Bowling Green, KY

Despite his controversial past, Western Kentucky has named Bobby Petrino as the 18th head football coach in school history.

Director of Athletics Todd Stewart said Petrino brings wealth of coaching experience and success to the Hilltoppers, not to mention the controversies that hounded him in the past.

Petrino was fired by Arkansas earlier in the year for having an inappropriate relationship with a female employee whom he personally hired.

However, Petrino's outstanding coaching record was simply too hard to resist for the Hilltoppers, who decided to overlook his personal shortcomings and take him on board.

In his eight seasons, Petrino has a 75-26 career record as collegiate head coach. He has seven bowl game appearances, including appearances in the 2011 BCS Sugar Bowl with the University of Arkansas and the 2007 BCS Orange Bowl with the University of Louisville.

With Arkansas, Petrino led the Razorbacks to a 34-17 record from 2007 to 2012, going 29-10 in his final three years.

He also spent four years as head coach at Louisville from 2003 to 2007, where he put together a remarkable 41-9 overall record, including an 11-win season and a 12-win season.

Before taking over Arkansas football program, Petrino also served as head coach of the Atlanta Falcons in the NFL in 2007.

As head coach with Louisville and Arkansas, Petrino led his teams to a bowl game in seven of the eight years, including four 10-win seasons. He also carried both the Cardinals and the Razorbacks to their first BCS bowl games in school history.

Petrino guided Arkansas and Louisville to top-10 finishes nationally three different times, including finishing the 2006 and the 2011 seasons ranked fifth in the poll.

The Hilltoppers will make their first-ever bowl game appearance on December 26 against Central Michigan in the Little Caesars Pizza Bowl.

However, defensive coordinator Lance Guidry will coach the Hilltoppers in the bowl game as interim head coach.

 

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