Razorback fans, ready for a sequel? How about interim head coach Bobby Petrino returning as “Boss Hog”? So far, Petrino has stayed tight-lipped, saying that’s not “a question for me to answer.” But looking at the pros of the perspective, Arkansas alum Madre Hill has cut straight to the chase, laying out whether Petrino deserves the job and why he believes so.

“If I’m, if I’m the AD, which I think that you should be, Bazzel (the event’s host). Yeah, I think you should put your name in the hat the next time it’s open. I think that you stick with Bobby,” Hill said on Monday’s appearance at the LR Touchdown Club. And this isn’t just a biased opinion. Hill has clear, logical reasoning backing his recommendation.

“If you reset and hit the reset button, first of all, you got a coach who wants to be there. And I have been around several coaches, and it’s three different types of coaches. You got the coaches with the ego when they walk in the room, they want the wind to be taken out,” said Hill, referring to Bobby Petrino as one of those heavyweight coaches who “take the breath away” from the room, demand accountability, and accept no excuses. “Secondly, you got your recruiter who’s great at recruiting. He can do that. And then you got your stabilizer, Coach Pittman, okay, so you got to decide what you want.”

Although the final decision rests with the school, Hill, the single-season rushing record holder with 1,387 yards in 1995 for Arkansas, knows this program’s need. The interim HC of Arkansas has a long connection with the program. After leaving his Atlanta Falcons’ head coaching job, he served at Arkansas from 2008 to 2011 as an HC. In his tenure, he made a 34-17 record, led the team to three bowl games, and achieved a No. 5 final AP Top 25 ranking in 2011.

Coming to the recruitment side, he has an eye for finding high-level talent. He recruited future NFL players like WRs Joe Adams and Jarius Wright, QB Tyler Wilson, DE Trey Flowers, and many more. Under his direction, Arkansas’ 2008 class was ranked No. 20 in On3’s recruitment rankings. Now, in checking all the boxes to be Arkansas’ HC, as per Hill, Bobby Petrino seems like the perfect fit for the Razorbacks.

As Hill put it, saying, “I honestly think we are in a time period where we have to have someone take the breath out of the room.” But beyond his recruitment and head coaching, his offensive mind also brought to light for the Razorbacks. After his head coaching days, when he returned as an OC in 2023, the team ranked 10th in the SEC in total offense.

While Bobby Petrino’s track record with Arkansas flashes some brilliance, Pittman had a 32-34 record with Arkansas through his five-plus seasons. With that, losing fans’ trust seems reasonable for Pittman. But will Petrino remain HC after this season, especially with former PSU HC James Franklin’s name being mentioned as a potential candidate?

Bobby Petrino’s future with the Razorbacks

The Razorbacks have been on the hunt for a new HC since Sam Pittman’s firing on September 28. Despite having Bobby Petrino as their interim HC, the school wants someone who can push Arkansas to the next level. While that means any candidate has to bring serious resources along with them, enter James Franklin.

His name has surfaced repeatedly in conversations around Fayetteville over the last few weeks. As per the report, Franklin is Arkansas’ No. 1 target. The reason is very simple. Despite his 3-3 start to the 2025 season and eventual firing from PSU, Franklin’s track record speaks volumes. He had a 2-1 stretch in the 2024 CFP, a solid run at PSU, and nine-win seasons at Vanderbilt.

Although other programs like FSU, NC State, and more could all be in play, Arkansas appears to be putting serious weight behind Franklin. And if any coaching changes happen after this season at Fayetteville, Franklin can be the next HC.