FAYETTEVILLE — Bobby Petrino gave Jessica Dorrell a $20,000 gift which the football program employee used to buy a car during her first week on the job.
The information was revealed in a letter Arkansas director Jeff Long sent to the coach on April 10, informing him he had been fired. It was one of several documents obtained Thursday by the Arkansas News Bureau through a Freedom of Information request.
Long outlines the reasons for terminating Petrino for cause under the terms of his Arkansas contract in the letter. The fifth reason listed referred to a cash “gift” that was given to Dorrell. She used the money, Long wrote, to purchase a black Acura the first week she worked for the football program.
“Among other concerns relating to this ‘gift’ you should have disclosed this fact to me when you recommended hiring Ms. Dorrell in the football program, but you failed to do so,” Long wrote to Petrino.
The letter came the day after Petrino, through his attorneys, informed Long he will not contest his firing by requesting a review under the terms of his contract. The decision means Petrino waives any claim to the $18 million buyout in his contract, which paid him an average of $3.56 million annually through 2017.
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“Jeff, consistent with Coach Petrino’s previous statement, he accepts responsibility for the events that led to the University’s decision to terminate his employment,” the letter to Long read. “Although extremely disappointed, he respects the University’s decision and will not avail himself of the University’s administrative appeal process.
“Coach Petrino and his family wish nothing but the best for both the Razorback football program and University of Arkansas.”
Long outlined in his termination letter several reasons for his decision to fire Petrino, one of which included an “extra-marital affair” with Dorrell. He wrote that Petrino was a “very talented football coach, but the University may not disregard your conduct or sacrifice its integrity, reputation and principles.”
“Your conduct and actions in this matter have generated voluminous negative media stories and opinions, within Arkansas and nationally, that have harmed the reputation of the University of Arkansas and our athletics programs,” Long wrote. “We are now faced with the task of restoring the reputation of our institution and our athletics programs that many individuals and teams have worked hard to build over the years.”
The termination letter was just one of several items the university released through Freedom of Information requests late Thursday night and Friday. In addition:
• Arkansas released applications and documents pertaining to Dorrell’s hiring. It included information about the other 158 applicants for the position and Petrino’s requests to speed up the hiring process.
The job was posted on Feb. 28, according to documents. But Long sent a note to officials — at Petrino’s request — asking for a quicker interview process because “that flexibility is needed.”
Permission was granted, according to a letter, at 10:44 a.m. on March 12. Dorrell’s interviews had been scheduled and was set to begin at 9:30 that morning, according to documents.
Long sent another note to university officials on March 19 requesting the school waive the usual 30-day wait period for hires so the position could be filled.
“A variance to the affirmative action hiring process is being requested so that an individual can be identified and hired as soon as possible,” Long wrote. “Timeliness during the process will be essential since any delay could result in missing a critical recruiting period when prospects are identified and plans are made to invite them to our campus for a recruiting visit.”
The documents also included a note from Petrino stating why Dorrell was his choice after being one of three finalists. Ben Wilkerson, a former LSU offensive lineman who also played for Petrino with the Atlanta Falcons in the NFL, was the second candidate to interview for the position on March 12. Tiffany Fields, a law student at Arkansas who also has two master’s degrees from the school and has worked as a recruiting assistant since 2009, was the third to interview on March 15.
“I would like to offer to this candidate,” Petrino wrote in a document in regard to Dorrell. “Out of the candidates, she had the best experience and we felt like she would be the best fit for this position.
“Great candidate but not as much relevant experience as other candidates for this particular position. Great candidate but not as much full time experience as other candidates for this particular position.”
Dorrell was hired, according to documents, March 20 with a salary of $55,735. She is now on administrative leave, according to The Associated Press.
• Text messages from Dorrell’s phone to other university employees dating back to April 2, the day after she and Petrino were in a motorcycle accident.
The messages reveal Dorrell was at work the next day after the wreck, communicating with other staff members about her position It included several text exchanges regarding job duties with Fields, who was one of three finalists for the position.
There also were text messages from two athletic department administrators (senior associate athletic director Jon Fagg and associate vice chancellor Bev Lewis) the afternoon Petrino confessed Dorrell was his passenger. “Call me. Now – Jon Fagg” Fagg texted at 4:05 p.m. “Jess, this is Bev – call me,” Lewis texted at 6:15.