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North Carolina finalizing deal to hire Bobby Petrino as offensive coordinator

Nakos updated headshotby: Pete Nakos12/22/25PeteNakos

Bobby Petrino has agreed to become the next North Carolina offensive coordinator under Bill Belichick, sources tell On3’s Chris Low, Pete Nakos and Inside Carolina. The move comes after the Tar Heels fired offensive coordinator Freddie Kitchens earlier this month after one season.

The Tar Heels finished with one of the worst offenses in FBS in 2025. North Carolina ranked 119th in the FBS in scoring (19.3 points per game) and 129th in total offense (288.8 yards per game). Petrino is being charged with turning that around.

Belichick and Petrino do not have direct ties, but Petrino has ties to the current North Carolina coaching staff. Petrino has consistently turned around offenses in his career. The former head coach of Louisville and Arkansas also has NFL head coaching experience, having spent one season as the Atlanta Falcons head coach.

Despite the struggles with the Razorbacks this season as interim head coach, Petrino’s offenses have consistently produced. This season, Arkansas finished fourth in the SEC, producing 454.8 yards and 32.9 points per game.

In 2023, Arkansas was 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. He turned all that around in a single year. In 2024, they averaged 30.9 points per game.

Before landing at Arkansas, he was Jimbo Fisher’s offensive coordinator at Texas A&M. In 2023, under Petrino, the Aggies were 25th nationally in points scored, averaging 33.3 per game.

Petrino will also be tasked with turning around a quarterback room that struggled in 2025. Quarterback Max Johnson has already announced his intentions to enter the transfer portal, while Gio Lopez is currently expected to return. The Tar Heels ranked second-to-last in the ACC in passing yards, averaging only 183.9 yards per game in the air. Petrino has developed quarterbacks Lamar Jackson, Taylen Green, Jake Plummer and Ryan Mallett, among others.