Head Coach Bobby Petrino of the Arkansas Razorbacks argues a call during a game against the South Carolina Gamecocks at Donald W. Reynolds Stadium on November 5, 2011in Fayetteville, Arkansas. The Razorbacks defeated the Gamecocks 44 to 28. (Getty Images)more pics » 
Jessica Dorrell Arkansas head coach Bobby Petrino was fired yesterday following the fallout from a motorcycle accident that unraveled a scandal that involved everything from adultery to shady hiring practices. Last month, Petrino crashed his motorcycle while riding with former Arkansas student Jessica Dorrell, who he had hired as the football program's student-athlete coordinator.Petrino initially insisted that he was alone on the motorcycle, but when he realized the police report of incident would become public, he came clean. Petrino, a married man, not only admitted Dorrell's presence during the accident, he also confessed to an inappropriate sexual relationship with her.
As the university investigated, it became clear that Dorrell received preferential treatment in her hiring to the football staff since her relationship with Petrino predated her job with the team. Furthermore, it was discovered that Petrino, 51, had also given Dorrell, 25, $20,000 for undisclosed reasons.
Arkansas athletic director Jeff Long said Tuesday that Petrino's inappropriate relationship with Dorrell coupled with his attempts to mislead both the public and the university were ample grounds to dismiss Petrino from his position as head coach.
"The simplest response I have is: I'm sorry. These two words seem very inadequate. But that is my heart," Petrino said in a statement. "All I have been able to think about is the number of people I've let down by making selfish decisions. I've taken a lot of criticism in the past. Some deserved, some not deserved. This time, I have no one to blame but myself.
"I chose to engage in an improper relationship. I also made several poor decisions following the end of that relationship and in the aftermath of the accident. I accept full responsibility for what has happened."
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