Bobby Petrino
Bobby Petrino went 137–78 as a head coach, 2003–2025, at Louisville, Arkansas, Western Kentucky and Missouri State. Share
Three seasons our game records don’t credit to him come from the coach’s Wikipedia article: 2020–22 at Missouri State. They’re marked in the table.
- Record
- 137–78 career
- Seasons
- 18
- Schools
- 4
- Final AP top 10
- 3 seasons
- Born
- Mar 10, 1961
- Alma mater
- Carroll (Montana) 1983
- Best season
- 2011 11–2, No. 5
Season by season
| Season | School | Record | Conference finish | Bowl | AP final | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | Louisville | 9–4 | T–3rd | GMAC Bowl L | ||
| 2004 | Louisville | 11–1 | 1st | Liberty Bowl W | 6 | |
| 2005 | Louisville | 9–3 | 2nd | Gator Bowl L | 19 | |
| 2006 | Louisville | 12–1 | 1st | Orange Bowl W | 6 | |
| 2007: not a college head coach | ||||||
| 2008 | Arkansas | 5–7 | T–4th (Western) | |||
| 2009 | Arkansas | 8–5 | T–4th (Western) | Liberty Bowl W | ||
| 2010 | Arkansas | 10–3 | T–2nd (Western) | Sugar Bowl L | 12 | |
| 2011 | Arkansas | 11–2 | 3rd (Western) | Cotton Bowl W | 5 | |
| 2012: not a college head coach | ||||||
| 2013 | Western Kentucky | 8–4 | T–3rd | |||
| 2014 | Louisville | 9–4 | 3rd (Atlantic) | Belk Bowl L | 24 | |
| 2015 | Louisville | 8–5 | 3rd (Atlantic) | Music City Bowl W | ||
| 2016 | Louisville | 9–4 | T–1st (Atlantic) | Citrus Bowl L | 21 | |
| 2017 | Louisville | 8–5 | T–3rd (Atlantic) | TaxSlayer Bowl L | ||
| 2018 | Louisville coached 10 of 12 games | 2–8 | 7th (Atlantic) | |||
| 2019: not a college head coach | ||||||
| 2020 | Missouri State * | 5–5 | T–1st | NCAA Division I First Round L | 13 | |
| 2021 | Missouri State * | 8–4 | 2nd | NCAA Division I First Round L | 14 | |
| 2022 | Missouri State * | 5–6 | 8th | |||
| 2023–24: not a college head coach | ||||||
| 2025 | Arkansas interim, remainder of season | 0–7 | 16th | |||
Each season links to the team’s season page; bowls and playoff games link to the game. Conference finishes from the Wikipedia article’s record table. * A season our game records don’t credit to him; its record is the article’s.
Players he coached
Gerod Holliman2014 Jim Thorpe Award
Joe AdamsConsensus All‑American, 2011- Sheldon RankinsNo. 12 pick, 2016
- Art Carmody2006 Lou Groza Award
Every player from his seasons with a Heisman top-five finish, a national award, consensus All-America honors or a first-round pick. Photos: Wikimedia Commons, free licenses; credits on each player’s page.
How his teams did
| Kind of game | Games | Record | Won |
|---|---|---|---|
| Against ranked teams | 48 | 15–33 | 31% |
| Against top-10 teams | 22 | 4–18 | 18% |
| Against rivals | 33 | 21–12 | 64% |
| Conference games | 115 | 66–49 | 57% |
| Bowls and playoffs | 11 | 5–6 | 45% |
| Decided by 8 points or fewer | 59 | 31–28 | 53% |
| At home | 87 | 66–21 | 76% |
| On the road | 75 | 41–34 | 55% |
| At neutral sites | 20 | 12–8 | 60% |
| As our Elo’s favorite | 123 | 101–22 | 82% |
| As our Elo’s underdog | 59 | 18–41 | 31% |
His own 182 games on file, 2003–2025, as played (vacated wins counted, ties as half a win). Ranks are the AP poll going into the game; rivals are the ones either program’s Wikipedia article names; favorite and underdog by our own Elo rating, which reads only scores.
