North Carolina head coach Bill Belichick made the hiring of veteran coach Bobby Petrino as offensive coordinator official on Friday.
News began to spread before Christmas that Petrino was headed for Chapel Hill, where he will be charged with revamping an offense that averaged only 19.3 points and 288.8 yards of total offense per game. Their scoring average was 16th in the 17-team Atlantic Coast Conference, and the Tar Heels finished last in total offense.
Belichick fired offensive coordinator Freddie Kitchens after North Carolina finished 4-8 (2-6) in 2025.
“I’m extremely excited to join Coach Belichick and the Carolina football program,” Petrino, 64, said Friday in a school news release. “This is an incredible opportunity to work with one of the best at a storied institution. I cannot wait to get started in Chapel Hill alongside this coaching staff and student-athletes.”
Belichick cited Petrino’s “proven record” in announcing the addition.
“We are fortunate to add an elite coaching talent in Bobby to our staff,” Belichick said. “He brings an extensive background and a proven record of success on offense at every level of football. Bobby has consistently built great offenses everywhere he has been, and we look forward to having him work with our program.”
Petrino held numerous college and NFL roles before serving as the Louisville head coach in 2003-06.
After resigning from the Atlanta Falcons 13 games into his lone season coaching them in 2007, Petrino served as the head coach at Arkansas (2008-11), Western Kentucky (2013), Louisville again (2014-18) and Missouri State (2020-22). He had an unceremonious departure from Arkansas after a motorcycle accident and an inappropriate relationship with an assistant.
That did not stop Arkansas from bringing him back as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach ahead of the 2024 season. When the Razorbacks fired head coach Sam Pittman on Sept. 28, 2025, Petrino became the interim coach and was considered a candidate for the full-time job.
Petrino has an overall record of 119-63 as a head coach.
Arkansas instead hired away Ryan Silverfield from Memphis and did not retain Petrino, who lost all seven games he coached.
Still, the problem at Arkansas was not its offense. The Razorbacks were 15th in the nation in total offense (454.8 yards) and 23rd in scoring offense (32.9 points).
