Missouri State football coach Bobby Petrino accepts UNLV offensive coordinator position

Missouri State football coach Bobby Petrino is leaving Springfield to take an offensive coordinator position at UNLV, the schools announced on Tuesday night.

ESPN college football insider Chris Low was the first to report on Tuesday morning. Sources confirmed to the News-Leader that Petrino would depart and become the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach under new UNLV Head coach and former Mizzou head coach Barry Odom in Las Vegas.

"Coach Petrino did what we thought he would do," Missouri State Director of Athletics Kyle Moats said in a release. "He was able to turn our team around and make it a successful, championship program.

"I know our fans will be forever grateful for having experienced his exciting brand of football and the many great memories he provided Bears fans over the past three years. It was a pleasure to get to work with him again, and I wish him and Becky the best of luck in their new endeavor."

Moats said the search process to replace Petrino will begin immediately.

A source told the News-Leader that Missouri State is expected to hire from within with defensive coordinator Ryan Beard, Petrino's son-in-law, being the most likely candidate. ESPN reported the same.

Petrino's name has swirled as a candidate for Texas A&M's vacant offensive coordinator job in recent days. Low said that Petrino has had conversations with Texas A&M among others schools.

More:Who could replace Bobby Petrino as Missouri State's football coach? Here are some possibilities.

Missouri State was 18-15 under Petrino and is coming off a 5-6 season in 2022. The Bears qualified for their first two FCS postseasons since 1990 in his first two years as head coach. He turned around a program that went 1-10 in 2019 and turned it into a winner and one that was even once thought to be a national championship contender within three short seasons.

Entering what would have been his fourth season as the Bears' head coach, Petrino had four years remaining on a contract that pays him $275,000 annually. If reports are correct, UNLV would owe Missouri State the remaining money left on his contract.

More:Wheeler: Hold your jokes. Bobby Petrino gave Missouri State football hope and should be thanked

Wyatt D. Wheeler is a reporter and columnist with the Springfield News-Leader. You can contact him at 417-371-6987, by email at wwheeler@news-leader.com or Twitter at @WyattWheeler_NL. He's also the co-host of Sports Talk on Jock Radio weekdays from 4-6 p.m.

This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Bobby Petrino to become offensive coordinator at UNLV