FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (AP) – Arkansas athletic director Jeff Long made it perfectly clear what he expects from his staff as he put coach Bobby Petrino on leave for keeping him in the dark about a sordid-looking relationship with a female employee."It's difficult any time that we have a coach, an employee that makes a misstep, it's disappointing to me," Long said. "We have high expectations. I think every coach and every administrator and every staff person knows we have high expectations. Certainly, I'm disappointed."
Those expectations are squarely in the spotlight at Arkansas and for Long, who told The Associated Press on Saturday that he continues to work on the review of Petrino's conduct throughout the weekend and likely into Easter Sunday.
Long didn't offer a timetable for the conclusion of the review, which is examining a variety of issues surrounding Petrino's motorcycle accident last weekend. Most notably, Thursday's revelation through a police report that the 51-year-old Petrino was riding with a 25-year-old female employee at the time of the wreck.
Petrino initially said he was alone during the accident before admitting to Long on Thursday that he wasn't.
As Long's investigation continued Saturday, so too did the speculation surrounding the exact nature and timeframe of Petrino's relationship with Jessica Dorrell, the football department employee who was riding with the coach.
Petrino, who is married with four children, was noticeably vague in his statement on Thursday — saying only that he had acknowledged a "previous inappropriate relationship" without naming Dorrell as the other party in that relationship.
Messages for the former Arkansas volleyball player and Razorback Foundation fundraiser, who was hired by Petrino on March 28, have yet to be returned. A former Razorbacks volleyball player and friend of Dorrell's, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said Saturday the volleyball program's alumni have reached out to Dorrell.
University of Arkansas
Arkansas coach Bobby Petrino admitted that football staff member Jessica Dorrell was with him during his motorcycle crash.
"We feel like we have to do all we can right now to protect her," the person said. "She's done so many great things, but all of that is wiped out in the eyes of some people now. She's not a bad person."
The person said Dorrell hasn't returned calls from friends since the police report was released Thursday.
"She's in safe mode right now," the person said. "Everyone has made mistakes. Everyone has dirty laundry, but not everyone has their dirty laundry shown on national television."
Like it or not, coaches are expected to be positive role models for their players and their programs. It doesn't always work out that way, though.
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