North Carolina officially introduced Bobby Petrino as its new offensive coordinator, betting on one of college football’s most accomplished playcallers to jumpstart an offense that ranked near the bottom of the FBS in Bill Belichick’s first season at the helm.
North Carolina has formally announced Bobby Petrino as its new offensive coordinator, turning to one of college football’s most prolific offensive minds to revive a unit that ranked near the bottom of the FBS in 2025.
The Tar Heels finished last season 119th nationally in scoring at 19.3 points per game and 129th in total offense at 288.8 yards per game, a sharp drop-off after fielding one of the nation’s top offenses in all five seasons under former coach Mack Brown. The regression under Bill Belichick’s first year in charge led UNC to part ways with offensive coordinator Freddie Kitchens.
It’s official!
— Carolina Football (@UNCFootball) January 9, 2026
Welcome to Chapel Hill, @CoachBPetrino! 🐏🏠
🔗: https://t.co/XOaBDLO617pic.twitter.com/gjE8D8lv6O
Petrino arrives in Chapel Hill with a long track record of elite production. Over 19 seasons as a head coach or offensive coordinator, he has routinely led prolific offenses. His teams have finished in the top 25 nationally 11 times, in the top 10 nine times and in the top five six times, and he has twice guided an offense that led the nation in total yards.
As a head coach, Petrino owns a 140-88 record at Louisville, Arkansas, Western Kentucky, Missouri State and in the NFL with the Atlanta Falcons. He guided Louisville to the Big East title and an Orange Bowl win in 2006, and he led Arkansas to the Sugar Bowl in 2010 and the Cotton Bowl in 2011.
At his most recent stop, Petrino served as Arkansas’ offensive coordinator. The season before he arrived in Fayetteville, the Razorbacks ranked 10th in the SEC in scoring offense, 13th in total offense, 10th in rushing offense, 12th in passing offense, 13th in plays of more than 10 yards and 13th in red zone attempts.
After he took over playcalling in 2024, Arkansas’ offense climbed into the national top 10 at 459.5 yards per game. Even in a 2-10 season last year, the Razorbacks continued to move the ball, averaging 455 yards per game to rank 18th nationally.
Petrino has twice coordinated the nation’s No. 1 offense, both at Louisville — first in 1998, when he called plays and the Cardinals averaged 559.6 yards per game, and again in 2004, when they averaged 539 yards per game in his second season as head coach. His offenses have topped 500 yards per game four times, all at Louisville.
He has also developed multiple NFL quarterbacks, including two-time NFL MVP Lamar Jackson.
North Carolina now hopes Petrino can bring that production to Chapel Hill and repair an offense that was among the worst in major college football last season.
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This article originally appeared on Tar Heels Wire: UNC Football: Petrino officially Carolina's new offensive coordinator
Category: General Sports
