbacks search for their new head coach, a familiar name will lead the program.
Bobby Petrino, the Razorbacks’ second-year offensive coordinator, has been named interim head coach. It marks a full-circle moment for Petrino, who was fired as Arkansas‘ head coach in spring 2012 after lying to university officials about his relationship with an athletic department staff member.
“We will begin a national search for our next head coach immediately and that search will include Coach Petrino, who has expressed his desire to be a candidate for the full-time job,” Arkansas AD Hunter Yurachek said in a statement.
During his first spell as Arkansas’ head coach, Petrino went 34-17, including a 10-3 record in 2010 and an 11-2 mark in 2011. In 2011, the Razorbacks won the Cotton Bowl and finished with a No. 5 ranking.
After his firing, Petrino spent a year out of coaching before being hired at Western Kentucky, going 8-4 in his lone season. He left to become the head coach at Louisville, a program he initially led in 2005 and 2006. During his second stint with the Cardinals, he went 77-35, but was fired with two games remaining in the 2018 season after a 2-8 start.
Petrino was later hired as head coach at Missouri State, eventually departing to become the offensive coordinator at UNLV before ultimately taking the same role at Texas A&M. After one season, he returned to Fayetteville as the Razorbacks’ offensive coordinator.
Sydney is an Atlanta-based journalist who has covered everything from SEC and ACC football to MLS, the U.S. men's national soccer team and professional tennis. His work has appeared on such platforms as SB Nation, Cox Media Group and FanSided.
