It’s over, it seems. After over a month of speculation the successor to Robb Akey (and to an extent Jason Gesser) has been found.
The new head coach of the Idaho football program is Paul Petrino, coachingsearch.com first reported early Sunday afternoon and later confirmed by Joe Schad at ESPN.
Idaho athletic director Rob Spear has yet to confirm the hire or make a statement, however a press conference has been scheduled for 1:30 p.m. PST Monday at the Litehouse Center at the Kibbie Dome, which in an e-mail to media said was to introduce the new football coach.
There is also this from KLEW, showing Spear at the Pullman-Moscow airport with Idaho’s reported new head coach.
Paul Petrino is not to be confused with THAT Petrino. Paul Petrino, though, is the brother of Bobby.
He spent 2012 as the offensive coordinator at Arkansas under interim coach (and former Idaho coach) John L. Smith, a position he accepted in 2012 from his brother before Bobby Petrino was dismissed as head coach for inappropriate off-the-field conduct with another university employee. It was Paul’s second stint at Arkansas, also serving as offensive coordinator there in 2008 and 2009.
In between the two Arkansas stints he spent two years at Illinois in 2010 and 2011 where he oversaw the offense of two 7-6 squads, but wasn’t retained when Illinois let head coach Ron Zook go.
Petrino was one of five reported finalists for the Idaho coaching job, a group which included interim coach Jason Gesser, San Jose State OC Brian Lindgren, Central Washington coach Blaine Bennett and Wyoming DC Chris Tormey. All have either previously played or coached at Idaho.
Spear stressed the importance of having a coach with Pacific Northwest ties, which may explain why every candidate had a connection to Idaho in some way, though Petrino hasn’t coached in the northwest since last being at Idaho. He was last in Moscow from 1992-1994 as an assistant under John L. Smith when the Vandals were still in the Big Sky, winning the Big Sky in 1992 and going to the Division I-AA national semifinal in 1993.
Paul’s other stops include the NFL as wide receivers coach of the Atlanta Falcons when brother Bobby was head coach there, and Louisville from 2003-2006 as offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach — Louisville won the Orange bowl in 2006.
It should be noted that at a majority of his stops Petrino has worked closely with wide receivers. That includes grooming current NFL receivers Harry Douglas (Louisville to the Atlanta Falcons) and A.J. Jenkins (Illinois to the San Francisco 49ers), both breaking out under the tutelage of Paul Petrino. This season at Arkansas it was senior Cobi Hamilton who had a breakout season with 1335 yards on 90 catches and five touchdown catches, an improvement on his 34 catch 542 yard junior season.
Idaho returns some intriguing options at receiver next season which include to-be seniors Jahrie Level and Najee Lovett who would be the favorites to be Idaho’s starters next season.
Obviously the next step for Petrino will be filling out his staff at Idaho, including whether or not he will retain any from Robb Akey’s staff.
We’ll have more from tomorrow’s press conference.
CHUCKSPEAR
So you spoke with Chris Tormey, and didn't even make an offer, Mr Spear your are the definition of the term PUTZ!!!
Sam
Why did every coach have some sort of connection to U of I? Is that some requirement of a major donor? Is that the only way we can sell people on coming to Moscow?