Petrino Made Right Decision

I've been reading some columns about Bobby Petrino's decision to leave the NFL's Atlanta Falcons and take the coaching job at my alma mater, the University of Arkansas.

I'm a little surprised at what I'm reading.

Don Banks of Sports Illustrated has been lamenting Petrino's departure after coaching for less than a full season, writing with the apparent conviction that being an NFL coach is the pinnacle of a coach's career -- and returning to the collegiate ranks is a step down.

Interestingly, Banks never mentions the job Petrino took. Not even once. And I think it's fair to say that the competitive level that Petrino will encounter in the Southeast Conference is considerably higher than it is in the Big East, in which Petrino's former team, Louisville, plays.

It may not be the NFL, Mr. Banks, but I'll wager that the SEC is stronger, top to bottom, than any other conference in the land. In January, LSU will play for its second national title in this decade. Florida won the national title last year.

SEC football is tough, exciting and its fans pack the stands.

Dennis Dillon mentions Petrino's destination in his Sporting News column, but he appears to believe that Petrino is cutting and running when the chips are down.

Dillon looks upon this as a betrayal by Petrino, but I think it's the other way around. Petrino took the job expecting to build his offense around Michael Vick at quarterback, but he was cut off at the knees by Vick's legal problems.

After that, things snowballed, and the Falcons' season has turned into a genuine disaster. It's not Petrino's fault. This catastrophe was dumped on him.

I am glad, though, that Dillon mentioned a previous Arkansas coach, Lou Holtz, in his column, because I do see some similarity between Holtz and Petrino, particularly the one to which Dillon refers. Dillon points out that Holtz left college coaching to take the job coaching the New York Jets. He left New York before the season was over, took over at Arkansas and had a great year his first year there, leading the Razorbacks to an Orange Bowl victory over Oklahoma.

I don't think Holtz abandoned the Jets, and I don't think Petrino abandoned the Falcons.

After he returned to the college level, Holtz won a national championship at Notre Dame. Coaching college football was where he excelled, not in the money-driven NFL. College sports and pro sports are different games, and different personalities excel in each.

Perhaps Petrino is like Holtz. Perhaps the college game is where he stands out.

I will be anxious to see if Petrino, with his history of coaching the pass effectively at Louisville, can blend the passing game with Arkansas' tradition of a strong running game. That will be his major test at Arkansas.

Along with facing his predecessor, Houston Nutt, when Ole Miss comes to town.

In the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Mark Bradley blithely talks about the general mess the franchise is in (as if actions -- or, rather, inactions -- by management had no consequences) and then speculates about who should be selected to clean it up and get it moving in the right direction.

His choice? Bill Cowher.

But it's going to take more than a big-name coach to fix things in Atlanta.