Sources: Petrino joining Major Applewhite's South Alabama staff

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Paul Petrino’s been both a longtime college football assistant coach, working at the Power.5 level among other stops, and had a lengthy run as an FCS head coach as well.

Now, Petrino is back in the South after recently exiting Jim McElwain’s Central Michigan staff.

Sources tell FootballScoop that Petrino is an offensive assistant at South Alabama. Petrino is expected to oversee the receivers and have additional responsibilities as well.

Despite the recent exit of then-South Alabama coach Kane Wommack to take over as defensive coordinator at Alabama for friend and former colleague Kalen DeBoer, Petrino already is at work with the South Alabama football program, sources told FootballScoop.

He brings a veteran perspective with more than 30 years’ coaching service to the Jaguars.

In addition to most recently serving as Central Michigan offensive coordinator, Petrino also owns a lengthy run as head coach at Idaho, a mainstay FCS program, as well as multiple stops at Louisville, time in the NFL with the Atlanta Falcons and also at Arkansas and Illinois.

Petrino has been an offensive coordinator at five different programs during his coaching career.

South Alabama promoted Major Applewhite, the former Texas star quarterback and ex-Houston head coach, last week to replace the departed Wommack.

Applewhite spent the previous three seasons as South Alabama’s offensive coordinator under Wommack.

USA opens its 2024 season Aug. 31 at home against North Texas. The Jaguars have a late-September trip to LSU.