Against other head coaches
| Coach | Record | Their schools | Games | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rich Brooks 2003–2008 | 4–1 | Kentucky | 5 | |
| Mark Stoops 2013–2017 | 4–1 | Kentucky | 5 | |
| Dave Clawson 2014–2018 | 3–2 | Wake Forest | 5 | |
| Steve Addazio 2014–2018 | 3–2 | Boston College | 5 | |
| Nick Saban 2008–2018 | 0–5 | Alabama | 5 | |
| Dabo Swinney 2014–2018 | 0–5 | Clemson | 5 | |
| Steve Spurrier 2008–2011 | 3–1 | South Carolina | 4 | |
| Dave Doeren 2014–2017 | 3–1 | NC State | 4 | |
| Jim Leavitt 2003–2006 | 2–2 | South Florida | 4 | |
| Houston Nutt 2008–2011 | 2–2 | Ole Miss | 4 |
Bobby Petrino’s record against the head coaches he met three or more times, from the games on file, as played.
Most-faced opponents
| Opponent | Games | Record |
|---|---|---|
| Kentuckyseries | 10 | 8–2 |
| Syracuseseries | 8 | 7–1 |
| Wake Forestseries | 6 | 4–2 |
| Auburnseries | 6 | 3–3 |
| Mississippi Stateseries | 6 | 3–3 |
| LSUseries | 6 | 2–4 |
| Texas A&Mseries | 5 | 4–1 |
| Boston Collegeseries | 5 | 3–2 |
Also a player: Bobby Petrino’s playing career.
Career
| Years | Team | Job | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1983 | Carroll (MT) | A | |
| 1984 | Weber State | Graduate assistant | |
| 1985–86 | Carroll (MT) | Offensive coordinator | |
| 1987–88 | Weber State | Wide receivers and tight ends coach | |
| 1989 | Idaho | Quarterbacks coach | |
| 1990–91 | Idaho | Offensive coordinator | |
| 1992–93 | Arizona State | Quarterbacks coach | |
| 1994 | Nevada | Offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach | |
| 1995–97 | Utah State | Offensive coordinator | |
| 1998 | Louisville | Offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach | |
| 1999–2000 | Jacksonville Jaguars NFL | Quarterbacks coach | |
| 2001 | Jacksonville Jaguars NFL | Offensive coordinator | |
| 2002 | Auburn | Offensive coordinator | |
| 2003–06 | Louisville | Head coach | |
| 2007 | Atlanta Falcons NFL | Head coach | |
| 2008–11 | Arkansas | Head coach | |
| 2013 | Western Kentucky | Head coach | |
| 2014–18 | Louisville | Head coach | |
| 2020–22 | Missouri State | Head coach | |
| 2023 | Texas A&M | Offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach | |
| 2024–25 | Arkansas | Offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach | |
| 2025 | Arkansas | Interim head coach | |
| 2026–present | North Carolina | Offensive coordinator |
Every job as the infobox of his Wikipedia article lists it (CC BY-SA), assistant jobs included.
Coaching tree
Worked under
- Mike PriceWeber State
- John SmithIdaho, Utah State, Louisville
- Bruce SnyderArizona State
- Chris AultNevada
- Tom CoughlinJacksonville Jaguars
- Tommy TubervilleAuburn
- Jimbo FisherTexas A&M
- Elijah RobinsonTexas A&M
- Sam PittmanArkansas
- Bill BelichickNorth Carolina
Assistants who became head coaches
- Paul PetrinoIdaho
- Tony LevineHouston
- Brian VanGorderWayne State (MI), Georgia Southern
- Hue JacksonOakland Raiders, Cleveland Browns, Grambling
- Mike ZimmerMinnesota Vikings
- Garrick McGeeUAB
- Lorenzo WardLouisville
- John SmithUtah State, Louisville, Michigan State, Arkansas, Idaho, Kentucky State
- Nick PetrinoMissouri State
- JaMarcus ShephardOregon State
- Jeff BrohmWestern Kentucky, Purdue, Louisville
- Neil CallawayUAB
- and 3 more
Worked under (10)
| Head coach | Team | Years | His job | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mike Price | Weber State | 1984–88 | 1984: graduate assistant; 1987–88: wide receivers and tight ends coach | |
| John Smith | Idaho | 1989–91 | 1989: quarterbacks coach; 1990–91: offensive coordinator | |
| Bruce Snyder | Arizona State | 1992–93 | Quarterbacks coach | |
| Chris Ault | Nevada | 1994 | Offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach | |
| John Smith | Utah State | 1995–97 | Offensive coordinator | |
| John Smith | Louisville | 1998 | Offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach | |
| Tom Coughlin | Jacksonville Jaguars NFL | 1999–2001 | 1999–2000: quarterbacks coach; 2001: offensive coordinator | |
| Tommy Tuberville | Auburn | 2002 | Offensive coordinator | |
| Jimbo Fisher | Texas A&M | 2023 | Offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach | |
| Elijah Robinson | Texas A&M | 2023 | Offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach | |
| Sam Pittman | Arkansas | 2024–25 | Offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach | |
| Bill Belichick | North Carolina | 2026 | Offensive coordinator |
