Arizona fires Rich Rod / hires Kevin Sumlin

[NKR1978]

Hate them both but Franklin would be first on my wish list

Franklin wouldn’t get fired from that school. No one really knows what a football,coach has to do to get fired from Sandusky U.

 

[rocklloyd]

The only thing he's missing is "respect my decision".

 

[CuseLegacy]

What happens when a coach gets fired after early signing day?

Do all the recruits get a mulligan?

Winners, losers, and a fix for the NCAA's new early Signing Day

The most obvious scenario in which recruits could lose: coaching changes.
Most coaching changes happen in December and January. And under the new rule, many of them will occur after a prospect signs early.

Under the old rule, the vast majority of coaching changes are made before prospects sign in February. There are always some stragglers, and sometimes moves that are privately agreed to before Signing Day but executed after, for the purpose of recruiting, but those are not all that common.

The refrain will be that a prospect should be signing “with a school, not a coach,” but that’s not what happens in most cases. A prospect signs with the staff that has formed the best relationship with him. A player trusts a certain coach, values that relationship, and wants to play in the scheme run by that coach.

Letters of intent are usually binding, and a coaching change is not something that can be used as an out clause. The NCAA has been silent as to any exceptions or out clauses afforded to prospects who sign early. Unless addressed, this sets up to be a huge mess.

A fair proposal would be to allow prospects to designate some coaches who, if they leave before enrollment, would allow the prospect to opt out.
I suggest it be the head coach, relevant position coach, coordinator on the side of the ball for which the prospect is being recruited, and perhaps the coach who functions as the area-recruiter for the prospect’s home region.

Such a rule is especially needed for this year, as the NCAA is set to approve a 10th coaching position, which will become operative on Jan. 9, 2018. Coming job changes are not hypothetical. We know staffs will be expanding from nine to 10 come January, and many of those new positions will be filled from existing coaches at other schools.

Many have their doubts that the NCAA will enact player protections of this type, however, because the NCAA consists of its member institutions. Such a move would transfer power from schools to players.

Update May 10: It seems this option was discussed, but not implemented.
MAC Commissioner Jon Steinbrecher spoke with Al.com about the issue.

"The (NLI) is administered by the (CCA) and I know that's an issue that continues to be studied and discussed, but I'd also note we have early signing periods in other sports with the same sort of requirements that we have in football," Steinbrecher said. "Students need to go into this with their eyes open. Part of the reason why I think so many people kind of congregated around that mid-December date by the time you get there if there's going to be changes in the program, at least at the head coach level, the vast majority of those changes have occurred by then.

"Certainly there are some changes after that, and we certainly know that assistant coaches can change at virtually any time. Students have to contemplate all of that and take that into consideration when they make a determination on whether they want to sign early or not."

 

[orange79]

8:35 p.m. Rich Rodriguez fired after $7.5M notice of claim

 

[texascpa]

Supposedly the woman refused to cooperate with the U of A investigation.

Doesn't matter, the media will run with the #metoo angle.

 

[elimunelson]

i don't get it. he was fired for having an extra marital affair? The 7.5mm seems like a shakedown that the university sniffed out.

Regarding Babers to Zona, thankfully we stunk last year and this happened extremely late in the cycle. I would bet this would have been attractive to Dino when he decided to come to Syracuse. Easier conference, better weather, closer to his home.

 

[IthacaBarrel]

Is this as simple as boss bangs secretary, dumps secretary after wife finds out, secretary blows boss in on unsubstantiated sexual harassment claim, University investigates, finds nothing but then fires coach because it looks bad and the coach also hasn't been winning so lets clean up the mess. Or as Jakes said, they found worse under their initial investigation

 

[IthacaBarrel]

i don't get it. he was fired for having an extra marital affair? The 7.5mm seems like a shakedown that the university sniffed out.

Regarding Babers to Zona, thankfully we stunk last year and this happened extremely late in the cycle. I would bet this would have been attractive to Dino when he decided to come to Syracuse. Easier conference, better weather, closer to his home.

What is considered Dino's home at this point? Just curious. Hawaii?

 

[elimunelson]

What is considered Dino's home at this point? Just curious. Hawaii?

sounds like born in hawaii, raised in san diego. it's not unreasonable to suggest he's a west coast guy.

 

[IthacaBarrel]

sounds like born in hawaii, raised in san diego. it's not unreasonable to suggest he's a west coast guy.

No not at all, he's definitely a west coast guy from way back, didn't know if he has a second residence or something but pretty much a coaching vagabond at this point. I don't think Dino is moving on until we have some success here

 

[Toga]

What is considered Dino's home at this point? Just curious. Hawaii?

He's a travelin' man - made a lot of stops - all over the world.

 

[Newhouser]

i don't get it. he was fired for having an extra marital affair? The 7.5mm seems like a shakedown that the university sniffed out.

Regarding Babers to Zona, thankfully we stunk last year and this happened extremely late in the cycle. I would bet this would have been attractive to Dino when he decided to come to Syracuse. Easier conference, better weather, closer to his home.

I think they wanted him out anyway and this was just a way to get it done. I don't know the specifics but these "shakedowns" do not help the legitimate complaints and harassment that obviously has been going on forever.

