In a year filled with disappointment on the football field, the return of former Arkansas head coach Bobby Petrino might be the one glimpse of hope Hog fans needed. There is no secret that Coach Petrino and the Hogs didn’t end on the best note, but in dire times some heroes might be the least expected. This polarizing move to name Coach Petrino as the Offensive Coordinator under Sam Pittman in a year that most fans believe he will spend in the ‘hot seat’ has left most of the fan base in disbelief. Some didn’t even think it could happen. But according to social media, an overwhelming majority of fans are excited for the return of the last leader who sustained real success for the program. From 2008 to his departure after the 2011 season, Coach Petrino led Arkansas to some of the best records since the program entered the SEC. The 2010 and 2011 seasons are referred to by most new age Hog fans as the ‘Glory Days’ of Razorback football after making appearances in the Sugar Bowl and Cotton Bowl in back-to-back years. Winning 10 or more games in a season has become a distant dream for our fan base since then. The Sam Pittman era has been on a constant decline since his 9-win season in 2021, and the departure of former offensive coordinator Kendal Briles definitely didn’t help. I think I can speak for all of Hog Nation when I say we are yearning to be on the winning side of things once again. Is it foolish for us to believe Coach Petrino can replicate his past success over a decade later?

DZY