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Louisville football: Three reasons Bobby Petrino didn’t cut it for Cards

By Zach Hamilton

LOUISVILLE, KY - SEPTEMBER 15: Head coach Bobby Petrino of the Louisville Cardinals argues a call during the second quarter of the game against the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers at Cardinal Stadium on September 15, 2018 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Photo by Bobby Ellis/Getty Images)
LOUISVILLE, KY - SEPTEMBER 15: Head coach Bobby Petrino of the Louisville Cardinals argues a call during the second quarter of the game against the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers at Cardinal Stadium on September 15, 2018 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Photo by Bobby Ellis/Getty Images) /
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Louisville football was never able to gain their footing under Bobby Petrino in 2018, but we take a look at the three things that doomed him from the start.

Life without Bobby Petrino will be completely different for Louisville football fans. Cards fans will always be appreciative of what Petrino did for the program, the school, and the City of Louisville, but Petrino never lived up to expectations in his second stint as head coach.

However you slice things, Petrino just could not get the job done. The way we I see it is that you could break down the reason for Petrino’s ousting into three parts.

Let’s take a look at what was ultimately the demise of Petrino, and in the end what made his firing a non-option.

Unacceptable Record

First, I’ll start with Petrino’s record against top 25 teams: 1-13 with the lone win coming against 2nd-ranked Florida State in 2016.

As of the 3rd College Football Playoff Poll released on November 14th, the Cards still face 1 top 25 team.. #17 Kentucky @ home. Kentucky likely would have run all over us with Benny Snell. With Petrino now gone, the young Cardinals may have added motivation to play.

The task isn’t any easier with potential draft picks on Kentucky’s defense (Josh Allen, Mike Edwards, & Jordan Jones), but lets hope we show up for a rivalry game.

Overall Petrino was 36-26 in his 2nd stint. To compare Butch Jones was 34-27 in 5 years at Tennessee. Much like Petrino, Jones had a hefty buyout and receives $200,000 a month from Tennessee.

Even more concerning, Petrino was only .500 against FBS teams. He rarely, if ever, beat teams with talent close to the level of his team. And that, my friends, is not getting enough bang for your buck.

Inattentiveness to recruiting

Here is a list of some of the highly-ranked players from the state of Kentucky- many of whom hail from Louisville- that Petrino was unable to secure.

It is absolutely inexcusable to completely whiff- or worse, not even try- on landing some of the top talent in your own back yard.

Without further ado:

  1. Damien Harris: Running Back, Alabama
  2. Grayson Miller: OLB, Michigan State
  3. Rodjay Burns: CB who played 1 season at Ohio State and returned to Louisville (still counts)
  4. Jedrick Willis: OT, Alabama
  5. Ronadle Moore: WR/ RB/Return specialist, Purdue
  6. Tahj Rice: ILB, Duke
  7. Stephen Herron Jr: Trinity High School, committed to play WDE for Stanford
  8. Jacob Lacey: South Warren High School, committed to play DT for Notre Dame
  9. Bryan Hudson: Scott County, committed to play OT for Virginia Tech
  10. Tanner Bowles: Glasgow High School, committed to play OT for Alabama
  11. Jared Casey: Ballard High School, committed to play ILB for Oregon
  12. Milton Wright: CAL, committed to play WR at Purdue

This doesn’t include the recruits we may lose out on for 2019 such as…

  1. J.J. Weaver, SDE for Moore: Kentucky is favorite

And decommits…

  1. Austin Griffin: #1 TE for 2019 JUCO class
  2. Jamari Williams: 3 star OL for 2019 now committed to Arizona
  3. Demonate Crumes: 3 star WR for 2019 now committed to Kentucky
  4. Glover Cook: 3 star RB for 2019 class now committed to Missouri
  5. Malcom Ray: 3 star DT for 2019 class now committed to Charlie Strong at USF
  6. Jamari Williams: 3 star OG for 2019 class now committed to Arizona
  7. Kristian Varner: 3 star SDE
  • 8 total for 2018 class
  • 10 from 2017 class
  • 2 from 2016 class

Oh and transfers

  • Traveon Samuel: Played 4 years for the Cards
  • Toryque Bateman: Former 3 star OL commit
  • Jordan Travis: Former 3 star QB recruit
  • Russ Yeast: former 4 star CB recruit and son of Kentucky football star Craig Yeast (Yeast has since returned to the team after the firing of Bobby Petrino)

This article written by Jacob Lane is all about Travis’ decision to transfer.

Also Petrino has lost a few of recruits to Kentucky…

  • Landon Young: OT
  • Drake Johnson: OC
  • Kash Daniel: ILB
  • Wandale Robinson: RB for Western Hills High School: Committed to Kentucky for 2019
  • See #3 decommit above

Currently our 2019 class ranks #72 and #13 in the ACC according to 247 Sports

Lack of Coaching Stability

These coaches came, they saw, and they hated it. If a coach wasn’t forced out under Petrino, he could not wait to get the heck out of Dodge.

  • Todd & Tony Grantham
  • Garrick McGee
  • Keith Heyward
  • Cort Dennison
  • Terrell Buckley
  • Lamar Thomas

If players are uncertain who their position coach will be a few years into their college career why would you come to Louisville? For example Louisville has had 3 defensive coordinators in 3 years.

On a side note Chris Klenakis drove drunk. Lonnie Galloway was suspended for the Citrus Bowl against LSU for obtaining the game plan from Wake Forest for our game against them.

As a lifelong, die-hard Cardinal fan it has been very difficult to watch the play on the field. I respect Bobby Petrino as a person but I’m happy Vince Tyra decided to make a move. Petrino, along with his family, has been great for the Louisville community. The Petrino Family Foundation was great. I wish Petrino and his family nothing but success and I hope he lands on his feet somewhere.

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