Paul Finebaum calls Bobby Petrino hire 'ingenious' for Texas A&M

Following their most disappointing season of the Jimbo Fisher era, Texas A&M added Bobby Petrino to their coaching staff this offseason as the Aggies’ offensive coordinator.

Petrino brings decades of collegiate and NFL coaching experience with him to College Station, as well as some baggage from his past. But college football analyst Paul Finebaum recently discussed the decision with ESPN’s Matt Barie and is supportive of the move given Texas A&M’s current circumstances.

“It is a last-ditch effort Matt you are correct, but to me it’s ingenious,” Finebaum said. “Because Bobby Petrino if you did a compilation of the top 10 offensive play-callers in the last 25 years he would be on there, he’s well thought of.”

In the past, Petrino helped lead Louisville and Arkansas to great heights as a head coach and play caller, most recently completing a three-year tenure at Missouri State after being fired from his second stint at Louisville.

He’s had a four-year hiatus from coaching at the Power Five level, but with rumors circulating about Fisher potentially being in the hot seat after a 5-7 finish last season, the Aggies almost had to take a big swing and think outside of the box.

“The fact that he’s got no personality, and has been fired, and involved in personal scandals, and all kinds of other controversy, you know that. But Jimbo Fisher I think said you know what, I’ve got to at least go through the motions here and he went out and brought in Petrino. Which I think was smart as opposed to just going to the most obvious choice of an available offensive coordinator, which probably wouldn’t get the job done,” Finebaum explained.

There’s no doubt that Texas A&M’s offense needed a revival, finishing second-to-last in points per game and third-to-last in yards per game in the SEC last season. Petrino could be the answer to the Aggies’ questions on the offensive side of the ball, but could also be a subject of strife if things don’t go according to plan in College Station.

“I don’t know whether it will work, I suspect it will work short term. What happens if there’s a terrible third-down call that costs them a big game?” Finebaum asked. “Jimbo’s not one to take too much blame himself, so he’ll probably throw Bobby Petrino under the bus and the world of podcasts and YouTube channels will be in overdrive the next day. But I think it was the right call, it was a desperate call, but it was the right call.”