Louisville football coach Bobby Petrino was fired yesterday morning, right after he taped his weekly coaches show at a local television station. According to a source, the dismissal came during a 15-minute meeting with U of L’s athletic director. A source reported to WDRB that Petrino was fired "without cause" and that the coach expects to be paid his $14 million buyout for the remaining years on his contract.
The source also said that Petrino was told that he could not return to the football complex to talk to his coaches and players or collect items from his office. Petrino drove home and was told his personal items will be returned by the school. The firing comes less than five full seasons into Petrino's second tenure at U of L and two years after Petrino had the Cardinals ranked No. 5, with a 9-1, record, in the national college football rankings. That 2016 team lost its final three games, igniting a downward spiral that culminated in a 2-8 record this season. The team's current season record stands at two wins and eight losses. Lorenzo Ward will take over as interim coach for the team's final two games. One will be against Kentucky.