Head coach Petrino leaves Louisville to join Atlanta

University of Louisville head coach Bobby Petrino protests a third quarter fumble call as his team plays Wake Forest University in the Orange Bowl NCAA football game in Miami, Florida on January 2, 2007. The Atlanta Falcons have hired Petrino as their new head coach, the team said on Sunday.

ATLANTA (Reuters) - The Atlanta Falcons have hired Bobby Petrino as their new head coach, the team said on Sunday.

The 45-year-old Petrino, who turned the University of Louisville into a nationally-ranked college football program, replaces Jim Mora, who was fired after a 7-9 season.

Petrino led Louisville to a 41-9 record in four seasons as their head coach. His Cardinals had a 12-1 record this season and defeated Wake Forest University 24-13 in last week's Orange Bowl.

"I am excited about the challenge that awaits me in Atlanta, and I'm equally excited about the potential that I see in this team," Petrino said in a statement.

Falcons owner Arthur Blank said Petrino was someone who could get the best out of players.

"Bobby Petrino is an extremely talented football coach who has done some tremendously innovative things as both an offensive coordinator and head coach, and he brings to us a record of success at the collegiate and professional levels," he said.

"In short, he's a difference maker who will bring a strong identity to the Falcons."

Petrino served an assistant coach with the NFL's Jacksonville Jaguars for three years. He was Auburn University's offensive coordinator in 2002, then returned to Louisville as head coach in 2003. He had been the Cardinals offensive coordinator in 1998.

Atlanta lost seven of their final nine games under Mora, who had a 26-22 record in three seasons as the Falcons coach.

(Writing by Gene Cherry in Salvo, North Carolina)