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Bobby Petrino will return to Arkansas as the program’s offensive coordinator, the school announced. Petrino coached the Razorbacks from 2008-11 and spent the 2023 season as offensive coordinator at Texas A&M after a few years at Missouri State.

Petrino went 34-17 in his career with the Razorbacks, finishing the 2011 season No. 5 in the final AP Top 25 poll, with two BCS bowl bids. His career at Arkansas came to a screeching halt in April 2012 when he was let go amid accusations of an inappropriate relationship with a female staffer.

Arkansas fired OC Dan Enos in November with the Hogs failing to find consistency and keep quarterback KJ Jefferson upright during his tenure. As it so happens, Jefferson is expected to enter the transfer portal. Kenny Guiton took over on an interim basis over the final four games. The Razorbacks finished the year 2-2 with blowout losses to Auburn and Missouri.

Personnel changes of all sorts are expected this time of year, so getting ahead of the transfer portal window is a priority for the Razorbacks.

“Obviously with the kids that we have that are committed, you want to be right, but you also want to be as fast as you possibly can,” coach Sam Pittman said this week. “You’d like to get some guys in here maybe Tuesday and Wednesday so they can talk to the kids before we need to go out on the road. I don’t know if that’s possible or not, but obviously we’ve been in conversations with several different people.”

Arkansas athletic director Hunter Yurachek announced on November 19 that Pittman will return in 2024 despite the 4-8 record.

“This has not been the season any of us anticipated,” he said. “We have work to do. I am confident that together, we can meet the goals and expectations of our program. I want to thank the many Razorbacks fans who have supported our team this season.”

Petrino spent last season on Jimbo Fisher’s staff at Texas A&M. The Aggies struggled offensively, finishing the regular season at just 403.8 yards per game and 5.89 yards per play. However, they were also riddled with injuries including the loss of their top two quarterbacks — Conner Weigman and Max Johnson.

Petrino’s unceremonious exit
Petrino followed longtime coach Houston Nutt, whose tenure ended in a spiral, in 2008. Petrino shook off a 5-7 debut in 2008 and made a bowl in Year 2. Things took off from there. Arkansas won 10 games in 2010 and followed that with a top-five finish in the AP poll in 2011 — their highest in 30 years.

But in April 2012 came Petrino’s infamous motorcycle accident. Arkansas released a statement that no other individuals were involved, a sentiment that Petrino echoed on an April 3 press conference; however, he was placed on administrative leave on April 5. The next day, Arkansas State Police confirmed that Jessica Dorrell, a former Arkansas volleyball player who was hired as the football program’s student athlete development coordinator, was on the motorcycle with Petrino at the time of the crash.

Petrino released a statement admitting to an adulterous relationship with Dorrell. He was fired with cause on April 10.

“He made the decision, a conscious decision, to mislead the public on Tuesday, and in doing so negatively and adversely affected the reputation of the University of Arkansas and our football program,” Arkansas athletic director Jeff Long said at the time. “In short, coach Petrino engaged in a pattern of misleading and manipulative behavior designed to deceive me and members of the athletic staff, both before and after the motorcycle accident.”

Petrino was hired at Western Kentucky in 2012 and spent one season with the Hilltoppers before making his return to Louisville.

Arkansas quarterback KJ Jefferson is expected to enter the transfer portal, according to 247Sports, just as the program brings back former Razorbacks coach Bobby Petrino as the team’s offensive coordinator. The three-year starter appears to be mulling his options following a disappointing 4-8 finish in 2023 in which he passed for a career-low 2,107 yards with eight picks. He has one year of eligibility remaining.

A potential meeting between Jefferson and Petrino was a highlight — however brief — of the former Razorbacks coach appearing on the cusp of returning to the program in a different role. Jefferson regressed under former offensive coordinator Dan Enos, but for his career Jefferson is a seasoned veteran with nearly 8,000 yards passing and 67 touchdowns. He would instantly become one of the more significant names at his position in the portal.

Petrino was Arkansas’ headman from 2008 until his controversial offseason firing ahead of the 2012 season. He guided the Razorbacks to a 34-17 mark, complete with two BCS Bowl bids and an AP Top 5 finish in 2011. Petrino returned to the SEC this season as the offensive coordinator at Texas A&M before coach Jimbo Fisher was fired.

Possible destinations for Jefferson
The transfer portal has reshaped the way programs go about roster building in college football, and a player with Jefferson’s experience should have no shortage of options. Multiple SEC schools appear to be in the market for a transfer quarterback: South Carolina, likely replacing starting quarterback Spencer Rattler in 2024 after a 5-7 season, is a potential destination, according to 247Sports.

Mississippi State could be another fit. The Bulldogs enter a new era under coach Jeff Lebby, who oversaw the Big 12’s top offense as Oklahoma’s offensive coordinator in 2023, and replace a mainstay in Will Rogers. It would be a homecoming for Jefferson, a Mississippi native. Auburn could also upgrade at quarterback after going a pedestrian 6-6 in coach Hugh Freeze’s first season, even after adding former Michigan State starter Payton Thorne via the transfer portal last offseason.

TCU is at least worth monitoring thanks to the immediate connection between Jefferson and Horned Frogs offensive coordinator Kendal Briles. The two paired at Arkansas with far better results for Jefferson. Though Chandler Morris and Josh Hoover are already in place at TCU, the Horned Frogs’ offense was inconsistent at best under Briles in 2023 as TCU stumbled to a 5-7 mark.

Where Arkansas goes next
This would be a difficult loss for Arkansas. Jefferson’s experience — and availability — are his biggest assets, as is his physical makeup. He leaves Petrino and Pittman without that type of presence at a time when the Razorbacks need to see immediate improvement.

Rising senior and former North Carolina transfer Jacolby Criswell was the backup in 2023 but only attempted 27 passes, completing 17 for 143 yards and three touchdowns. It would not be a surprise by any stretch if Arkansas taps into the transfer portal itself to find a more experienced passer — or a fit for Petrino — as more names begin to trickle in.