Coached under him, later head coaches (15)
| Coach | With him | Head coach at | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paul Petrino | Louisville, 2003–06: offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach; Atlanta Falcons, 2007: wide receivers coach; Arkansas, 2008–09: offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach | Idaho | |
| Tony Levine | Louisville, 2003: football ops; 2004–05: special teams and outside linebackers coach | Houston | |
| Brian VanGorder | Atlanta Falcons, 2007: linebackers coach; Louisville, 2018: defensive coordinator | Wayne State (MI), Georgia Southern | |
| Hue Jackson | Atlanta Falcons, 2007: offensive coordinator | Oakland Raiders, Cleveland Browns, Grambling | |
| Mike Zimmer | Atlanta Falcons, 2007: defensive coordinator | Minnesota Vikings | |
| Garrick McGee | Arkansas, 2008–09: quarterbacks coach; 2010–11: offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach; Louisville, 2014–15: assistant head coach, offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach | UAB | |
| Lorenzo Ward | Arkansas, 2008: defensive backs coach; Louisville, 2017–18: assistant head coach and defensive backs coach | Louisville | |
| John Smith | Arkansas, 2009–11: special teams coach | Utah State, Louisville, Michigan State, Arkansas, Idaho, Kentucky State | |
| Nick Petrino | Arkansas, 2010–11: student assistant; Western Kentucky, 2013: graduate assistant; Louisville, 2014–15: graduate assistant; 2016–18: quarterbacks coach; Missouri State, 2020–22: offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach | Missouri State | |
| JaMarcus Shephard | Western Kentucky, 2013: offensive quality control coach | Oregon State | |
| Jeff Brohm | Western Kentucky, 2013: offensive coordinator | Western Kentucky, Purdue, Louisville | |
| Neil Callaway | Western Kentucky, 2013: offensive line coach | UAB | |
| Nick Holt | Western Kentucky, 2013: defensive coordinator | Idaho | |
| Ryan Beard | Western Kentucky, 2013: defensive graduate assistant; Louisville, 2014: defensive quality control coach; 2017–18: assistant coach; Missouri State, 2020–22: defensive coordinator and safeties coach | Missouri State, Coastal Carolina | |
| Will Stein | Louisville, 2014: quality control coach | Kentucky |
Other assistants under him (21)
| Coach | With him | |
|---|---|---|
| Joel Thomas | Louisville, 2003: running backs coach | |
| Kevin Wolthausen | Louisville, 2003: linebackers coach; 2004–05: defensive line coach; 2006: co-defensive coordinator and defensive line coach; Atlanta Falcons, 2007: defensive line coach | |
| Mike Gillhamer | Louisville, 2003: defensive coordinator | |
| Mike Cassity | Louisville, 2004–06: defensive coordinator | |
| Chip Long | Louisville, 2006: graduate assistant; Arkansas, 2008–09: graduate assistant | |
| Kirk Botkin | Arkansas, 2008–09: defensive ends coach and special teams coordinator | |
| Willy Robinson | Arkansas, 2008–11: defensive coordinator and safeties coach | |
| Kolby Smith | Western Kentucky, 2013: running backs coach; Louisville, 2014–18: running backs coach; Arkansas, 2025: running backs coach | |
| Derek Nicholson | Louisville, 2014: outside linebackers and defensive ends coach | |
| Greg Brown | Louisville, 2014–15: defensive backs coach | |
| Todd Grantham | Louisville, 2014–16: assistant head coach, defensive coordinator and linebackers coach | |
| Chris Klenakis | Louisville, 2016: co-offensive coordinator | |
| Keith Heyward | Louisville, 2016: defensive backs coach | |
| Lonnie Galloway | Louisville, 2016–18: co-offensive coordinator | |
| Mike Summers | Louisville, 2017–18: co-offensive coordinator | |
| Peter Sirmon | Louisville, 2017: defensive coordinator and outside linebackers coach | |
| Grady Brown | Louisville, 2018: cornerbacks coach | |
| Skyler Cassity | Missouri State, 2020–21: outside linebackers and defensive backs coach | |
| Chris Wilson | Arkansas, 2025: interim defensive coordinator and assistant defensive line coach | |
| Marcus Woodson | Arkansas, 2025: co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach | |
| Travis Williams | Arkansas, 2025: defensive coordinator |
From coaches’ Wikipedia infoboxes (CC BY-SA) and each season’s article for its coordinators: an assistant’s seasons at a school count under its head coach in our records; jobs in the NFL and elsewhere, under the head coach whose own article lists the job that year. Names without a page here link to their Wikipedia articles.
