Arkansas Business

This story is from the archives of ArkansasSports360.com.

Former Arkansas coach Bobby Petrino granted ESPN the first interview since he was fired on April 10.

Below is a transcript of the approximately four-and-a-half minute segment with Joe Schad that ran on SportsCenter:

Petrino: “I went over it a number of times in my mind. How did I end up off the road? I’m not exactly sure how that happened. I don’t know exactly how I ended up in the ditch.”

Schad: What do you remember thinking as this was happening?

“I think that the whole thing came down to the fact that I had an affair and I cheated on my wife and I knew that there were consequences that were going to happen. It’s hard to say what everything I was thinking. But I did know that I had this facing me that I had to tell my wife. I had to tell my family. I had to tell my boss what happened.”

Why did you recommend that a woman that you were having a relationship with be hired into the football office?

“There’s no justification. There’s no excuse for having her in the interview pool. Hiring her. Having her on the back of the motorcycle. When I look back on it, there is no good answer. I take responsibility for it. And I really am sorry. I played it over in my head a million times. How could I do this? How could this happen? And not just the hiring or that day. But my actions and my behavior for months was just wrong.”

How would you describe the singular most difficult moment through all of this?

“Sitting down and telling Becky. And looking at the look in her eyes of how I possibly could do something like this to hurt her. Something I guess anybody who has hurt their loved ones or lost their dream job can relate to how that is.”

What would you tell a college or university athletic director or president or an NFL head coach or a team owner who said I believe you’re a good coach, but why should I trust you?

“Well I just hope and pray that I get the chance to sit down in front of the person that is making the decision like that and be able to explain the mistakes I’ve made. How I’ve become a better person. A better father. A better husband. Like I said, I know I’m going to be a better coach because I know I’m going to spend more time coaching the person. Not just the player.”

Q: How would you describe your emotional state right now?