Bobby Petrino Officially Announced as Texas A&M Offensive Coordinator

“I am very happy to add Bobby as our offensive coordinator,” Texas A&M head coach Jimbo Fisher said in a statement.

Bobby Petrino is now a part of Texas A&M's staff for the 2023 season. 

Texas A&M officially announced the hiring of Petrino Friday afternoon. Petrino, who initially interviewed for the open offensive coordinator position late last year, accepted the same position at UNLV under first-year coach Barry Odom before resigning on Wednesday afternoon. 

“I am very happy to add Bobby as our offensive coordinator,” Texas A&M head coach Jimbo Fisher said in a statement. “I always had tremendous respect for him as a head coach, offensive coordinator and play caller. He is one of the best minds in college football. Bobby has a reputation for developing players and we are extremely excited to have him on our staff.”

Petrino, 61, will replace Darrell Dickey, who was fired after five seasons in College Station. Dickey primarily served as an offensive consultant under Fisher rather than play caller and split duties with receivers coach James Coley in 2022. 

Fisher, an offensive-minded coach, has called the plays since being hired as head coach at Florida State in 2010. The expectation is that Fisher will move to more of a CEO-type role, thus giving Petrino full access to the offensive personnel. 

During his Early Signing Period press conference, Fisher said that he wanted his next coordinator to have full reigns of the offense. Earlier in the season, the fifth-year Aggies coach stated that he would be willing to relinquish the play-calling if it was in the program's best interest to get back to its winning ways. 

Texas A&M (5-7, 2-6 SEC) finished below .500 for the first time since 2008. 

“There’s a lot of things going on in college football," Fisher said in December. "My job has changed so much in the last two years it’s ridiculous ... probably more so as head coaches there are things you’ve got to deal with away from ball more in the last two years than there’s ever been in college football maybe ever.”

Petrino has spent the past four decades coaching at both the collegiate and NFL levels. Prior to being hired by UNLV, he served as head coach at FCS Missouri State from 2020-22, leading the Bears to two postseason appearances, including an 8-4 record in 2022. 

Petrino also coached Louisville (2006-06, 2014-18), Arkansas (2008-11) and Western Kentucky (2013). He also spent one season in the NFL as the head coach of the Atlanta Falcons. 

As a head coach, Petrino found success at nearly every location. In his first stint with Louisville, he posted a 41-9 record that featured a pair of 11-plus win seasons. After a 3-10 run with the Falcons, 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 record. That offseason, Louisville hired him for a second stint with the program. In five seasons, Petrino posted a 36-26 record, never surpassing more than nine total wins.

Petrino also has been known for his work with quarterbacks. Brian Brohm, his first quarterback at Lousiville, is second all-time in Cardinals history with 10,775. Tyler Wilson and Ryan Mallett rank first and second all-time in passing yards and Arkansas. 

In 2016, Petrino was influential in the development of Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Lamar Jackson. The current Baltimore Ravens star threw for 3,543 yards, rushed for 1,571 yards, and totaled 51 touchdowns en route to a 9-4 record. 

The Aggies are expecting freshman Conner Weigman to be the long-term starting quarterback moving forward. Last season in five games, the Cypress native threw for 898 yards and eight touchdowns against zero interceptions. 

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