LAS VEGAS (UNLVRebels.com) – New UNLV football head coach Barry Odom on Thursday named former NFL and SEC head coach Bobby Petrino as the Rebels’ offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach.
Petrino, who spent the last three seasons as head coach at Missouri State, compiled an overall collegiate head coaching record of 119-56 on the FBS level during two stints at Louisville, Arkansas and Western Kentucky. He took 11 teams to bowl games and finished ranked in the Top 25 seven times, including three top-six finishes (2004, ’06 and ’11). Petrino’s second stint at Louisville was highlighted by current NFL star quarterback Lamar Jackson winning the 2016 Heisman Trophy.
Petrino has developed 35 NFL Draft selections during his illustrious career, including four first-rounders. He was head coach of the Atlanta Falcons in 2007 after previously coaching for the Jacksonville Jaguars, including serving as offensive coordinator in 2001.
“I believe Coach Petrino is one of the greatest offensive minds in all of football,” said Odom. “I know he will be a tremendous leader, mentor and teacher for our student-athletes. I’m thrilled to bring his experience to UNLV. His creativity on offense will compliment our program in every way.”
In 2021, ESPN ranked Petrino No. 77 in a list of the top 100 college football coaches of the last 50 years.
“Barry Odom is a talented coach who has always been highly respected and I really look forward to working with him at UNLV,” said Petrino. “I’m excited to be part of the new direction of the Rebels and compete for championships. We had a great three years at Missouri State but I thought this was the time in my career to step away from the head role and get back into a coordinator position to focus on moving the ball and scoring points and helping win games in Las Vegas.”
Petrino, the 2020 Missouri Valley Coach of the Year, took two of his three Missouri State teams to the FCS playoffs in finishing with an 18-15 record with the Bears.
He previously twice served as head coach at Louisville. His first stint (2003-06) boasted 41 wins over a four-year span in the first head coaching assignment of his career. Petrino directed the Cardinals to their first Big East title in 2006 in what was Louisville’s second year in the league. His 2004 campaign was one of the best in school history, leading the Cardinals to an 11-1 record that culminated in a Conference USA title and a 44-40 Liberty Bowl win over 10th-ranked Boise State. Those Cardinals led the nation in total offense (539.0) and scoring offense (49.8), scored 50 or more points seven times and set an NCAA record by scoring 55 or more points in five straight games.
After then spending one season with the Falcons in the pro ranks, he returned to the college level to guide Arkansas for four years (2008-11). In Fayetteville, Petrino’s squads were 34-17, including a 29-10 ledger over his last three campaigns — with three bowl appearances and an 11-2 record and No. 5 final ranking in 2011.
Petrino spent the 2013 season as head coach at Western Kentucky, leading the Hilltoppers to an 8-4 finish while setting a school record for total offense (5,502 yards).
His return to Louisville in 2014 was immediately successful, guiding the Cardinals to 9-4 before reeling off four consecutive bowl appearances and another 9-4 campaign in 2016. In his nine total seasons in Louisville, Petrino’s Cardinals were 77-35 as part of three different leagues (CUSA, Big East and ACC).
Petrino, the son of legendary former Carroll College coach Bob Petrino Sr., started his coaching career as a graduate assistant for his father at the Helena, Montana, school in 1983.
After a GA stint at Weber State in 1984, Petrino returned to be the offensive coordinator at Carroll in 1985-86. He returned to Weber State as the wide receivers and tight ends coach (1987-88), then served three seasons at Idaho (1989-91), including two years as offensive coordinator.
From there, he took assignments at Arizona State (1992-93), UNR (1994) and Utah State (1995-97), before drawing the offensive coordinator position at Louisville in 1998. He guided future NFL star Jake Plummer at Arizona State before engineering the nation’s No. 2 passing offense and total offense in Reno for a 9-2 Wolf Pack squad that finished as co-champion with UNLV that season. Petrino also helped Utah State set school records in total offense (468.5) and passing yards (317.5) during the 1996 season. Likewise, the 1998 Louisville team was the top-ranked NCAA FBS squad in scoring and total offense.
Petrino played college football for his father at Carroll College, twice earning NAIA All-America honors and leading the Fighting Saints to three straight Frontier Conference championships. He was named the league MVP in 1981 and 1982. He also played four years of basketball at Carroll while earning a bachelor’s degree in physical education with a minor in mathematics in 1983.
Petrino and his wife, Becky, have four children: Kelsey, Nick, Bobby and Katie — and eight grandchildren.
