Jessica Dorrell, Bobby Petrino Mistress, Placed On Paid Leave

In this undated image released by the University of Arkansas, Razorback Foundation assistant director Jessica Dorrell is shown. Dorrell was a passenger of Arkansas football coach Bobby Petrino during a weekend motorcycle ride that ended with a crash that sent him to the hospital, according to a police report released Thursday, April 5, 2012. (AP Photo/University of Arkansas, Wesley Hitt)

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. -- Arkansas says Jessica Dorrell, the 25-year-old football department employee whose affair with former football coach Bobby Petrino led to his firing, has been placed on paid leave by the university.

University spokesman Steve Voorhies confirmed Dorrell's leave Friday morning, saying the school would issue no more details because the situation is a personnel matter.

Dorrell, a former Arkansas volleyball player, was a Razorback Foundation fundraiser before her hiring as the football team's student-athlete development coordinator by Petrino on March 28. Her salary is $55,735.

Arkansas athletic director Jeff Long said Petrino gave Dorrell a gift of $20,000 before her hiring, and phone records show the two exchanged more than 4,300 text messages and nearly 300 phone calls over the past seven months.

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Comments

[Leeroy Jack-Knife]

10:04 AM on 04/17/2012

Really Petrino? This chick is a normal 6 and a drunk 7 at best. Not worth the risk and you through it all away for a mud-bucket. Shame on you.

[sdsmike54]

11:35 PM on 04/16/2012

Rode hard and put up wet...people in Arkansas understand!

[Leto II]

12:30 PM on 04/16/2012

This chick looks like Mrs. Ed. Petrino should have found a better looking girl to risk his marriage and career for.

[johnnygoodwud]

12:17 AM on 04/16/2012

hugh hefner on line one

[Clay Cullum]

07:44 PM on 04/15/2012

Bobby should have consulted with David Letterman. David could tell him how to make millions and millions of dollars and not be selfish and greedy, as well as how to shag your employees and get a free pass.

[Clay Cullum]

07:41 PM on 04/15/2012

Dust off and bring back Frank Broyles!!

[Jacob007]

04:58 PM on 04/15/2012

So much for the oath of marriage. I guess the coach didn't have a real game plan.

[Leto II]

12:28 PM on 04/16/2012

Petrino has a history of bad exits from jobs. This is normal for him.

[nmcanopus]

05:39 AM on 04/15/2012

The real obscene part of this story is that the State of Arkansas, near the last in national educational standings, would pay this man 3.5 million/year to coach football.

[plzchuteme]

09:57 PM on 04/14/2012

You have to check out how she got hired in the first place. There are about a half dozen university officials who may be pounding the bricks over this one. If I was one of the 158 people, many who were actually qualified and met minimum requirements, who applied for the job and never even enjoyed an interview, I would NOT be happy with the University of Arkansas and their employment practices.

[Mr-Larry]

09:28 PM on 04/15/2012

Right, this was a nasty business. I wonder how many winks and nods given to make this happen.

When you estimate how much this will cost Petrino in future salary and endorsements, this was a very expensive daillance (or whatever) indeed. It makes him a fool, what does it make her?

[plzchuteme]

07:36 AM on 04/16/2012

A foolette?

[NextStopWonder]

09:40 AM on 04/16/2012

A prostitute.

[PrairieDog]

10:25 AM on 04/16/2012

I haven't seen anything that disparages the U or A's employment practices in general. This is just another case of a person with power getting their way & no one in the know is willing to rock the boat.The sad thing is that stuff like this happens & there isn't the harsh light of celebrity or prurient interest to catch people at it.

[plzchuteme]

11:39 AM on 04/16/2012

There was nothing wrong with the policies in place. The problem arises from multiple people in multiple areas whose job it is to enforce those policies who failed in their responsibilities either because of incompetence or because they allowed themselves to be bullied. Policies and practices don't mean spit if the are not followed, so, in essence, U of A's practices deserve any derision or disparaging that comes their way.

[Janet Stockey Swanborn]

05:18 PM on 04/14/2012

Muah

[nicksimone]

04:27 PM on 04/14/2012

the sad fact is this is all taxpayer $$$$$. his overpaid salary, her salary, her $20,000 "loan" from him. these academic elites who survive off the taxpayer hire these cads at crazy salaries then posture for the cameras when things go wrong and rant about "university integrity", blah, blah, blah. university salaries, costs, etc., this is the next bubble to burst. can't wait!

[Kid Notorious]

03:50 PM on 04/15/2012

No it most assuredly is not.

All major university athletic departments are completely self-sufficient. Where do you think all the bowl money and TV contract money goes? Not to mention the millions from boosters and millions of dollars in ticket sales each home game.

Try again.

[PrairieDog]

10:10 AM on 04/16/2012

these academic elites who survive off the taxpayer
-----
You're listening to too many right wing media nutcases.

[Stephen Thorpe]

03:02 PM on 04/14/2012

Gee, I didn't see that coming!

[OneTop]

02:43 PM on 04/14/2012

I still say she should call up Gloria Allred.

Check out what Gloria recouped for the TW ladies.

[Susan Mendell]

02:18 PM on 04/14/2012

coaches lead their teams and teach them...this coach sure taught his team alot of moral character, didn't he? If I were his wife, I would be pissed that he did this and dump his ass..but wished he got that multi-million dollar bonus or whatever and take it all...his kids must be so proud of their dad.

[NextStopWonder]

09:44 AM on 04/16/2012

They should have expected him to be a weasle when they hired him; the way he left the Falcons showed he had no class, no character, and was completely self-centered. After that scene, expecting him to somehow be a beacon of moral fiber was ridiculous. And I'm sure this wasn't his first affair and that she knew all about it (especially when she practically covered for him and said he was with her and the family all day the day of the accident) so don't expect his wife to go anywhere.

[mburgh]

10:50 AM on 04/14/2012

As an Alumni of the University of Arkansas, all I can say is this never happened under Frank Broyles.