Petrino's ex-mistress resigns from Arkansas team

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (AP) - The former mistress of fired University of Arkansas football coach Bobby Petrino has resigned from her position with the program, school officials announced Tuesday.

Jessica Dorrell's decision to step down as the football team's student-athlete development coordinator was mutual and there are no immediately plans to re-fill the job, Athletic Director Jeff Long said in a statement.

Dorrell will be paid about $14,000 to settle "all matters between the parties."

"While Ms. Dorrell had a legitimate right to apply for and accept a position within the football program, the circumstances surrounding the former coach's decision to hire her compromised her ability to be effective in such a position," Long said. "She and I believe she should have the opportunity to move on."

As part of her resignation, Dorrell agreed she would not attempt to sell or profit from her affiliation with Razorback athletics, officials said.

Dorrell didn't immediately return a message seeking comment Tuesday night.

Long fired Petrino last week for not disclosing that he was having an extramarital affair with Dorrell, as required by conflict of interest rules at the school.

Dorrell, a former Arkansas volleyball player, was a Razorback Foundation fundraiser before she was hired over 158 other applicants for the coordinator position. Petrino announced March 28 that Dorrell would take over the position at a salary of nearly $56,000.

Their affair became public after the two went for a motorcycle ride April 1 and skidded off the road, putting Petrino in the hospital and resulting in a police report that contained her identity.

Long has said the two were in a relationship for a "significant" amount of time. Phone records show they exchanged more than 4,300 text messages and nearly 300 phone calls over the past seven months, and possibly photo and video content.

She was placed on leave after news of the affair broke.

Petrino has apologized and said he would not appeal his firing and seek any of the $18 million buyout that was part of his contract. He had the option to appeal as part of the seven-year contract he agreed to in December 2010. The contract was for more than $3.5 million annually and carried the $18 million mutual buyout clause in 2011 and 2012.