Bobby Petrino was fired as head football coach at the University of Arkansas, effective immediately, the school's athletic director told reporters Tuesday. Petrino had been placed on paid administrative leave last week after it was revealed he had not disclosed that a 25-year-old female member of his staff was on his motorcycle with him when it crashed on April 1.

"Coach Petrino knowingly misled the athletics department and the university about the circumstances related to his accident," Jeff Long told reporters. Though the 51-year-old coach had "multiple opportunities" over four days after the accident to be forthcoming, "he chose not to."

Long said Petrino had had a "consensual relationship" with Jessica Dorrell, the coach's passenger on the motorcycle when it crashed. He added that Petrino had given Dorrell $20,000 and failed to disclose their relationship when recommending her for the job with the department, thereby giving her "an unfair and undisclosed advantage for a position on his football staff."

Dorrell, Long said, was one of 159 applicants for the job.

He called Petrino's behavior "reckless and unacceptable."