Football
Petrino, Paul
Paul Petrino
- Title:
- Offensive Coordinator/Wide Receivers
- E-Mail Address:
- petri1pv@cmich.edu
- Phone:
- (989) 774-3896
- Year at CMU:
- 2nd year at CMU
- Hometown:
- Butte, Montana
- Alma Mater/Year:
- Carroll College/1989
- Experience:
- 34th year
Paul Petrino enters his second year on head coach Jim McElwain’s Central Michigan coaching staff as he serves as the program's offensive coordinator/wide receivers coach. He spent the previous 2022 season as the program’s offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach.
A 34-year coaching veteran, Petrino arrived at CMU with a long and highly successful resumé of success in both the college and professional ranks.
Prior to his tenure at Central Michigan, Petrino spent the previous nine years as the head coach at Idaho. At Idaho, he guided the Vandals from 2013-21. His most successful year was in 2016, when he was named the Sun Belt Conference Coach of the Year after the Vandals improved to 9-4 following a 4-8 record in the previous season. Idaho finished in third place in the Sun Belt Conference with a 6-2 league record. The season concluded with a ninth win, a 61-50 victory over Colorado State in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl, played in Boise. He also oversaw Idaho’s move from the FBS to a return to FCS football in the Big Sky Conference in 2018.
Over the years, Petrino has served assistant stints at Arkansas (2008-09, 2012), Illinois (2010-11), Louisville (2003-06), Southern Mississippi (2000-02), and Utah State (1995-97). He spent one year with the Atlanta Falcons (2007) as a wide receivers coach and has worked 10 years as an Offensive Coordinator at the FBS level.
During his 23 years as an assistant coach, Petrino helped lead programs to 12 bowl games, including Orange and Cotton Bowl victories, along with five NCAA Division I-AA playoff games. As an NCAA Division I assistant, he served on coaching staffs which combined for a 152-93 record (.650 win percentage).
While Petrino was the offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach at Louisville, the Cardinals and Texas Tech were the only two schools in the nation to rank among the top-10 national teams in total offense over four consecutive seasons (2003-06). In 50 games at Louisville, 41 of which were victories, his teams scored 40 or more points 28 times, 50 or more points 14 times, and 60 or more seven times.
In 2010, Petrino, as the offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach at Illinois, led an offense that set school records for total points (423) and points per game (32.5).
As a wide receivers coach, his resume includes mentoring NFL receivers such as Harry Douglas, Mario Urrutia, A.J. Jenkins, Jarius Wright, Greg Childs, Joe Adams, Cobi Hamilton, JR Russell, Arnold Jackson, and Jeff Cotton, and he coached Atlanta’s Roddy White during his breakout campaign in 2007. In 2011, Jenkins’ receiving yards ranked second in the Big Ten and No. 11 in the NCAA. At the end of 2011, Jenkins earned First Team All-Big Ten honors and was an NFL First Round draft pick by the San Francisco 49ers.
Petrino got his start at Carroll (Mont.) College as the offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach in 1990-91 and then moved on to Idaho as an assistant from 1992-94, where he worked under Head Coach John L. Smith.
A native of Butte, Montana, Petrino played quarterback for his father, Bob Petrino, Sr., at Carroll College in Helena from 1985-88, where he led the program to four conference championships and a combined 36-6 record. He was named the Football Gazette NAIA Division II Player of the Year and a two-time Kodak All-American.
Petrino’s family includes his wife Maya and three children: Mason, Ava, and Anne Mari, and son-in-law Trase LeTexier.
THE PETRINO FILE
Hometown: Butte, Montana
Family
Wife Maya, children Mason, Ava, Anne Mari, and son-in-law Trase LeTexier.
Education
Bachelor of Arts, Carroll College, 1989
Coaching Career
Offensive Coordinator/Wide Receivers, Central Michigan University, 2023-current
Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks Coach, Central Michigan University, 2022
Head Coach, University of Idaho, 2013-21
Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks Coach, University of Arkansas, 2012
Offensive Coordinator/Wide Receivers Coach, University of Illinois, 2010-11
Offensive Coordinator/Wide Receivers Coach, University of Arkansas, 2008-09
Wide Receivers Coach, Atlanta Falcons, 2007
Offensive Coordinator/Wide Receivers Coach, University of Louisville, 2003-06
Quarterbacks Coach, University of Southern Mississippi, 2000-02
Wide Receivers Coach, University of Louisville, 1998-99
Wide Receivers Coach/Special Teams Coordinator, Utah State, 1995-97
Wide Receivers Coach/Running Backs Coach/Special Teams Coordinator, University of Idaho, 1992-94
Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks Coach, Carroll College (Montana), 1990-91
Playing Career
Played four years for his father at Carroll College in Helena, Montana … Played quarterback … Member of the Carroll College Athletic Hall of Fame.
