http://www.courier-journal.com/article/2.../301080144

Trinity coach Bob Beatty on Bobby Petrino: There's nobody better to lead Louisville.



If Bobby Petrino is indeed on his way back to becoming the University of Louisville's football coach, he’s got strong support from the man who runs arguably the state’s top high school program.

Trinity High School coach Bob Beatty was happy to learn of early reports that Petrino, whom he considers a friend with a wealth of football knowledge, would be hired once again by U of L after a one-year stint at Western Kentucky University.

“My honest opinion is they made a great hire,” Beatty said, adding that he was not aware of an official U of L decision beyond the reports and hadn’t spoken to Petrino since he'd become a candidate. “He’s gone through some hard times, but that’s football. In football, you go through hard times, and in life you go through hard times. Each one of those times that you go through hard times, you learn from it.”

Petrino and Beatty have a long history and friendship. Petrino has recruited and coached multiple former Trinity players, including quarterback Brian Brohm. Petrino’s son, Nick, was a successful starting quarterback for the Shamrocks.

Beatty, who has won 10 state titles at Trinity, said he and Petrino have “spent many hours just talking ball,” including last year soon after Petrino was hired by WKU. Beatty also credits Petrino for helping him “through some growing pains here.”

Petrino previously coached at U of L from 2003 to ’06. He has also coached the Atlanta Falcons for less than a season before leaving for Arkansas. His time with the Razorbacks ended in shame in the wake of a motorcycle accident he had with his mistress as a passenger.

Petrino also has been criticized for how he flirted with other jobs while under contract at U of L and how he abruptly left the Falcons.

A Petrino hiring at U of L will undoubtedly be met with criticism by some fans and members of the media, but Beatty said he’s not surprised that the Cardinals would hire Petrino back.

“When you’re in that type of role and when you’re in that glass house, the one thing you have to understand in this business is that you will never, ever, ever, ever make everybody happy,” Beatty said. “I think you have to have a philosophy, and not everyone is going to agree with it, but you have to go with that philosophy.

“As in any form of life, there are going to be mistakes that you make. Then you learn from those, and I think that’s what separates good coaches from the great coaches. You learn from those mistakes, you tweak, you change and you do whatever you need to do to continue to be professional and successful. I think there’s no question about it that he’s done that.”

Beatty said in the online age, it’s been easy for people who don’t know Petrino personally to criticize him.

“Every German Shepherd, Schnauzer and hunting dog writes a comment because you’re fearless and a really tough person behind a computer, but most of those people don’t face you,” Beatty said.

It would seem realistic that upon his return to U of L that Petrino could ask Beatty if he’s interested in a position on his staff, although Beatty said he couldn’t speculate on the matter.

“That’s one of those things where it has not happened, and it’s just what anybody would say: I would listen, but I have an awfully good job here,” he said.

Asked whether Petrino had ever discussed giving Beatty a job on his previous staffs, Beatty said, “I’m not going to say that I haven’t, but it hasn’t presented itself yet, so we’ll worry about that if the time comes.”

Beatty said Petrino has been grateful that Petrino has “always treated high school coaches with the utmost respect” and been willing to swap ideas with them.

“There have been times I would go to (U of L’s) practice, and all the sudden I’ll see something that I’ve done (at Trinity), and he’ll look over at me and say, ‘Hey, where did I get that?’” Beatty said with a laugh.

Trinity has consistently been one of the state’s top producers of NCAA Division I prospects, including last year’s Mr. Football winner James Quick, who will be a sophomore wide receiver at U of L next season.

Trinity senior quarterback Reggie Bonnafon committed to Charlie Strong a year ago and said he’s firm on his pledge now that Petrino is Strong’s apparent replacement.

Beatty said Petrino has been no stranger at Trinity since he left Louisville, having started recruiting Quick, Jason Hatcher, Ryan White and Dalyn Dawkins to Arkansas when they were sophomores in 2010.

Beatty said he thinks Quick “will lay down tonight with a smile on his face” knowing that Petrino is set to be the Cards' next coach.

Beatty was impressed by the progress Louisville made as a program under the tenures of John L. Smith and Petrino. He remembered going to practice early in Smith’s stint and thinking the Cardinals resembled Nebraska’s junior varsity.

But at the height of Petrino’s tenure, Beatty said, “I would go out to practice and say, ‘These guys are now on the same echelon as Nebraska.’”

“… For them to hire him, I don’t think there’s anybody better to lead them into the (Atlantic Coast Conference).”