Louisville Football: Bobby Petrino days are likely numbered

In his second go-around with Louisville football, Bobby Petrino has gone from program-saver to progress-halter in just a couple of years.

It didn’t take long. Just into the second quarter, Louisville’s hopes of an upset over Syracuse were dashed as it was 10-0 before the Cardinals could even catch their breath.

The Cardinals were able to strike back and make it 10-7, but it only took Syracuse 38 seconds to reach the end zone again to extend the lead back to 10. Syracuse would go on to score 30 points in the second quarter to take a 37-7 lead at the half, essentially ending any hope for a comeback.

Also ended was Bobby Petrino’s tenure, presumably — or at least it should be over after this embarrassing defeat.

No, losing to Syracuse is no longer an embarrassment, but the way Louisville lost surely was. The Cardinals were unable to do much of anything all night and the body language of the players was pitiful — they didn’t look like they wanted to be there.

Already eliminated from bowl contention, the Cardinals dropped to 2-8 overall on the season and 0-7 in ACC play. They’re currently the only winless team in the conference and arguably one of the worst in the country just one year after going 8-5 and two years removed from Lamar Jackson’s Heisman campaign.

Did Jackson keep Petrino afloat? It’s starting to look that way. He no longer has Pocket Lamar to bail him out when the defense can’t get a stop — which is often these days.

In his second stint with the Cardinals, Petrino has won nine, eight, nine, eight and now two games to total 36 victories to 25 defeats. A 36-25 record for a Power Five program which has seen recent success isn’t going to keep many coaches on board.

Petrino has worn out his second welcome in Louisville and it’s time for the Cardinals to look elsewhere for leadership in 2019, and beyond. The football program deserves better.

It’s time to start over and stop relying on Petrino’s ‘glory years’ of over a decade ago.

This isn’t even taking into consideration his 2019 recruiting class is ranked 74th nationally, according to 247Sports, and 13th in the ACC with just 10 pledges so far.

If Louisville fires Petrino, it would over him just over $12 million, but it has to be worth halting the progress of mediocre play into 2019 and beyond.

The Syracuse loss proved it, it’s time for Louisville to search for a new coach.