MISSOURI STATE HIRES BOBBY PETRINO

The controversial coach will lead the Bears against OU on Sept. 5 in Norman

Bobby Petrino is headed to Norman. Don't worry. He'll be on the opposing sideline.

The embattled Petrino, who carries controversy with him wherever he goes, was hired Wednesday to coach the Missouri State football team. And the Bears open the 2020 season on Sept. 5 at OU.

It could be worse for Missouri State. Some reports said the Bears were hiring Art Briles.

The Petrino deal clearly was a recent development. Missouri State last week fired coach Dave Steckel, who went 13-42 in five seasons. Coaches almost never are fired in January.

Petrino, 58, has been head coach at Louisville (twice), the Atlanta Falcons, Western Kentucky and Arkansas. He last coached in 2018 at Louisville, where he was fired after a 2-8 start. Petrino's record is 119-56 in college.

But Petrino's story is marked not just by success, but by scandal.

Petrino, who grew up in Montana, was an assistant coach at Carroll College

(in Montana, for his father), Weber State, Idaho, Arizona State, Nevada, Utah State, Louisville, the Jacksonville Jaguars and finally Auburn. Working for Tommy Tuberville at the latter school, Petrino vastly improved the Auburn offense and was named head coach at Louisville for the 2003 season.

After one year at Louisville, Petrino interviewed for the head coaching job at Auburn – which wasn't open. Tuberville still was employed and indeed stayed on as head coach, even after the Petrino news broke, for another five years. That was a busy five years for Petrino.

Louisville football became a national contender under Petrino, rising to No. 3 in the polls during the 2006 season, and signed a 10-year contract with the Cardinals that year.

Then in January 2007, he became head coach of the Falcons.

Petrino was brought in to coach star quarterback Michael Vick, but that was the year Vick was arrested on federal charges of dog fighting. The Falcons stumbled to a 3-10 record, and Petrino left the Falcons in December to become head coach at Arkansas. Atlanta media reported that Petrino left one day after telling Falcons owner Arthur Banks he was staying put, and Falcon players were informed by Petrino with a laminated note left in their lockers.

Petrino went 34-17 in four years at Arkansas, including a 10-3 season capped by a Sugar Bowl loss to Ohio State and an 11-2 season capped by a Cotton Bowl win over Kansas State.

But in April 2012, Petrino was involved in a motorcycle crash that eventually uncovered a sordid tale – riding with him was an Arkansas football employee with whom Petrino was conducting an adulterous affair. The woman had been hired by Petrino. Arkansas athletic director Jeff Long concluded Petrino had misled the Razorback administration and fired him.

Eight months l ater, Western Kentucky hired Petrino as head coach. The Hilltoppers went 8- 4, and Louisville came calli ng. Petrino returned to the Cardinals and, with Vick- l i ke quarterback Lamar Jackson shining for three seasons, produced seasons of 9- 4, 8- 5, 9- 4 and 8- 5.

But in 2018, without Jackson, Louisville sputtered to a 2-8 start, including a variety of blowout losses, and he was fired.

Now Petrino is back, this time on the Division I-AA level, but opening on Owen Field.

Never fear, OSU fans. Missouri State opens in Stillwater on Sept. 4, 2021. But don't buy your tickets now. No telling if Petrino will be the coach.