Texas A&M To Interview Ex-Arkansas Coach Bobby Petrino For Offensive Coordinator

The Aggies might have their new offensive coordinator in former Arkansas and Louisville Coach, Bobby Petrino.

Texas A&M might have a lead on its next offensive coordinator. 

According to 247Sports, Southwest Missouri head coach Bobby Petrino has emerged as a candidate for the open position. Petrino is expected to meet with A&M's athletic staff in the coming days. 

Petrino, 61, was hired by Missouri State in 2020 to replace Dave Steckel following a 1-10 season. In three seasons, he's gone 18-15 with the Bears, reaching the FCS playoffs twice, including finishing 8-4 in 2021. 

Prior to his arrival at the Show Me State, Petrino previously served as head coach at Louisville, Western Kentucky, and Arkansas in college, and with the Atlanta Falcons in the NFL. Petrino also has experience as an offensive coordinator in the SEC, serving as Auburn's primary play-caller under Tommy Tuberville in 2002. 

As a head coach, Petrino has found success at nearly every location. In his first stint with Louisville, he posted a 40-9 record, leading the Cardinals to a pair of 11-win seasons. After a 3-10 run with the Falcons in 2007, Petrino resigned before the season finale to become the head coach at Arkansas, where he led the Razorbacks to a 34–17 record. 

Petrino spent 2013 at Western Kentucky, where he led the Hilltoppers to an 8-4 finish. That offseason, Louisville hired the veteran coach for a second stint. In five years, Petrino posted a 36-26 record, never surpassing nine wins in a season. 

The Aggies fired offensive coordinator Darrell Dickey following a five-year run in Aggieland after Texas A&M (5-7, 2-6 SEC) finished below .500 for the first time since 2008. Texas A&M's offense spiraled out of control after an 8-4 finish in 2021, ranking near the bottom of every category among SEC programs. 

The Aggies ranked 82nd in passing offense (219.4 yards per game), 83rd in rushing offense (141.8 yards per game), 95th in total offense (361.2 yards per game), and 101st in scoring offense (22.6 points per game). Three different quarterbacks took reps this season.

Multiple names have been linked to the Aggies' offensive coordinator position this offseason, including TCU offensive coordinator and Broyles Award winner Garrett Riley. In his first season with the Horned Frogs, Riley orchestrated an offense that ranked sixth nationally in scoring (40.3 points per game), 10th in yards per play (6.84), 16th in total yards (6,149), 25th in rushing (200 yards per game), and 25th in passing (273 yards per game), 

Riley and the No. 3 Horned Frogs (12-1, 9-0 Big 12) are set to face No. 2 Michigan in the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl as one of the four College Football Playoff teams. A source tells AllAggies.com that Riley is expected to be in the running for the North Texas opening following the firing of Seth Littrell.

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