Pay
| Year | School | Job | Contract pay | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | Louisville | head coachbonuses up to $1,468,750; $989,584 in bonuses paid; buyout $13,943,750 | $3,930,434 USA Today | |
| 2016 | Louisville | head coachbonuses up to $1,464,583; $794,667 in bonuses paid | $3,910,434 USA Today | |
| 2015 | Louisville | head coachbonuses up to $1,341,667; $782,667 in bonuses paid | $3,003,500 USA Today | |
| 2014 | Louisville | head coachbonuses up to $1,266,667 | $3,000,000 USA Today | |
| 2011 | Arkansas | head coachbonuses up to $650,000 | $3,638,000 USA Today via Leeds | |
| 2010 | Arkansas | head coachbonuses up to $475,000 | $2,713,000 USA Today via Leeds | |
| 2009 | Arkansas | head coachbonuses up to $550,000 | $2,858,000 USA Today via Leeds | |
| 2008 | Arkansas | head coach | $2,850,000 USA Today via Leeds | |
| 2006 | Louisville | head coachbonuses up to $766,667 | $1,751,000 USA Today via Leeds |
USA Today’s coaches salary database (2014–17, from public-records requests to the schools; Rachel Ehlers’ copy): the season’s contract pay, school pay plus outside money, before bonuses.
The same USA Today database for 2006–16, from Michael Leeds’ replication data on Harvard Dataverse (CC0): the season’s contract pay.
Pay of public employees in their public job only: head coaches, and assistants in the seasons our records name them a coordinator, at public universities.
How he coached
Petrino’s teams went for it on 22% of fourth downs and on 41% of those where the model said go for it, passed on 51% of plays and took 24.7 seconds a play, 2004–2017.
| Season | School | Went for it on fourth | When the model said go | Pass rate | Seconds a play | EPA a play | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 10 g | Louisville | 22 of 60 37% | 64% | 41% | 21.7 | +0.21 | |
| 2005 12 g | Louisville | 22 of 70 31% | 59% | 46% | 24.3 | +0.12 | |
| 2006 13 g | Louisville | 12 of 82 15% | 23% | 47% | 26.6 | +0.11 | |
| 2008 12 g | Arkansas | 23 of 95 24% | 49% | 59% | 25.1 | −0.07 | |
| 2009 13 g | Arkansas | 20 of 104 19% | 35% | 56% | 24.8 | +0.07 | |
| 2010 13 g | Arkansas | 18 of 89 20% | 33% | 56% | 26.7 | +0.11 | |
| 2011 13 g | Arkansas | 17 of 97 18% | 33% | 56% | 24.4 | +0.05 | |
| 2013 12 g | Western Kentucky | 25 of 76 33% | 52% | 48% | 22.8 | +0.05 | |
| 2014 13 g | Louisville | 20 of 113 18% | 45% | 50% | 26.5 | −0.05 | |
| 2015 13 g | Louisville | 15 of 105 14% | 33% | 50% | 25.0 | −0.02 | |
| 2016 13 g | Louisville | 16 of 96 17% | 25% | 50% | 22.8 | +0.15 | |
| 2017 13 g | Louisville | 30 of 91 33% | 44% | 52% | 24.2 | +0.18 | |
| All 150 g | 240 of 1078 22% | 41% | 51% | 24.7 | +0.07 |
His seasons as a head coach from 2004 on, from ESPN’s play by play: fourth downs where he went for it out of every fourth-down decision; how often he went when SportsDataverse’s fourth-down model said going for it was the better call; the share of his offense’s plays that were passes; seconds of game clock per offensive play (lower is faster); and expected points added per offensive play (EPA, a measure of how much each play moved the offense toward points). The season in progress counts its games so far. SportsDataverse’s coach tendencies, from ESPN’s play by play; the EPA and the fourth-down model are SportsDataverse’s.