Montana athletics explodes

[GidalKaiser]

http://www.bozemandailychronicle.com/sports/article_c2029514-79c6-11e1-91c8-0019bb2963f4.html

The University of Montana has fired athletic director Jim O’Day and head football coach Robin Pflugrad.
The termination took place around 8 a.m. this morning. UM President Royce Engrstrom released an official statement earlier this afternoon. The statement reads:
"The University of Montana has determined not to renew the contracts of Athletics Director Jim O’Day and head football coach Robin Pflugrad. The University will announce an interim athletics director and interim head coach by the end of the week. Further details about the search for permanent replacements will be released as the process develops. We thank Jim and Robin for their dedicated service to the University, and we wish them the best."
No reason for the termination was given in the statement.

UM has been marred by a slew of sexual assault allegations and controversy as to how the university handles the indiscretions.

Pflugrad was 18-7 in two seasons and was named the 2011 Big Sky Conference Coach of the Year (11-3, co-champions). Also one of 20 finalists for the Eddie Robinson Award, given to the Football Championship Series' top mentor. He coached wide receivers in 2009 and spent almost a decade as a Griz assistant earlier in his career before taking jobs with Arizona State, Washington State and Oregon.
Montana has played in all but one of the last 19 national playoffs and appeared in seven of the last 17 national title games, winning championships in 1995 and 2001.

 

[Stitch]

I assume the Missoulian will have more in-depth coverage.

 

[GidalKaiser]

I assume the Missoulian will have more in-depth coverage.

At this point, they do have some. http://missoulian.com/news/local/university-of-montana-fires-football-coach-athletic-director/article_b7877268-79c0-11e1-92b3-0019bb2963f4.html

 

[Armchair_QB]

Posted this earlier on the running Nick Saban/college football thread before the reason for the firing was reported. Yeah, this deserves its own thread.

It sounds like the issue with the football players is part of a bigger campus problem based on whats out there on-line.

Makes you wonder what the AD & coach did or said to get canned if this is bigger than the athletic department & football program.

 

[BYH]

Quite a Division I-A program Montana's got going there.

 

[Mystery Meat II]

Well, they did turn down an offer to move up to I-A and join the WAC. Maybe they knew that once all the rapes hit the news, they'd get some BCS looks.

 

[Ace]

So Montana didn't literally explode then?

 

[Point of Order]

This is great news. Someone refresh my memory... wasn't there a thread on here recently about the coach bullying the student paper?

 

[Mizzougrad96]

S-E-C!!!!

 

[Armchair_QB]

This is great news. Someone refresh my memory... wasn't there a thread on here recently about the coach bullying the student paper?

I think that was the previous head coach who is now at UNLV.

 

[MileHigh]

Yet, somehow men's basketball coach Wayne Tinkle isn't involved. Or so we know.

 

[Armchair_QB]

So... Dan Hawkins to the rescue?

 

[turski7]

I guess they felt snubbed with Montana State getting all the headlines in years past.
http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/18834241/

 

[HanSenSE]

So... Dan Hawkins to the rescue?

If not Don Read.