TUCSON, Ariz. The University of Arizona has parted ways with head football coach Rich Rodriguez, Athletics Director Dave Heeke announced on Tuesday. The athletics department is initiating a national search for its next head football coach and will utilize a search firm to assist with the process. The University will honor the separation terms of his contract.

"After conducting a thorough evaluation of our football program and its leadership, both on and off the field, President Robbins and I feel it is in the best interest of the University of Arizona and our athletics department to go in a new direction," Heeke said.

Wow that's weird you would think they would let him ride out Khalil Tate's career.

Uh I see now. Sexual harassment claim against him.

After reading a CBS article regarding the allegations, they seem specious. The University found no evidence to substantiate instances of harassment, the accuser was uncooperative, Rodriguez was cooperate, but she's threatening a law suit.

The move seems cowardice, not something that aligns with their "core values".

He entered the year on the hot seat and even with Tate lost 4 out of his last 5 games. Not to mention their rivals just fired a coach with a similar record.

Sumlin and Tate could be interesting.

iwantwinners said:

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After reading a CBS article regarding the allegations, they seem specious. The University found no evidence to substantiate instances of harassment, the accuser was uncooperative, Rodriguez was cooperate, but she's threatening a law suit.

The move seems cowardice, not something that aligns with their "core values".

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Agree.

Basketball school, no Rose Bowl for them!

I can't say whether this was a mistake. I'm simply not close enough to their program to have an opinion on how well Rich Rod did as their HC. All I can say is that he brought them 5 winning seasons in 6 years, with 2018 shaping up to be another winning season. Their previous two head coaches brought them 3 winning seasons in 11 years. If they don't hit a home run on their next hire, it's hard for me to see the next guy exceeding the standard set by Rich Rod.

"climate and direction of the program". Saying we're uncomfortable with the bad publicity that keeping him on will bring despite their investigation finding no wrongdoing makes UA look bad, which it does. No University wants to make it explicitly clear that they're willing to fire people when investigations conclude they did nothing wrong.

The recruits that signed with AZ last month are stuck. Too bad for them........

71Bear said:

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The recruits that signed with AZ last month are stuck. Too bad for them........

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Only if Arizona decides to play hardball, which Cal never does in situations like these.

Any school that fires it's head coach in January is absolutely screwed given who is left to pick up at that point. Oh, wait . . .

Sebastabear said:

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Any school that fires it's head coach in January is absolutely screwed given who is left to pick up at that point. Oh, wait . . .

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Well played.....

Look for AZ to hire Todd Graham (j/k)........

Sebastabear said:

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Any school that fires it's head coach in January is absolutely screwed given who is left to pick up at that point. Oh, wait . . .

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They should hire a former assistant coach with coordinator experience.

It doesn't sound like sexual harassment. Just work place harassment. He probably yells and demeans her alot at work. boo hoo. Brittle spirit.

okaydo said:

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This article states that the complainant's grievances were being asked to lie about Rod's affair with a woman unaffiliated with the school and:

Quote:

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The former employee said in the claim that she "had to walk on eggshells at work, because of (Rodriguez's) volatility and sheer power over the department." Rodriguez would call her at all hours of the night, she said in the claim, to change travel plans or deal with Rodriguez's personal emergencies. In the claim, the former employee said she became increasingly troubled by Rodriguez's actions over the past year. She suffered migraines as a result, the claim states.

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This is absurd. This is against the law and liable to a lawsuit?

iwantwinners said:

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okaydo said:

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This article states that the complainant's grievances were being asked to lie about Rod's affair with a woman unaffiliated with the school and:

Quote:

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The former employee said in the claim that she "had to walk on eggshells at work, because of (Rodriguez's) volatility and sheer power over the department." Rodriguez would call her at all hours of the night, she said in the claim, to change travel plans or deal with Rodriguez's personal emergencies. In the claim, the former employee said she became increasingly troubled by Rodriguez's actions over the past year. She suffered migraines as a result, the claim states.

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This is absurd. This is against the law and liable to a lawsuit?

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Which is why this isn't a for cause termination and they are paying him out. No way this would be enough to get AZ off the hook the rest of the money owed on the contract.

Another thing to consider, not only was he already on the hot seat this season, but they have a new AD.

71Bear said:

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The recruits that signed with AZ last month are stuck. Too bad for them........

