Arizona makes quick move to fire Rich Rodriguez
After cooling his hot seat by reaching a bowl this year, Rich Rodriguez still finds himself out of a job as Arizona’s football coach.
A little over a year ago, after a 3-9 season, Arizona football coach Rich Rodriguez somehow kept his job. A better season this year, even with four losses in the final five games to finish 7-6, cooled his hot seat significantly with two more seasons left on his contract.
But according to Dan Wolken of USA Today, Arizona was weighing whether to fire Rodriguez on Tuesday night. The poor finish to the season would be a good reason, but the aftermath of an investigation into workplace misconduct is lingering. Though no misconduct was found in an independent probe hired out by the school, and Rodriguez cooperated fully, a lawsuit against him is expected to filed by the female accuser in Arizona this week.
Now, after Wolken’s initial report, Rodriguez is out after six seasons in Tucson.
BREAKING: Rich Rodriguez is out at Arizona, sources say.
— Dan Wolken (@DanWolken) January 3, 2018
And Arizona has announced it officially
— Dan Wolken (@DanWolken) January 3, 2018
If Rodriguez is fired for cause, and it appears he could be, it would cost him $10.2 million. That includes $3 million retention bonus he would have been owed had he still been Arizona’s football coach on March 15. Otherwise, if he’s fired without cause as Wolken initially reported, Rodriguez would be due a $6.3 million buyout and he’d also be entitled to the aforementioned $3 million.
Clarity has come with the confirmation of Rodriguez’s firing, with the university saying it will honor the separation terms of Rodriguez’s contract. A full substantiation of specific sexual harassment allegations was not done via the school’s investigation, but it does appear Rodriguez at least fostered a hostile work environment within the football program.
UA says it will “honor the separation terms” of Rich Rodriguez contract.
— Anne Ryman (@anneryman) January 3, 2018
UA says it investigated, but could not substantiate, specific sexual harassment allegations against Rodriguez but “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.”
— Anne Ryman (@anneryman) January 3, 2018
Early January head coach firings in college football are rare, but not unprecedented. Just a year ago, Minnesota fired Tracy Claeys in the wake of an off-field scandal involving players and hired P.J. Fleck away from Western Michigan.
Next: 3 knee-jerk reactions to Georgia-Alabama title game matchup
Rodriguez had a 43-35 record (3-2 in bowl games) over six seasons at Arizona, and he has a combined record of 163-119-2 at Salem (1988), Glenville State (1990-1996), West Virginia (2001-2007), Michigan (2008-2010) and Arizona. It’s probably too late for him to find a coaching job he’d want for next season, but it will be interesting to see if these troubling allegations follow “Rich Rod” into next year’s hiring cycle around college football.