Former Arkansas head coach Bobby Petrino and his ex-mistress Jessica Dorrell weren't just in contact since the famed April 1 motorcycle accident that prompted Petrino's exit out of Fayetteville. In fact, according to the Associated Press, the two were in contact at least as far back as Sept. 12 of last year.

Over a seven month period, Petrino and Dorrell exchanged more than 4,300 text messages and almost 300 phone calls, including during the time the police report of the accident on April 5 was being released to the public. In that accident, Petrino suffered four broken ribs, a cracked neck vertebra, scrapes and bruises.

Phone records, which can be seen in full via Deadspin, show that Petrino and Dorrell spoke twice before the crash for a total of 16 minutes, first at 3:24 p.m. then at 3:39 p.m., and also had a 22-minute conversation the following day while Petrino was apparently still in the hospital recovering. Here are the other records that the AP reviewed:

  • Petrino exchanged 57 texts with Dorrell on Sept. 12, 2011
  • Petrino exchanged 91 texts the following day with Dorrell on Sept. 13, 2011
  • Petrino exchanged 70 texts with Dorrell on Sept. 17, 2011, the day Arkansas beat Troy
  • The two exchanged 73 texts on Oct. 17, 2011
  • Petrino called Dorrell at 5:52 a.m., 6:35 a.m., 5:49 a.m. and 7:55 a.m., four days in a row in the week before a loss to Alabama on Sept. 24, 2011
  • The two exchanged 84 texts on Oct. 28, 2011, the day before Arkansas played Vanderbilt
  • The two exchanged 26 texts on Nov. 19, 2011, the day Arkansas beat Mississippi State
  • The two exchanged four texts on Nov. 25, 2011 after the Arkansas lost to LSU
  • Dorrell sent Petrino a text message during Arkansas' Cotton Bowl win over Kansas State on Jan. 6, though Petrino didn't reply until the following day
  • The two talked 11 times on April 5, the day the police report was being released, including two two-minute phone calls around 3:30 p.m.

Later on April 5, as questions swirled about his future at Arkansas, Petrino exchanged four phone calls with his agent, Russ Campbell, totaling 10 minutes. Also, Petrino didn't mention to athletic director Jeff Long that Dorrell was riding with him until 20 minutes before the police report was being released. The records show his six-minute call to Long at 3:11 p.m. And then, he was on the phone with Dorrell a few minutes later.

Jeff Long dismissed Petrino on Tuesday after a comprehensive review of the entire situation. Linebackers coach Taver Johnson has been put in charge of the program in Petrino's absence until Long comes to a decision on a new head coach to replace Petrino.