Texas A&M doesn’t care about publicity. The program wants to win at all costs, evident in recent reports indicating that Jimbo Fisher and the Aggies are finalizing a deal to hire the controversial ex-Falcons coach Bobby Petrino.
Bobby Petrino has amassed a 119-56 record as a college head coach and is heralded for his offensive mind, but he has also moved on from eight different positions after one season to go along with multiple scandals.
Going back all the way to 2001, when he allegedly didn’t tell Tom Coughlin he’d be leaving the Jaguars to take the offensive coordinator position at Auburn. After just one year with the Tigers, he took the head coaching job at Louisville.
Petrino broke out there. During his time as head coach, the Cardinals were wildly entertaining, winning 10+ games twice, leading to a lucrative 10-year extension after interviewing with jobs at LSU, Notre Dame, and the Raiders.
Less than six months after committing to Louisville for the next decade, Petrino bolted for the NFL to be the head coach of the Falcons. It was evident Michael Vick was the draw for Petrino, but that same offseason, Vick was arrested. Petrino once again left, but this time, he stooped further than ever. He left in the middle of the season, infamously leaving a note in the players’ lockers, which is still one of the most cowardly things of all time.
About a week later, Petrino was named the Arkansas head coach, where he once again built a program back up but was marred by controversy. A motorcycle accident revealed he was having an affair with a subordinate that he’d hired, resulting in his termination.
Petrino would once again return to Louisville a few years later, propelling the program back to relevancy with Lamar Jackson, who won the Heisman. Eventually, the program fell off a cliff, and he was fired. Petrino then went on to spend time at Missouri State, where he was successful.
Most recently, he accepted a job under Barry Odom at UNLV less than a month ago. However, he’s spurned the program for Texas A&M; he’s one of the scummiest people in football, and Texas A&M doesn’t care.
After the Aggies entered the season with championship aspirations, Jimbo Fisher led the team to a 5-7 finish, not making a bowl game for the first time since 2008. Given Fisher’s $85 million buyout, there was no chance of him being fired, but there was a revelation because he’s reportedly surrendering play-calling duties to Petrino.
The program is desperate. Bobby Petrino joining Jimbo Fisher and defensive coordinator D.J. Durkin gives A&M one of the most hated coaching staffs of all time. I just wrote 400 words about how terrible of a person Petrino is, and Durkin has plenty of his own baggage.
Maryland fired him after an investigation following the June 2018 death of Jordan McNair from heatstroke. The investigation revealed a toxic environment based on fear and intimidation around the program, including physical and verbal abuse. There are plenty of detailed accounts of the investigation, so feel free to do your own research, but it was met with a mountain of controversy.
Now, all three men will work together in College Station. Texas A&M is a cult, and this coaching staff makes them even more hated. As an LSU fan, I hope it blows up in their faces.
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