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Examining the absurdity of Jimbo Fisher's OC decision

Texas A&M Aggies head coach Jimbo Fisher. Marvin Gentry-USA TODAY Sports

Examining the absurdity of Jimbo Fisher's offensive coordinator decision

By Eric Smithling | Last updated 1/4/23

Texas A&M head coach Jimbo Fisher is creating a toxic environment for his football team.

On Wednesday, ESPN's Chris Low reported that Bobby Petrino will become Texas A&M’s next offensive coordinator just three weeks after he left to become offensive coordinator at UNLV.

Jimbo Fisher is finalizing a deal to hire Bobby Petrino as @AggieFootball’s OC and Petrino will take over play-calling duties, sources tell ESPN. Petrino, one of the top offensive minds in football, was briefly OC at UNLV after spending last three seasons at Missouri State.
— Chris Low (@ClowESPN) January 4, 2023

Former Louisville & Atlanta Falcons coach Bobby Petrino finalizing deal to be Texas A&M's offensive coordinator, sources told @ActionNetworkHQ. 1st reported by @ClowESPN. Petrino was hired just 3 weeks ago to be UNLV's offensive coordinator
— Brett McMurphy (@Brett_McMurphy) January 4, 2023

As many hits as Fisher’s reputation has taken over the past couple years, it doesn’t hold a candle to the stench that has followed Petrino at several of his stops.

He was seen as an offensive genius during a stint with Louisville from 2003-2006. He fled for a disastrous 13-game tenure in the NFL with the Atlanta Falcons in 2007 where he went 3-10.

Once he bolted from Atlanta, he landed at Arkansas from 2008-2011, home of his biggest failure. He was injured in a motorcycle crash and lied about a female staffer with whom he was having an affair being on board with him. Once his indiscretions became public knowledge, he was fired in April 2012.

Petrino reemerged for a second stint at Louisville in 2014, ending in 2018 when he was fired in-season after posting a 2-8 record.

Petrino coached at FCS Missouri State from 2020-22. He was supposed to join first-year UNLV coach Barry Odom's staff before reneging on those plans and making a move to College Station instead.

As Bomani Jones noted on Twitter, there's a strong chance this doesn't end well.

the reason this is so weird is there's no way jimbo will be happy if someone else turns his offense around. none. they could be better than the '13 noles and i cannot imagine he'll take satisfaction in it if bobby petrino is calling the plays. wow.
— bomani (@bomani_jones) January 4, 2023

Petrino joins a Texas A&M team that already has coaching pariah D.J. Durkin on staff. He was fired from Maryland in 2020 after 19-year-old offensive lineman Jordan McNair died from heatstroke during an offseason workout. Durkin was hired by Texas A&M last offseason.

Fisher needed someone else to call plays on offense. Texas A&M averaged 22.8 points per game in 2022, the lowest in the Fisher era. His choice to hire Petrino, a retread with as much baggage as success, shows there aren’t many more decisions the Aggies should let Fisher make.

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