The make-up kiss between Bobby Petrino and Arkansas is a classic example of Opportunity meeting Desperation.

Never mind the baggage the Razorbacks took on board when they hired him as offensive coordinator last January.

Petrino was never going to win Mr. Congeniality in coaching circles anyway. He’s burned more bridges than LSU’s first school president, the noted fire bug Gen. William T. Sherman (ask Georgia about it).

And Arkansas, of all places, knew what it was getting when it brought Petrino back for a second tour.

Been there, done that.

Dalliances with Petrino seldom end well. Just hang on and hope for the best.

Looking at his head coaching jobs alone — of which there are seven to choose from — reveals a long string of hard feelings and broken promises and awkward apologies.

But that’s not important now.

When you absolutely, positively have to win tomorrow, then Bobby is your … well, there are no guarantees. But he probably gives you as good a chance as any, especially if an archaic offense and play-calling that your Aunt Mable in the upper deck can predict, is holding you back. And ask any fan, it’s generally the play-calling gumming things up.

Those were the accusations hurled at Arkansas head coach Sam Pittman.

In stark contrast to deviously mercurial Petrino, Pittman is truly one of the naturally nicest guys in coaching, in a down-home, country boy sort of way that doesn’t seem the least bit contrived. Even the Razorbacks’ most bitter rivals have to admit that much.

But college football makes for strange bedfellows — for instance Messrs. Opportunity and Desperation.

So Pittman, after a steady decline that bottomed out (maybe) at 4-8, 1-7 in the Southeastern Conference last year, was in full-blown Desperation mode for his job. Fortunately for him and the Hogs, Petrino is always on the prowl for a 16th or 17th Opportunity in coaching.

Petrino’s stint as Arkansas’ head coach (2008-11) ended infamously with him at a news conference wearing a neck brace below a bruised and well-scraped face that looked like he’d lost a tussle with a raccoon.

Actually it was highway pavement that won the battle after he was tossed from a motorcycle in the hilly Arkansas hinterlands.

Wrecking a motorcycle is not a firing offense, but when it came to light he was lying to his bosses, Athletic Director Jeff Long had no choice.

It turned out a passenger on the motorcycle was not only a young lady with whom he was having an affair outside of marriage, but she was also one whom he had been on the search committee who hired her to work

the football staff despite little experience therein. He apparently saw no conflict of interest there.

When the sordid details came to light, Long had no option but to fire him.

Long was praised by fellow college administrators from sea to shining sea.

It was hardly a unanimous hear! hear! however.

A sizable portion of Arkansas fans were angry and thought Petrino, despite his obvious transgressions, should be given (at least) one more chance.

Why?

Did they shout, Let those without sin cast the first …

No, It was simply because the man can flat out design an offense and dial up some ball plays that will dance around your defense.

That buys you a lot of forgiveness — and second, third, etc., chances — in college football. The game is not a personality contest.

It didn’t stop Arkansas from hiring him in the first place despite the controversy of his departure from the Atlanta Falcons to Fayetteville.

That came 13 games into the 2007 NFL season when he unexpectedly left the Falcons to take the Arkansas gig — without informing any of the Falcons and roughly 24 hours after assuring team owner Arthur Blank he wasn’t going anywhere.

I’ll say this one more time: Integrity is optional in football warfare.

Texas A&M and Jimbo Fisher last lured Petrino away a coordinator job at UNLV. But it wasn’t enough for Fisher to keep his job and Petrino was back on the market.

That made it all too convenient for Pittman to bring him back to Fayetteville to run the offense.

Arkansas may have had to turn its head and hold its nose — if pigs are prone to that after rolling around in the slop.

History tells us it won’t end well, but a Petrino hire is usually enough for some instant gratification.

You could call it mixed results. The Hogs have a big upset of Tennessee two weeks ago but also blew a sizable lead before losing to Oklahoma State in OT and are 4-2, 2-1.

The numbers tell you it ought to be better.

The Razorbacks were 10th in the SEC last year in total offense (326 ypg.). This year they are third (485 ypg).

Passing? Last year they were 12th (182 ypg). This year it’s fifth (285 ypg).

So what does this all mean?

Keep in mind that even with prehistoric offenses, Arkansas has tended to give LSU fits.

LSU has won three of the last four meetings, but all four have been decided by three points.

That was without Petrino’s offensive wizardry.

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Scooter Hobbs covers LSU athletics. Email him at scooter.hobbs@americanpress.com