 

[IthacaBarrel]

I think they wanted him out anyway and this was just a way to get it done. I don't know the specifics but these "shakedowns" do not help the legitimate complaints and harassment that obviously has been going on forever.

Agree 100%.

 

[Symphony Steve]

Both explanations stink. If it was 'the direction of the program', they would have done it before now. Period.

If it's the allegations, which I think it is, then there's no way he could have cleared his name regardless of the lack of evidence, including passing a polygraph. Of course, to be fair, what fork-tongued coach couldn't pass a polygraph while lying through his teeth?

Methinks that $7.5 mill will be far below what Arizona ends ponying up--to Rodriguez. The university dug themselves a hole and then buried themselves in it.

 

[IthacaBarrel]

Both explanations stink. If it was 'the direction of the program', they would have done it before now. Period.

If it's the allegations, which I think it is, then there's no way he could have cleared his name regardless of the lack of evidence, including passing a polygraph. Of course, to be fair, what fork-tongued coach couldn't pass a polygraph while lying through his teeth?

Methinks that $7.5 mill will be far below what Arizona ends ponying up--to Rodriguez. The university dug themselves a hole and then buried themselves in it.

Yep and yet another overpaid meathead with highly questionable ethics who will now get a 7 figure settlement and ride off into the sunset. Can't get the kids any $$ though...

 

[Fly Rodder]

polygraphs aren't particularly reliable and generally aren't admissible as evidence.

I don't know the specifics but these "shakedowns" do not help the legitimate complaints and harassment that obviously has been going on forever.

You don't know anything about it, but apparently enough to opine that it was a shakedown or blackmail? That's the exact attitude that has historically led women to shy away from making harassment claims.

I tend to lead to Jake's belief. There wasn't enough evidence to sufficiently substantiate the claim, but they found enough that they didn't want anything to do with him. And, now, he'll be free to spend more time with his family like so many other politicians, CEOs, and coaches who get caught in the middle of something and get a free pass to ride off into the sunset.

 

[PhatOrange]

i don't get it. he was fired for having an extra marital affair? The 7.5mm seems like a shakedown that the university sniffed out.

Regarding Babers to Zona, thankfully we stunk last year and this happened extremely late in the cycle. I would bet this would have been attractive to Dino when he decided to come to Syracuse. Easier conference, better weather, closer to his home.

where is his home ? I thought he was born and raised in Hawaii ? His kids have been raised all over the country. I'd guess I'd call Hawaii his home but he hasn't put down roots anywhere.

He was a position coach for 3 years in Arizona 20 years ago.

 

[texascpa]

polygraphs aren't particularly reliable and generally aren't admissible as evidence.

You don't know anything about it, but apparently enough to opine that it was a shakedown or blackmail? That's the exact attitude that has historically led women to shy away from making harassment claims.

I tend to lead to Jake's belief. There wasn't enough evidence to sufficiently substantiate the claim, but they found enough that they didn't want anything to do with him. And, now, he'll be free to spend more time with his family like so many other politicians, CEOs, and coaches who get caught in the middle of something and get a free pass to ride off into the sunset.

His shakedown comment is his belief, just like your belief of sufficient evidence. He could just as easily say your opinion is what leads juries to proclaim guilt on an innocent person.

As far as this woman is concerned, she wasn't shy enough to ask for $7.5M payoff.

 

[Fly Rodder]

His shakedown comment is his belief, just like your belief of sufficient evidence. He could just as easily say your opinion is what leads juries to proclaim guilt on an innocent person.

As far as this woman is concerned, she wasn't shy enough to ask for $7.5M payoff.

Well its a good thing that's settled. Get her!

ETA: so she files a notice of claim with the state, UA gets notified as a defendant (likely), and they open an internal investigation on their very expensive football coach. UA says, "hey, why don't turn all of your evidence over to us?" She declines to cooperate with UA's internal investigation, and likely will continue her own lawsuit thankyouverymuch... that means it's a bogus complaint?

The university's statement concluded that the "specific harassment allegations against Mr Rodriguez could not be substantiated … however, Arizona athletics did become aware of information, both before and during the investigation, which caused it to be concerned with the direction and climate of the football program."

 

[orangepassion]

Could be once they saw ASU hired Herm Edwards, the AD felt they had to work harder to compete

 

[721Comstock]

Could be once they saw ASU hired Herm Edwards, the AD felt they had to work harder to compete

Only way to outdo ASU's hire of Herm Edwards, is for Zona to hire Jim Mora.

OR Dennis Green

 

[MSOrange]

Only way to outdo ASU's hire of Herm Edwards, is for Zona to hire Jim Mora.

OR Dennis Green

Well Dennis Green passed away so all in on Mora

 

[cuse10]

Over an allegation. Ridiculous.

 

[Scooch]

Over an allegation. Ridiculous.

No, over an investigation into an allegation.

Jake had bingo on this up thread. Sounds pretty clear that while the original claim may have been less than solid, what UA found in the subsequent investigation led them to want to protect themselves from future claims.

 

[Fly Rodder]

No, over an investigation into an allegation.

Jake had bingo on this up thread. Sounds pretty clear that while the original claim may have been less than solid, what UA found in the subsequent investigation led them to want to protect themselves from future claims.

I mean it says that pretty explicitly right in their press release. People want to believe what they want to believe, I guess.