Paul Petrino

Idaho

In December 2012, Petrino became the head coach at Idaho, where he had worked in the early 1990s under John L. Smith.^[6] After the announcement, Arkansas athletic director Jeff Long praised Petrino, saying he would have named Petrino the interim Arkansas head coach if not for his brother Bobby's resignation after a scandal.^[7] Following the 2016 season, Petrino was named the Sun Belt Coach of the Year after improving the Vandals from 4–8 the previous season to 8–4.^[8] The season was capped with a ninth win, in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl in Boise. After more than two decades back in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS), Idaho returned to the Big Sky Conference in FCS in 2018.

Petrino's record at Idaho was 34–66 (.340), the nine seasons and 66 losses are the most by a head coach in program history. In 2019, he passed Skip Stahley, 22–51–1 (.304) in eight seasons (1954–61). Third on that list is Robb Akey, 20–50 (.286) in six seasons (2007–12), and did not coach the final four games of 2012, all losses; fourth is Tom Cable, 11–35 (.239) in four seasons (2000–03).

Later career

Following his firing in Idaho after the 2021 season, Petrino was briefly on the staff at South Alabama as an offensive analyst,^[9] then joined Jim McElwain's staff at Central Michigan as the offensive coordinator.^[10] In February 2024, he became the wide receivers coach at South Alabama under new head coach Major Applewhite.^[11] On January 7, 2025, Petrino was promoted as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach.^[12]