David Pollack gives his take on Bobby Petrino's chances to land Arkansas job full-time

On Sunday, Arkansas announced it had fired head coach Sam Pittman and offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino would serve as the interim coach. The school revealed it’s already searching for its next head coach, and Petrino will be included as a candidate in that search.

With seven games remaining in Arkansas’ regular season, Petrino has to prove he’s the best man for the job. On Monday, college football expert David Pollack weighed in on Petrino’s chances of becoming Arkansas’ next head coach.

“He was a proven commodity at Arkansas and, because he won and was successful, I think that will give him a chance to earn the job,” Pollack said on See Ball Get Ball. “He has the opportunity to go earn it. And that’s all you can say.

“Jeremy Foley, the AD for Florida always used to say, ‘What must be done eventually, should be done immediately.’ And that comes like right now. Here’s the thing, I’d get in line. All these schools now get to be first in line for hiring their next coach. They don’t have to wait for everybody else. They don’t have to wait to talk to people. They’re literally looking for their next man.”

If Petrino lands the head coach opening at Arkansas, it won’t be his first time leading the program. Petrino was the Razorbacks’ head man from 2008-11, but was fired in 2012 after it was revealed that he’d gotten into a motorcycle accident with his mistress, who was a former Arkansas volleyball player and served as the student-athlete development coordinator for the football program.

Bobby Petrino’s past with the program caused many analysts to be shocked when the school allowed Pittman to hire him again. Now, the 64-year-old coach will have a chance to take the rains again in Fayetteville.

In fairness, Arkansas posted back-to-back 10-win seasons under Petrino during his first tenure with the program. The Razorbacks haven’t won more than nine games in a single season since. Arkansas’ struggles this year haven’t been due to Petrino’s play-calling.

Arkansas is averaging 514.6 total yards per game, ranking No. 10 in the country. The Razorbacks also averaged the 10th most yards per game in college football last season. For reference, Arkansas ranked 107th in total offense in 2023, the year before Petrino reunited with the program.

The Razorbacks have a bye this week before squaring off against Tennessee on Oct. 11. Petrino will look to make a strong first impression as Arkansas’ interim coach.