FAYETTEVILLE -- Less than five years after Arkansas Athletic Director Jeff Long fired Bobby Petrino as the Razorbacks' football coach for off-the-field reasons, Petrino has led Louisville to a No. 3 national ranking in his second stint as the Cardinals' coach.
Louisville rose from No. 10 to No. 3 in The Associated Press poll this week after beating No. 2 Florida State 63-20 on Saturday.
"Bobby's always been an outstanding football coach," Long told reporters Wednesday when he spoke to the Northwest Arkansas Touchdown Club. "So, no, I'm not surprised by his success. Are you guys?
"He's an intense, very, very good football coach. He proved that here and he's proven that at Western Kentucky in his short stay there and he's proven it again at Louisville."
Petrino sat out the 2012 season after being fired at Arkansas on April 11, 2012, when it was discovered he had lied to UA officials and was having an affair with a female staff member he had hired to work with the football program.
Petrino was hired at Western Kentucky in 2013 and led the Hilltoppers to an 8-4 record before returning to Louisville, which he coached to a 41-9 record in four seasons from 2003-2006. He was 34-17 in four seasons at Arkansas -- including 10-3 in 2010 and 11-2 in 2011 -- and is 20-9 in his second go-around with Louisville for an overall 61-18 record as a college coach.
Sports on 09/22/2016