FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. -- Barely 24 hours after another blowout

loss with the Atlanta Falcons, Bobby Petrino was back in college

football.

Petrino was hired Tuesday by Arkansas, capping a whirlwind day

in which he stunningly resigned from the Falcons after just 13

games. Petrino succeeds Houston Nutt, who stepped down at Arkansas

two weeks ago and became the head coach at Mississippi.

"Today was a day of decision," Petrino said at a late-night

news conference in Fayetteville. "It was difficult on one side,

very easy on the other. It was difficult to leave Atlanta, the

staff, players, fans. The timing of it probably is the thing that

made it most difficult. Coming to Arkansas was the easy part."

Petrino got a five-year deal worth $2.85 million per year to

take over the Razorbacks, according to an athletic department

spokesman.

In January, Petrino left as head coach at Louisville to take

over in Atlanta, agreeing to a five-year, $24 million contract

handed out by a team that felt he could help Michael Vick reach his

full potential.

However, the star quarterback came under investigation for a

grisly dogfighting operation that led him to plead guilty to

federal charges.

On Monday, Vick was sentenced to 23 months in prison

without ever taking a snap for Petrino. That night the Falcons lost

to New Orleans 34-14, and hours later Petrino left the team with a

3-10 record to return to the college ranks.

Arkansas had been looking for a coach for two weeks to replace

Nutt, who resigned after a tumultuous season of his own. The

Razorbacks came close to hiring Wake Forest's Jim Grobe last week,

but Grobe remained with the Demon Deacons and Arkansas fans had to

wonder whether the school could attract a big-name coach.

In Petrino, the Razorbacks found one. Petrino went 41-9 in four

years at Louisville, coaching some of the highest-scoring teams in

the country before leaving in January to join the Falcons.

In 10 seasons at Arkansas, Nutt built the Razorbacks into one of

the Southeastern Conference's top rushing teams. Tailback Darren

McFadden finished second in the Heisman Trophy voting the last two

years, but Nutt's teams often lacked balance. Petrino said his

Arkansas teams will be aggressive.

"You have to be able to run the football when you want to, and

run the football when you have to," Petrino told a crowd full of

Razorbacks supporters. "You have to be able to pass the football

when you want to, and pass the football when you have to."

Petrino said he didn't speak with anyone from Arkansas about the

job until Tuesday.

"It was one of the most difficult things I've had to do," he

said. "I truly believe from the bottom of my heart that I made the

right decision."

Jeff Long, Arkansas' incoming athletic director, handled the

search for a new coach. Long takes over for Frank Broyles, who is

retiring at the end of the year.

"It is a tremendous honor for me to be named the 30th head

coach at Arkansas, particularly on a night when we honored coach

Broyles for his 50 years of service," Petrino said, referring to

former head coach. "He's such a legend and I can't wait to develop

a friendship with him."

Long said he wasn't deterred as the search appeared to drag on

and many wondered if the Razorbacks needed to lower their

standards.

"I wasn't listening or reading," Long said. "I was going to

work to find the best coach."

Petrino's stint in Atlanta was one of the shortest for a

non-interim coach since the 1970 NFL-AFL merger. Pete McCulley was

fired after starting out 1-8 with San Francisco in 1978, and Sid

Gillman lasted only 10 games in his second stint as San Diego

coach, going 4-6 in 1971 before quitting.

In an interesting twist, Lou Holtz coached the New York Jets for

13 games in 1976. He went 3-10, then left the team with one game

remaining to become the coach at Arkansas.

Atlanta owner Arthur Blank and general manager Rich McKay were

scheduled to hold a news conference Wednesday. There was no

immediate word on who would take over for the team's final three

games.

After losing Vick, Petrino tried three quarterbacks without

success. The Falcons have lost four straight, all by double-digit

margins, and are assured of the 32nd season of .500 or worse in

their 42-year history.

"Anytime you're without one of the best athletes in the

National Football League, it's going to be tough," cornerback

DeAngelo Hall said earlier in the season. "Take Peyton Manning

from the Colts, and they'll go through a little slump."

Arkansas played in the SEC championship game in 2006, but the

Razorbacks finished that season with three straight losses and Nutt

faced unrest from fans and dissension in the program.

Fans used the Freedom of Information Act to investigate Nutt's

cell phone records. As the team struggled this year, planes were

spotted at games towing anti-Nutt banners.

This season started with Nutt's longterm status shaky, and the

mood in Arkansas worsened when the Razorbacks began SEC play 0-3.

They finished strong, beating then-No. 1 LSU in their

regular-season finale to go 8-4.

However, within days of one of his biggest victories at

Arkansas, Nutt departed and defensive coordinator Reggie Herring

was named interim coach.

Herring will coach the 25th-ranked Razorbacks when they face No.

7 Missouri in the Cotton Bowl on Jan. 1. Then Petrino is the only

person in charge.

"I knew I wanted to come back and coach in college football,"

Petrino said. "I'm very excited to get back and work with the

student-athlete."