Petrino Won't Return

ponyfan08 · Post by **ponyfan08** » Tue Apr 10, 2012 6:56 pm

Bobby Petrino will not return as head football coach at Arkansas, multiples sources have told ESPN.com's Chris Low.

The university has called an 8:15 p.m. ET press conference at which time athletic director Jeff Long will announce Petrino will not be back.

The 51-year-old Petrino was put on paid leave last week after he didn't tell his boss right away that a 25-year-old female football program employee was riding with him during an April 1 motorcycle crash. Petrino, who is married with four children, also admitted to an inappropriate relationship.

Petrino

Dorrell

On Monday, a person familiar with the investigation confirmed to The Associated Press that Petrino's "previous inappropriate relationship" was with Dorrell, the former Arkansas volleyball player with whom Petrino was riding with during his motorcycle crash on a rural two-lane road southeast of Fayetteville.

Petrino was noticeably vague in the wording about the relationship in his statement last Thursday, and the person spoke on the condition of anonymity.

Long said in a late-night news conference Thursday that he didn't hear about the 25-year-old Dorrell until Petrino called him that afternoon, minutes before a police report was released that disclosed her presence at the accident.

Dorrell, who did not return a call seeking comment, was hired March 28 by Petrino as the student-athlete development coordinator after serving as a fundraiser with the Razorback Foundation. She is in charge of organizing the recruiting process for the football team, including initial eligibility for each incoming player.

Petrino signed a new seven-year contract in December 2010 after completing his third regular season at Arkansas. The contract, for an average of $3.53 million annually, had a clause in it that would allow Arkansas to dismiss Petrino for "engaging in conduct, as solely determined by the university, which is clearly contrary to the character and responsibilities of a person occupying the position of head football coach or which negatively or adversely affects the reputation of the (university's) athletics programs in any way."

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The police report said Petrino was riding with Dorrell when he lost control of his motorcycle. Dorrell said in the report that she wasn't sure what caused the accident, during which Petrino was unable to maneuver a turn and laid the motorcycle down on its left side while sliding off a rural, two-lane highway about 20 miles southeast of Fayetteville.

Petrino said in the report that wind and sun caused the accident. The police report said Petrino and Dorrell were taken by a passer-by to an intersection in southeast Fayetteville, where Arkansas State Police Capt. Lance King, who was often assigned to protect Petrino, took the coach to the hospital.

The police report said Dorrell wasn't taken to a hospital, and that she was dropped off at her vehicle parked at the intersection. State police spokesman Bill Sadler said Petrino didn't try to hide Dorrell's part in the accident when questioned on Tuesday.

"Coach Petrino was as cooperative as anybody that we could ever hope to encounter following the traffic crash," Sadler said.

Petrino, who wasn't wearing a helmet, was hospitalized and had since returned to practice. The police report said he will not be cited for the accident that occurred near the small town of Crosses on a road popular with motorcyclists. Petrino has said he has been an avid rider since he was 10, and the Helena, Mont., native said several years ago that he owned a Harley-Davidson and four other motorcycles.

Assistant head coach Taver Johnson had been placed in charge of the program while Petrino was on leave.

Information from The Associated Press contributed to this report.

http://espn.go.com/college-football/sto ... ources-say

jkflamebo · Post by **jkflamebo** » Tue Apr 10, 2012 7:44 pm

Right move.

redpony · Post by **redpony** » Tue Apr 10, 2012 7:47 pm

maybe jj could hire him as a recruiter. then they could both 'date' vball players.

PoconoPony · Post by **PoconoPony** » Tue Apr 10, 2012 7:48 pm

As with most situations involving politicians, celebrities, sports figures and business people it is not the actual act that gets them fired or places them in trouble, but rather, the lies and attempts to cover up their actions. I guess Petrino did not learn anything from Martha Stewart, JIm Tressel, Richard Nixon....etc. It will be interesting to see what happens now in Fayetteville.

SMU Football Blog · Post by **SMU Football Blog** » Tue Apr 10, 2012 7:51 pm

Leigh Steinberg is looking for a phone.

mrydel · Post by **mrydel** » Tue Apr 10, 2012 8:02 pm

Half want Garrick McGee back from his recent departure to UAB. But due to the absence of head coaching experience, the other half want a proven commodity. Advantage to McGee would be that the Razorbacks are loaded this year and a smooth transition would be to their advantage.

MustangStealth · Post by **MustangStealth** » Tue Apr 10, 2012 8:03 pm

Can he coach basketball?

Stallion · Post by **Stallion** » Tue Apr 10, 2012 8:31 pm

Todd Graham is always ready to climb that ladder-maybe Frank Broyles will want this job-but Arkansas is really imn a tough spot here

mrydel · Post by **mrydel** » Tue Apr 10, 2012 8:53 pm

Yep. Paul Petrino is the OC. Doubt he gets moved up. DC and interim head coach are both off of Tressel's staff at Ohio State so you know there could be concern there. Don't think they can hire from within. Players want to keep the staff together and have told Jeff Long so. Heard a report that Wannstadt who has a relationship with Jeff Long may be considered and oversee the current staff.

ponyscott · Post by **ponyscott** » Tue Apr 10, 2012 9:30 pm

Heard she was driving and Petrino was 'behind' her as the passenger....

phillipjr · Post by **phillipjr** » Tue Apr 10, 2012 10:42 pm

June already mentioned in coaching search.

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1140 ... head-coach

mrydel · Post by **mrydel** » Wed Apr 11, 2012 6:56 am

I can not imagine Jeff Long hiring a man who had a past relationship with a student volleyball player to replace Petrino.

Water Pony · Post by **Water Pony** » Wed Apr 11, 2012 7:12 am

Arrogant, hubris .....

"He made the decision a conscious decision to mislead the public on Tuesday, and in doing so negatively and adversely affected the reputation of the University of Arkansas and our football program," Long said, choking up at one point as he discussed telling players that their coach was gone. "In short, coach Petrino engaged in a pattern of misleading and manipulative behavior designed to deceive me and members of the athletic staff, both before and after the motorcycle accident."

It also reference the "former engagement". In a soap opera, this is would incredible, but reality is more bizarre.

http://chicago.cbslocal.com/2012/04/10/ ... r-seasons/

photopony · Post by **photopony** » Wed Apr 11, 2012 8:28 am

Some of those fans think they can buy Fatterson out of his contract.

Bergermeister · Post by **Bergermeister** » Wed Apr 11, 2012 9:06 am

Todd Graham - he has family in th' hills