Normally when a SEC coach goes 21-5 with Sugar and Cotton Bowl victories in his two most recent seasons , there's virtually no stress on an athletic director to make a hard decision about the future of a football team. But Arkansas athletic director Jeff Long is in a very difficult situation, writes Sports Illustrated's Andy Staples, as Bobby Petrino's recent success is now tempered by the fact he may have lied to the University more than once to conceal the fact he was having an affair with a football staff employee, and that she was present during his April 1 motorcycle accident.
Will Long work through his issues with Petrino? Or will he answer Petrino's betrayal with a pink slip?
Petrino gave Long several reasons to fire him this week. But during the past two seasons, Petrino gave Long 21 reasons to keep him. Long will have to decide which criteria mean more.
Staples outlines a rather prickly situation, including a summation of Petrino's previous shady dealings at Louisville, with Auburn and his betrayal of the Atlanta Falcons (granted, all those were limited to the realm of career maneuvering), that makes it less than stunning Long is now faced with this quandary.
For more on the Bobby Petrino suspension, be sure to visit SB Nation's college football page.