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Gregg Marshall’s resignation from Wichita State amid abuse allegations comes with expensive parting gift

By Brad Berreman

PHILADELPHIA, PA - FEBRUARY 01: Head coach Gregg Marshall of the Wichita State Shockers yells to his team during the second half at the Liacouras Center on February 1, 2018 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Temple defeated 16th ranked Wichita 81-79 in overtime. (Photo by Corey Perrine/Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PA - FEBRUARY 01: Head coach Gregg Marshall of the Wichita State Shockers yells to his team during the second half at the Liacouras Center on February 1, 2018 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Temple defeated 16th ranked Wichita 81-79 in overtime. (Photo by Corey Perrine/Getty Images) /
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Gregg Marshall has resigned as head coach at Wichita State, but he’s leaving with a nice settlement.

Amid allegations he has physically or verbally abused players and staff, Gregg Marshall was on his last legs as the men’s basketball coach at Wichita State. It took a week from initial reports he’d be gone, but on Tuesday morning the school announced that Marshall has resigned effective immediately. Assistant coach Isaac Brown will take over as interim head coach.

“This was a difficult decision, but one I feel was necessary for my family, the university and, most importantly, the student-athletes,” Marshall said in a statement released by the university. “I remain grateful for my years spent at Wichita State. I wish to thank the coaches, student-athletes, the university, the community, and all of Shocker Nation for their unending dedication, support and loyalty. I am incredibly proud of this men’s basketball program and all it has achieved over the past 14 years and am confident of its continued success.”

“Our student-athletes are our primary concern,” said Director of Athletics Darron Boatright. “While the university acknowledges the success of the basketball program under Coach Marshall, this decision is in the best interest of the university, its student-athletes and the WSU community. WSU will continue its pursuit of excellence with the help of its student-athletes, staff and loyal supporters of the basketball program.”

“I’m incredibly proud of this basketball program. Our family – Lynn, Kellen, and Maggie – love Wichita,” said Gregg Marshall.

Marshall is the winningest coach in school history (331-121 in 13 seasons). He led the Shockers to the Final Four in 2013, then an undefeated regular season the following year. Rumors attaching him to open jobs at bigger schools were annual for a while but seemed to have faded in recent years.

With an investigation into his possible abuse of players as well as an assistant coach and his expected denial of a lot of the reported allegations, a firing of Marshall with cause seems to have been possible. That would’ve taken him out of collecting the balance of his contract, or any portion of it.

But Marshall’s resignation has not left him empty-handed.

Gregg Marshall is getting a nice parting gift from Wichita State

Despite the ugly details surrounding Marshall’s departure, he will still pocket $7.75 million that will be paid out over six years.

It’s typically worth wondering if there’s offset language in situations where a college coach gets a buyout upon being fired, but this is being worded as a resignation and settlement. This is also a situation where the odds another school will hire Marshall are low, at least for now. But he’ll be fine, with a nice parting gift from Wichita State.

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