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Can they ask out of the LOI like basketball if the coach is fired?

ayetee11 said:

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71Bear said:

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The recruits that signed with AZ last month are stuck. Too bad for them........

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Can they ask out of the LOI like basketball if the coach is fired?

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They would have to petition the NLI governing body (not the NCAA).

It's funny how the best coaches weren't t the top choices.

socaliganbear said:

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Sumlin and Tate could be interesting.

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Yup. That would be Arizona's best move.

But the way Arizona handled RichRod's termination doesn't inspire much confidence that they will make a smart hire.

Apparently they found an extramarital affair though that seems a bit innocuous. Although there was that rumor from WVU that he got a cheerleader pregnant so maybe they found something else nasty.

Someone on the UA board posted this. Ahh, the good old days...

socaliganbear said:

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Another thing to consider, not only was he already on the hot seat this season, but they have a new AD.

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Yes, seems like they weren't too keen on his performance already (we can debate whether or not that's justified), and the workplace complaint is the last straw.

Works in Cal's favor, so I'll take it. Same with the ASU head-scratcher, though Cal won't play ASU next season.

Meanwhile Colorado keeps their lousy coach, another bonus for Cal. Oregon, OSU - not scary hires. Yah UCLA hit the jackpot - maybe - we'll see how that transition goes since Mora's problems were on defense and hiring an offensive-minded coach doesn't solve that problem.

Overall the coaching decisions this go-around look to be a net negative for the Pac 12. Good for Cal's chances to move up. Not so great for the Pac 12 overall, though. Seems like the conference's downward trajectory will only get worse.

Well, at least we can believe her claim that Rich Rod was "volatile." So was the previous coach - Mike Stoops. Maybe that desert heat does it to you.
Arizona is in big trouble. Harsin might be the best candidate, but it is so late and Arizona's recent history doesn't make it that desirable. This will be interesting to watch.

Rich Rod may have to give up coaching at the FBS level at this point. Who's going to want to hire him now? He has left his last 3 jobs (WV, Mich., and UA) under a cloud of accusations and toxic rumors.

If the allegations are true, the accuser may go from an assistant making $47k/year to an instant millionaire.

From the article below:

Among the allegations:

• The coach called her into his office in January 2017 when he began discussing his marital problems and then grabbed her, "embraced her, touched the side of her breast, and tried to kiss her." She managed to pull away. Two weeks later, he called her back to his office and said he wanted to "take care of her." Rodriguez handed her $300 in cash, but she refused the money.
• In February 2017, he called her into his office, and while talking she saw him "grasping his ***** beneath his basketball shorts."
• Rodriguez asked Wilhelmsen to get him underwear from the equipment area. After she found a male staff member to bring them to him, Rodriguez told her how "his preferred style of underwear 'visually enhanced' his genitalia when worn."
• Rodriguez timed his workouts so would walk back to his office shirtless in front of Wilhelmsen.
• A coaching assistant made a comment that when Wilhelmsen raised money for the football program she did it by rubbing her breasts on donors. Rodriguez laughed at the comment.
• Rodriguez asked Wilhelmsen to come to his home alone to help him with his dog. Wilhelmsen texted the coach that she and her husband could come, but she would not come alone. "You know I love you," Rodriguez texted back, with a kissing-face emoji.
• On Wilhelmsen's last day of work on Aug. 11, 2017, Rodriguez's wife cornered her in the office and demanded to know the truth about her husband's affair. Wilhelmsen said she apologized for not informing his wife sooner.

https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/arizona-investigations/2018/01/03/rich-rodriguez-arizona-wildcats-fired-claim-sexual-harassment/998822001/

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/17bMR5x7I13fd6-7Yv-l_nYHtarZdhN58rP79r8k6p70/pubhtml

ESPN.com has more details attained from the notice of claim she filed with the arizona courts.

http://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/21946402/arizona-wildcats-fire-football-coach-rich-rodriguez

She is claiming (among other things):

- He tried to kiss her and touched the side of her boob, and then tried to pay her $300 not to tell his wife about it

- He did nothing to discipline players who were sending her shots of their junk among other illicit message

Not sure what proof she has, but the university statement does not exonerate him (as his lawyered statement claims), buts says she did not cooperate with the investigation which means no evidence. She seems to be going the get paid route, but if she has dick pics in hand, that can't go well, right? (No one is saying idea if she does).

Have to wonder if there is a way for the U of A to stop paying him his salary/severance if there is a judgement against them in the future.