Paul Petrino

Paul Petrino
At Sun Belt Media Day in 2015
Current position
TitleWide receivers coach
TeamSouth Alabama
ConferenceSun Belt
Biographical details
Born (1967-05-25) May 25, 1967 (age 57)
Butte, Montana, U.S.
Playing career
1985–1988Carroll (MT)
Position(s)Quarterback
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1990–1991Carroll (MT) (OC/QB)
1992–1994Idaho (WR/RB/ST)
1995–1997Utah State (WR/ST)
1998–1999Louisville (WR)
2000–2002Southern Miss (QB)
2003–2006Louisville (OC/WR)
2007Atlanta Falcons (WR)
2008–2009Arkansas (OC/WR)
2010–2011Illinois (OC/WR)
2012Arkansas (OC/QB)
2013–2021Idaho
2022–2023Central Michigan (OC/QB)
2024–presentSouth Alabama (WR)
Head coaching record
Overall34–66 (.340)
Bowls1–0
Accomplishments and honors
Awards
Sun Belt Coach of the Year (2016)

Paul Vincent Petrino (born May 25, 1967) is an American football coach. He is the wide receivers coach for the University of South Alabama, a position he has held since 2024. He was previously the head coach at the University of Idaho in Moscow, with an overall record of 34–66 (.340) over nine seasons.

Early life

Born in Butte, Montana, Petrino grew up in Helena and graduated from its Capital High School.[1][2] Recruited by the University of Montana in Missoula,[3] Petrino stayed in Helena and attended Carroll College. He played quarterback for the Fighting Saints, where his father, Bob Petrino Sr., was the head coach from 1971 to 1998.[4] Both are members of Carroll's athletic hall of fame.[5]

Coaching career

Petrino began his coaching career as an assistant coach at Carroll shortly after graduation. He worked as an assistant coach, wide receiver coach, and offensive coordinator at several other schools in the next 20 years, including a short stint with the Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League (NFL) in 2007. In 2006, while serving as offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach at Louisville, Petrino was a finalist for the Broyles Award, given annually to the nation's top college football assistant coach.

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.

Personal life

Petrino is the younger brother, by six years, of Arkansas offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino; both were quarterbacks at Carroll.[1][4] When Paul was a player, Bobby was the offensive coordinator.[5] The brothers have worked together on coaching teams such as Louisville, the Atlanta Falcons, and Arkansas. His son, Mason Petrino, played quarterback for him at Idaho, and started in games from 2017 to 2019.

Head coaching record

Year Team Overall Conference Standing Bowl/playoffs
Idaho Vandals (FBS independent) (2013)
2013 Idaho 1–11
Idaho Vandals (Sun Belt Conference) (2014–2017)
2014 Idaho 1–10 1–7 T–9th
2015 Idaho 4–8 3–5 T–5th
2016 Idaho 9–4 6–2 T–3rd W Famous Idaho Potato
2017 Idaho 4–8 3–5 T–8th
Idaho Vandals (Big Sky Conference) (2018–2021)
2018 Idaho 4–7 3–5 T–9th
2019 Idaho 5–7 3–5 T–7th
2020–21 Idaho 2–4 2–4 T–5th
2021 Idaho 4–7 3–5 9th
Idaho: 34–66 24–38
Total: 34–66

References

  1. ^ a b Synness, Curt (December 10, 2003). "Petrinos define coaching". Independent Record. (Helena, Montana). Retrieved December 6, 2016.
  2. ^ Synness, Curt (August 29, 2016). "Where are they now?..." Independent Record. (Helena, Montana). Retrieved December 6, 2016.
  3. ^ Dawson, Ted (August 31, 2016). "Montana State to take on Helena legend Paul Petrino". Montana Sports. Retrieved December 6, 2016.
  4. ^ a b "Bob Petrino, Sr". Independent Record. (Helena, Montana). August 18, 2005. Retrieved December 6, 2016.
  5. ^ a b Asmussen, Bob (August 8, 2010). "Paul Petrino: 'Tough as an old work boot'". News-Gazette. (Champaign, Illinois). Retrieved December 6, 2016.
  6. ^ "Paul Petrino hired as Idaho coach". ESPN. December 3, 2012. Retrieved December 4, 2012.
  7. ^ Wright, Josh (December 4, 2012). "Vandals name Paul Petrino new football coach". The Spokesman-Review. Retrieved December 4, 2012.
  8. ^ John McElwain (December 7, 2016). "Sun Belt announces 2016 Football All-Conference teams and individual awards". www.sunbeltsports.org. Sun Belt Conference. Retrieved December 16, 2016.
  9. ^ Stephenson, Creg (January 11, 2022). "Paul Petrino joins South Alabama staff as analyst". al.com. Advance Local Media LLC. Retrieved February 21, 2022.
  10. ^ Samuels, Doug (February 21, 2022). "Jim McElwain reportedly snagging former SEC and Big Ten offensive coordinator". footballscoop.com. Football Scoop. Retrieved February 21, 2022.