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Bobby Petrino to W. Kentucky

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Former Arkansas coach Bobby Petrino has agreed to become the next head coach at Western Kentucky, a source close to the coach told ESPN's Joe Schad on Monday. The Western Kentucky position at the Bowling Green school came open when Willie Taggart left last week for the same role at South Florida.

A source close to Petrino told Schad the coach views Western Kentucky as a program with an excellent administration with vision and a commitment to facilities and other elements necessary to win. Petrino, 51, was fired by the Razorbacks in April after revelations surfaced after a motorcycle crash that he had hired his mistress to a position in the football department and given her the equivalent of $20,000 in gifts.

Petrino had been in the middle of a seven-year contract under which his salary averaged $3.53 million per year. Petrino was 34-17 in four seasons at Arkansas, leading the Razorbacks to a No. 5 final ranking last season and a Cotton Bowl win over Kansas State.

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My two favorite teams are FAU, and who ever is beating FIU!
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Re: Bobby Petrino to W. Kentucky

As far as name recognition goes it's a good hire. I have no respect for the man but I don't work for WKU. Just his name alone will help them in recruiting, but WKU hired the wrong man if they think he's going to be there for the long haul. I say 2 seasons max. He'll do well, win games and stay out of trouble and he'll be back at a bigger program in no time

My two favorite teams are FAU, and who ever is beating FIU!
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Re: Bobby Petrino to W. Kentucky

Jab979 said

As far as name recognition goes it's a good hire. I have no respect for the man but I don't work for WKU. Just his name alone will help them in recruiting, but WKU hired the wrong man if they think he's going to be there for the long haul. I say 2 seasons max. He'll do well, win games and stay out of trouble and he'll be back at a bigger program in no time

+1
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Re: Bobby Petrino to W. Kentucky

Big name with some serious baggage. He will jump ship at the first opportunity.


GO OWLS!!!

2017 and 2019 Conference USA Champions
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Re: Bobby Petrino to W. Kentucky

I feel WKU actually lowered themselves in this hire. This is one of those cases that I would have avoided. Way too many other qualified coaches.
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Re: Bobby Petrino to W. Kentucky

Great article. This line sums it up for me:

"Western Kentucky knows it's a launching pad (as it was for Taggart), and there's almost no one it could hire that would stay for the long haul. In the short term, it's getting a proven winner."
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Re: Bobby Petrino to W. Kentucky

Again, I don't work for them but I disagree with their assessment. Why not try and find an up and coming coach maybe a local H.S. coach or a former player who has coaching experience. They're basically saying we know we're a stepping and stone and we're ok with that so Petrino its ok if you leave after 2 years, we're cool with it

My two favorite teams are FAU, and who ever is beating FIU!
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Re: Bobby Petrino to W. Kentucky

Bobby Petrino to W. Kentucky

I think the rationale there is:

If we create a reputation as a winning program, we get better national visibility, boosters donate more and we can attract better coaches/recruits which bring in more post-season revenue.

In short: a perpetual cycle of PR and money
vs
waiting 1-3 years as a sub-0.500 rebuilding team, have one or two good years, lose the coach anyway, and start all over.

Case in point: ASU lost two coaches in two years. But they also won two straight SBC championships, played in two straight bowl games and, if they win their bowl game this year, will have two consecutive 10 win seasons. So it's a bittersweet thing for ASU fans to lose their coaches like that but how sad can they be, really?

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Re: Bobby Petrino to W. Kentucky

owlfan1 said

Big name with some serious baggage. He will jump ship at the first opportunity.


GO OWLS!!!

Probably looking already - Ha Ha!
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Re: Bobby Petrino to W. Kentucky

Owl2Doc said

I think the rationale there is:

If we create a reputation as a winning program, we get better national visibility, boosters donate more and we can attract better coaches/recruits which bring in more post-season revenue.

In short: a perpetual cycle of PR and money
vs
waiting 1-3 years as a sub-0.500 rebuilding team, have one or two good years, lose the coach anyway, and start all over.

Case in point: ASU lost two coaches in two years. But they also won two straight SBC championships, played in two straight bowl games and, if they win their bowl game this year, will have two consecutive 10 win seasons. So it's a bittersweet thing for ASU fans to lose their coaches like that but how sad can they be, really?

It won't be easy up there for Petrino, WKU loses a lot on both side of the ball, primarily QB, TE, OL and ENTIRE DL!
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