ShareThisFor the second time in its football history, the University of Arkansas Razorbacks have plucked a coach who spent less than a full season in the NFL and failed miserably in the play-for-pay game.Bobby Petrino walked away from the Atlanta Falcons Tuesday to take the job in Fayetteville, Ark., leaving behind a 3-10 record with three games still to play.In 1976 Lou Holtz walked away from the New York Jets, also to take the job in Fayetteville and also sporting a 3-10 record. In the case of Holtz, the Jets had just one game left because this was in the era of the 14-game regular season.Ironically, both Petrino and Holtz moved on to the pros following successful four-year stints at college programs.Petrino led Louisville to a 41-9 record in four years and claimed a pair of conference titles, while Holtz was 33-12-3 at North Carolina State and helped the Wolfpack win an Atlantic Coast Conference championship.So what are the differences in Holtz quitting the Jets and Petrino walking out on the Falcons?Holtz simply hated the pro game. When he quit he said, "God didn't put Lou Holtz on earth to be a pro coach."So he left New York with unfinished business and headed to Arkansas, where he had a nice run with the Razorbacks, before eventually moving on to Minnesota, Notre Dame and South Carolina.As for Petrino, he left because quarterback Michael Vick wasn't on the team. And despite claiming that the Falcons was his dream job and talking about how he was in it for the long haul, this brief stint was disastrous any way you look it.By all accounts the players didn't like him, and he had little interest in interacting with them. He was as far removed from being "a player's coach" as one can get.But don't think for a minute he'd be back in the college ranks if Vick was his QB.Had Vick beaten the rap -- or better yet had sense enough to stay out of the dog fighting/dog killing business -- Petrino would still be in the Atlanta and happy as a clam.The Falcons wouldn't have been world-beaters in 2007, but they would've scored points, been exciting to watch and Petrino would've had something to build on.Instead, Vick is in prison and will likely never wear a Falcons uniform again. And without arguably the NFL's best all-around athlete running his offense, Petrino had nothing.So instead of toughing it out, Petrino decided to cut and run.He'll probably do a good job with the Razorbacks; there's no doubt he can coach. And frankly the move is probably best for both him and the Falcons.Still, quitting before the season is done doesn't earn Petrino character points.What's the old saying, "When the going gets tough the tough get going?"When the going got tough for Holtz and Petrino in the NFL, they got going to Arkansas.(Contact Scott Adamson of the Anderson Independent-Mail in Anderson, S.C., at www.andersonsc.com.)
Another NFL flop hears Razorbacks calling
Submitted by administrator on Thu, 12/13/2007 - 13:37
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