A 34-year coaching veteran, Petrino arrived at CMU with a long and highly successful resumé of success in both the college and professional ranks.
Prior to his tenure at Central Michigan, Petrino spent the previous nine years as the head coach at Idaho. At Idaho, he guided the Vandals from 2013-21. His most successful year was in 2016, when he was named the Sun Belt Conference Coach of the Year after the Vandals improved to 9-4 following a 4-8 record in the previous season. Idaho finished in third place in the Sun Belt Conference with a 6-2 league record. The season concluded with a ninth win, a 61-50 victory over Colorado State in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl, played in Boise. He also oversaw Idaho’s move from the FBS to a return to FCS football in the Big Sky Conference in 2018.
Over the years, Petrino has served assistant stints at Arkansas (2008-09, 2012), Illinois (2010-11), Louisville (2003-06), Southern Mississippi (2000-02), and Utah State (1995-97). He spent one year with the Atlanta Falcons (2007) as a wide receivers coach and has worked 10 years as an Offensive Coordinator at the FBS level.
During his 23 years as an assistant coach, Petrino helped lead programs to 12 bowl games, including Orange and Cotton Bowl victories, along with five NCAA Division I-AA playoff games. As an NCAA Division I assistant, he served on coaching staffs which combined for a 152-93 record (.650 win percentage).
While Petrino was the offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach at Louisville, the Cardinals and Texas Tech were the only two schools in the nation to rank among the top-10 national teams in total offense over four consecutive seasons (2003-06). In 50 games at Louisville, 41 of which were victories, his teams scored 40 or more points 28 times, 50 or more points 14 times, and 60 or more seven times.
In 2010, Petrino, as the offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach at Illinois, led an offense that set school records for total points (423) and points per game (32.5).
As a wide receivers coach, his resume includes mentoring NFL receivers such as Harry Douglas, Mario Urrutia, A.J. Jenkins, Jarius Wright, Greg Childs, Joe Adams, Cobi Hamilton, JR Russell, Arnold Jackson, and Jeff Cotton, and he coached Atlanta’s Roddy White during his breakout campaign in 2007. In 2011, Jenkins’ receiving yards ranked second in the Big Ten and No. 11 in the NCAA. At the end of 2011, Jenkins earned First Team All-Big Ten honors and was an NFL First Round draft pick by the San Francisco 49ers.
Petrino got his start at Carroll (Mont.) College as the offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach in 1990-91 and then moved on to Idaho as an assistant from 1992-94, where he worked under Head Coach John L. Smith.
A native of Butte, Montana, Petrino played quarterback for his father, Bob Petrino, Sr., at Carroll College in Helena from 1985-88, where he led the program to four conference championships and a combined 36-6 record. He was named the Football Gazette NAIA Division II Player of the Year and a two-time Kodak All-American.
Petrino’s family includes his wife Maya and three children: Mason, Ava, and Anne Mari, and son-in-law Trase LeTexier.
THE PETRINO FILE
Hometown: Butte, Montana
Family
Wife Maya, children Mason, Ava, Anne Mari, and son-in-law Trase LeTexier.
Education
Bachelor of Arts, Carroll College, 1989
Coaching Career
Offensive Coordinator/Wide Receivers, Central Michigan University, 2023-current
Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks Coach, Central Michigan University, 2022
Head Coach, University of Idaho, 2013-21
Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks Coach, University of Arkansas, 2012
Offensive Coordinator/Wide Receivers Coach, University of Illinois, 2010-11
Offensive Coordinator/Wide Receivers Coach, University of Arkansas, 2008-09
Wide Receivers Coach, Atlanta Falcons, 2007
Offensive Coordinator/Wide Receivers Coach, University of Louisville, 2003-06
Quarterbacks Coach, University of Southern Mississippi, 2000-02
Wide Receivers Coach, University of Louisville, 1998-99
Wide Receivers Coach/Special Teams Coordinator, Utah State, 1995-97
Wide Receivers Coach/Running Backs Coach/Special Teams Coordinator, University of Idaho, 1992-94
Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks Coach, Carroll College (Montana), 1990-91
Playing Career
Played four years for his father at Carroll College in Helena, Montana … Played quarterback … Member of the Carroll College Athletic Hall of Fame.
Football Insider - 9.25.25
Thursday, September 25
Coach Matt Drinkall Post-Game Press Conference Vs. Wagner
Saturday, September 20
Dakota Cochran Post-Game Press Conference Vs. Wagner
Saturday, September 20
Joe Labas Post-Game Press Conference Vs. Wagner
Saturday, September 20
