Jeff Long out as athletic director for Razorbacks
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — The University of Arkansas fired athletic director Jeff Long on Wednesday, ending a nearly decade-long tenure that included the ouster of football coach Bobby Petrino after a scandal and the continued mediocrity of the program under Bret Bielema.
Long — a College Football Playoff selection committee member and its chairman before this season — was under contract at Arkansas through June 2022. School chancellor Joseph Steinmetz said the university would honor the provisions in Long’s contract, meaning it could owe him more than $5 million by firing him.
“Since coming to Fayetteville in 2008, Jeff has led our department with character and integrity and helped move us forward in so many ways,” Steinmetz said. “However, over the past year, Jeff has lost the support of many of our fans, alumni, key supporters and members of the university leadership, support that I believe is critical in our pursuit of excellence.”
Despite his firing, playoff executive director Bill Hancock said he invited Long to remain a member of the selection committee for the rest of his term, which is through the end of this season — an invitation Long accepted. Long declined an interview request from The Associated Press, saying he needed “a little time.”
The firing comes at a time of turmoil for the football program, which is 29-32 in five seasons under Bielema, including a mark of 11-27 in the Southeastern Conference. The Razorbacks (4-6) will fail to win at least nine games this
season, the sixth straight year that has happened.
“I think the part that I’ve enjoyed during my time here with Jeff, from day one to where we are today, has been awesome,” Bielema said on the SEC coaches’ teleconference before news of Long’s firing had become official. “For our student-athletes, everything he stands for, everything he’s tried to give them off the field, on the field, all the services we provide, all the support we’ve given … It’s been awesome to witness.”
Long was in Little Rock last week for a meeting of the school’s board of trustees, but he never met with them during an executive session. Instead, Steinmetz was called into the session while Long waited outside.
Several issues were thought to be a part of the discussion, including the performance of Long and the football program, along with the fate of Arkansas’ long tradition of playing in Little Rock’s War Memorial Stadium once per season. The school currently has one year left on the agreement that has caused friction between the school’s northwestern Arkansas constituency and the rest of the state since
Razorback Stadium was expanded in 2000.
In September, Long said he hoped to have a resolution about future of games in central Arkansas by the end of this season.
Long was hired away from Pittsburgh by Arkansas, and he replaced former longtime athletic director Frank Broyles at the beginning of 2008. He came into prominence nationally for his handling of Petrino’s departure in the spring of 2012.
Petrino, now at Louisville, was fired after a motorcycle accident during which, it was later discovered, he was riding with his mistress. That led to revelations he had hired the woman to a position in the athletic department and given her $20,000 to buy a new car.
Long hired men’s basketball coach Mike Anderson away from Missouri in 2011, and he was also behind the current $160 million renovation of Razorback Stadium and numerous building projects on campus.
“He’s been an unbelievable leader,” Anderson said, “and it’s kind of hard for me to wrap my mind around it — the things that have transpired today.”