http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/7553354
Bobby Petrino resigned as Atlanta Falcons coach on Tuesday and will take the head coaching job at Arkansas, sources told FOXSports.com. He lasted only 13 games with the NFL team.
Petrino called a staff meeting late Tuesday afternoon, a meeting which last about 10 seconds, sources said.
"He just said to us, 'Guys I've resigned, I'm going to Arkansas. I'm sorry. I'll be talking with you guys in the future.' And with that he turned and walked out the door. We haven't been told anything else," said one assistant coach.
At this point, the assistant coaches have not been told who will be coaching the team going forward.
Petrino left Louisville to become Falcons coach in January for a five-year, $24 million contract, largely because Atlanta felt he could help star quarterback Michael Vick reach his full potential.
A few months later, Vick came under investigation for a grisly dogfighting operation that eventually led him to plead guilty to federal charges. He was sentenced Monday to 23 months in prison without ever taking a snap for Petrino.
Arkansas has been looking for two weeks for a coach to replace Houston Nutt, who resigned after a tumultuous season and hours later took the Mississippi job.
After losing Vick, Petrino tried three other starting quarterbacks without success. The Falcons are 3-10 and assured of the 32nd losing season in their 42-year history.
Owner Arthur Blank told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution he spoke to Petrino on Monday, and that Petrino assured him that he would be back for a second season with Atlanta.
"I feel real fortunate that we have a terrific guy leading our football team," Blank told the paper. "Our CEO, our coach Bobby Petrino, has done a terrific job dealing with adversity this year. He's proven to me that he's a better head coach than I ever thought he was going to be, dealing with the set of cards that unfolded this year."
The resignation of Petrino was another jarring blow to the Falcons, who dealt with Vick's legal troubles since the first day of training camp, when a plane flew overhead pulling a sign that said: "New Team Name? Dog Killers?"
Petrino assembled one of college football's highest-scoring offenses at Louisville, but the Falcons were anemic without Vick. They also were plagued by injuries on the offensive line, which forced them to start two players who weren't even drafted out of college.
Just hours after Vick's sentencing in Richmond, Va., Atlanta took its fourth straight double-digit loss, 34-14 to the New Orleans Saints.
"Not a good day," Petrino said afterward.
Bobby Petrino resigned as Atlanta Falcons coach on Tuesday and will take the head coaching job at Arkansas, sources told FOXSports.com. He lasted only 13 games with the NFL team.
Petrino called a staff meeting late Tuesday afternoon, a meeting which last about 10 seconds, sources said.
"He just said to us, 'Guys I've resigned, I'm going to Arkansas. I'm sorry. I'll be talking with you guys in the future.' And with that he turned and walked out the door. We haven't been told anything else," said one assistant coach.
At this point, the assistant coaches have not been told who will be coaching the team going forward.
Petrino left Louisville to become Falcons coach in January for a five-year, $24 million contract, largely because Atlanta felt he could help star quarterback Michael Vick reach his full potential.
A few months later, Vick came under investigation for a grisly dogfighting operation that eventually led him to plead guilty to federal charges. He was sentenced Monday to 23 months in prison without ever taking a snap for Petrino.
Arkansas has been looking for two weeks for a coach to replace Houston Nutt, who resigned after a tumultuous season and hours later took the Mississippi job.
After losing Vick, Petrino tried three other starting quarterbacks without success. The Falcons are 3-10 and assured of the 32nd losing season in their 42-year history.
Owner Arthur Blank told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution he spoke to Petrino on Monday, and that Petrino assured him that he would be back for a second season with Atlanta.
"I feel real fortunate that we have a terrific guy leading our football team," Blank told the paper. "Our CEO, our coach Bobby Petrino, has done a terrific job dealing with adversity this year. He's proven to me that he's a better head coach than I ever thought he was going to be, dealing with the set of cards that unfolded this year."
The resignation of Petrino was another jarring blow to the Falcons, who dealt with Vick's legal troubles since the first day of training camp, when a plane flew overhead pulling a sign that said: "New Team Name? Dog Killers?"
Petrino assembled one of college football's highest-scoring offenses at Louisville, but the Falcons were anemic without Vick. They also were plagued by injuries on the offensive line, which forced them to start two players who weren't even drafted out of college.
Just hours after Vick's sentencing in Richmond, Va., Atlanta took its fourth straight double-digit loss, 34-14 to the New Orleans Saints.
"Not a good day," Petrino said afterward.
