Bobby Petrino, once forced out of Arkansas in disgrace, has returned to lead the Razorbacks again. After a 2-3 start and a blowout win against Notre Dame last week, Sam Pittman had to bid goodbye to the program, and this gave Petrino a chance to play his second innings with them. But here’s the deal: he’s still an interim coach after AD Hunter Yurachek took this bold step, and the search for a better leader is still pretty much going on.

Petrino’s first run with the Razorbacks spanned from 2008 to 2011, during which he elevated the program to new heights. He guided Arkansas to a 10-win season in 2010 and followed it with an 11–2 record in 2011, giving fans legitimate championship hopes. But everything unraveled in 2012 after his infamous motorcycle crash, which also exposed his inappropriate relationship with staffer Jessica Dorrell. Following an internal review, Petrino was fired on April 10, just nine days after the accident.

But as we say, better late than never, and in Bobby Petrino’s case, that’s what happened. Yet with the search still going on at full pace, it looks like he might have to show his dominance fast. As an Arkansas Board of Trustees member and a former Hog himself, Randy Lawson is eagerly looking for the best fit. “You know, I think there are several names I’ve heard floated about, you know, people speculating. Obviously, at this point, I have heard this—that multiple agents have already contacted. You know, our athletic director, Hunter (Yurachek), and so from the feedback I’ve heard, you know, real close to all the action that’s going on right now, I have heard this: that we’ve got a significant, serious interest from very quality candidates from around the country,” he said.

So, if that’s the case, then Bobby Petrino’s hopes might go straight in vain. But for now, it feels like a full-circle moment for Petrino. “I wanted to be able to come here and apologize to everybody—the fans and the players—and truly tell you how sorry I am for the way it ended,” he said. After pulling off a near-losing game of 38-27 against Arkansas, that’s exactly why two years later, Sam Pittman got him back on the team as OC.

Bringing him back was the turning point for Arkansas’s future. As no other coaches from Houston Nutt to Bret Bielema to Chad Morris could meet expectations, but Petrino did it for Razorbacks fans. And that’s what made him feel contented. “Something I hoped would happen. Wasn’t sure if it ever would, but it is a dream come true to be able to go back to the University of Arkansas and do anything I possibly can to make it right this time,” he told ESPN. Ironically, Petrino’s exit wasn’t due to wins or losses but because of scandals.

But he’s back on the field, even if it’s for a short time, and already making big moves.

Bobby Petrino takes bold step to secure team’s future

Arkansas’s defense has turned out to be its weakest point since the start of the season, as in 5 games they have allowed 425 yards, which puts them in the worst position in the SEC, and have even allowed 30 points per game. So, now you know why Bobby Petrino needed to make an instant hire in the defense position. That’s exactly why he got veteran NFL coach Jay Haynes, who has coached exceptional defensive linemen Geno Atkins and Carlos Dunlap. What makes him a perfect fit for the team is his 20 years of experience shaping defensive minds.

In Haynes’s NFL career from 1999 to 2018, he coached many teams, like the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Minnesota Vikings, Pittsburgh Steelers, and Green Bay Packers, but his longest gig was with the Cincinnati Bengals, where he was for 13 years. Now, after getting Haynes on board, Petrino also fired defensive coordinator Travis Williams, DL coach Deke Adams, and co-defensive coordinator Marcus Woodson, and got Chris Wilson as DC and Che Hendrix as safeties coach.

Now, let’s wait and see if Bobby Petrino stays at the HC position for long or ends up losing it to someone else.