Career
Long"s career in administration includes positions at the University of Oklahoma, University of Michigan, Virginia Technical and Eastern Kentucky University. Long replaced Frank Broyles, who retired at Arkansas at the beginning of 2008. Prior to his term at Arkansas, Long was hired as Pittsburgh"s athletic director after Steve Pederson left the University of Pittsburgh to take the same position at the University of Nebraska.
Long hired controversial football coach Bobby Petrino in 2008 and later fired Petrino in 2012.
The firing followed revelations that Petrino had been in an extramarital affair with a former Arkansas volleyball player, Petrino had hired his mistress to a staff position within the football program, when Petrino had attempted to cover up the fact that he had been riding with her when he was involved in a motorcycle accident in April 2012 Long fired him. In October 2013, Long was announced as the first chairman of the College Football Playoff selection committee, along with twelve other members.