Bobby Petrino is staying put in Fayetteville, Arkansas. Apparently, he is staying there for a long while.
Bobby Petrino, the offensive mastermind that was blistered by the media after resigning as head coach of the Atlanta Falcons to take over as the Head Hog at the University of Arkansas, signed an extension that runs through 2017 and increases his annual base salary to $3.56 million.
The deal makes him the third or fourth highest paid coach in the SEC and no lower than the seventh highest paid coach in the nation. The rankings depend on the details of the Will Muschamp contract in Florida which have not yet been released. The contract slides him nationally ahead of Mark Richt of Georgia and just behind Jim Tressel of Ohio State.
Clearly, the University of Arkansas ponied up to keep the coach that inherited a program left in shambles and in just three years created it into an SEC monster. Looking at the details of the contract, it becomes evident that both parties were very happy with each other, and the joint commitment is possibly unprecedented in college football.
The buyout numbers for both sides are staggering. The buyout clause requires an $18 million buyout from either party that backs out of the contract for the first two years. For the third year, it dips just under $18 million. The buyout is nearly $15 million at the conclusion of the fourth year of the contract. The smallest buyout is in the last year of the extension, but it still is nearly $4 million.
There is a no compete clause for the entire SEC which prohibits Petrino from leaving his position to accept any job inside the Southeastern Conference. Despite all the baseless negativity and bad press, Bobby Petrino has found a home, and he has put down his roots.
That is great news for the Arkansas Razorback program and horrible news for the rest of the SEC.
Bobby Petrino made it clear that his dream job would have three basic criteria. First, it would be in the SEC. Arkansas certainly is that. Second, his family would have to be happy in the location. All reports coming from the Petrino family say that they love Northwest Arkansas. The last criteria is that the school must be capable of winning a national championship.
Bobby Petrino has already shown more than enough evidence to suggest it can be done.
A Miracle in Fayetteville
In relative short order, Bobby Petrino and his staff have worked a miracle in Fayetteville.
Following the 2007 season, Houston Nutt officially resigned, though sources close to the situation say it was a forced resignation, and the divisive coach was pushed toward accepting the Ole Miss position. Nutt left Fayetteville with Darren McFadden, Felix Jones, Peyton Hillis, and Marcus Monk graduating to the NFL. Leaving the cupboard bare, he departed for a readymade team in Oxford.
The work accomplished by Petrino in three years is nothing short of mind-boggling. The Hogs struggled and fought through a first tough year in 2008, winning only five games. The next year, Ryan Mallett emerged as one of the nation’s elite passers. The Hogs won eight games, including a bowl win in the Liberty Bowl.
In Petrino’s third season, the Hogs are making national waves. The Razorbacks are sitting on a 10-win regular season. Petrino and the Razorbacks have a chance to put the exclamation point on a year that could catapult the Hogs past the glass ceiling. In just his third season of a huge rebuilding effort, the Razorbacks have an opportunity to knock off Ohio State in the Sugar Bowl. With solid recruiting classes behind him and a host of returning starters coming back next year, Petrino’s Hogs have an opportunity to put their stamp on the SEC and say they are going to be a national player for some time to come.
Looking Ahead to Next Season
The Razorbacks will be replacing three starters on the offensive line, as well as arguably the best tight end in the country in D.J. Williams next season. However, the Razorbacks have recruited very well at those positions over the past three years. The Razorback coaching staff is very high on Chris Gragg, who is expected to replace Williams next year at tight end. In fact, the offensive coaches worked hard to get him into the game plan all year because of his talent.
The Razorbacks could return up to four receivers that have more than 500 receiving yards. Greg Childs, Jarius Wright, Joe Adams, and Cobi Hamilton all could return to the team next season. Knile Davis, a sophomore runner from Missouri City, Texas, will return as a 1,000 yard rusher.
Ryan Mallett is not expected to return for his senior season, but an NFL lockout could throw a monkey wrench in those plans. His backup, sophomore Tyler Wilson, is more than capable of moving the offense. He showed what he had by torching Auburn for 300 yards and 4 touchdown passes in just over a half’s worth of work.
The defense returns three starters on a defensive line that really has shown a talent for getting after the quarterback. Tenarius Wright will replace Damario Ambrose at one of the end spots and is extremely talented. He could lead the team in sacks next season. Jerry Franklin and Jerico Nelson are expected to return at linebacker for the Hogs, and the secondary will return a host of experienced players that saw considerable playing time.
The schedule sets up well for the Hogs next year also. In fact, the Hogs should be favored to win at least ten games. Bobby Petrino teams rarely lose to teams they should beat, so expectations are high in Fayetteville for next year already.
If the Hogs find their way back to the BCS with ten or more wins next season, the Hogs might become a locomotive that even perennial SEC powers like Alabama and LSU will have a tough time slowing down.
Petrino is proud of what he has built at the University of Arkansas. The potential for greatness is there. Arkansas has a moderate climate, wonderful facilities, good academics, and a rabid fan base that encompasses the entire state. All Arkansas has ever needed to be consistently successful at the national level is an elite coach.
Arkansas found one that will be calling the Hogs for quite some time.
