"Outstanding" and "gutsy" was how Kirk Herbstreet described Louisville's decision to offer Bobby Petrino its open head coaching job. Is it really gutsy to hire a coach with obvious talent and recruiting chops, but with a checkered past? Or is it gutsier to pass on such a candidate, knowing that he'll likely maintain and even improve upon the excellence established by now Texas head coach Chuck Strong?

To be somewhat fair to Louisville, Petrino's transgressions occurred after his successful run as their head coach from 2003-06, including an Orange Bowl victory and 12-1 record in 2006. Between then and now, he quit as head coach of the Atlanta Falcons in week 13 of his first season in 2007 (informing outraged players by stuffing the same, four sentence note in each of their lockers) to take the same position at the University of Arkansas. (It should be noted that 2007 was the year Michael Vick was jailed for dog fighting; Petrino accepted the position before that story broke.) In his fourth season at Arkansas, he was fired for having an affair with a former Arkansas Volleyball player whom he hired as the student-athlete development coordinator. In 2012, he signed a four year contract with Western Kentucky, beginning this season. His team finished 8-4, but didn't make a bowl game. Well, it isn't the 2017 season yet. Once again, Petrino left a job early, this time to return to Louisville.

What Louisville is offering isn't gutsy, just like what Arkansas offered in 2007 wasn't gutsy and what Western Kentucky offered in 2012 wasn't gutsy. Gutsy would have been staying at Western Kentucky for all four years. Gutsy would have been avoiding Petrino even after mutual interest was confirmed.

Of course, those are Herbstreet's words, not Louisville's. How they eventually phrase the hiring will likely be more neutral, less exclamatory, and probably include the terms "reformed" and "second chances."

According to Herbstreet, at the press conference Petrino will be "strong" and look reporters "in the eye," and his hiring will be a story for a "few days, maybe a week." With college sports scandals an annual occurrence, Louisville's banking on this to be the biggest controversy of the Petrino area. Thus, let's call it what it really is: a calculated risk.