UMontana Fired Coach For Sexual Assault to A Male Player
The University of Montana has determined not to renew the contracts of Athletics Director Jim O'Day and head football coach Robin Pflugrad,'' university President Royce Engstrom said in a statement.
O'Day and Engstrom addressed staff and coaches in separate meetings Thursday morning, but neither gave a reason for the firings, said Greg Sundberg, the Montana Grizzly Scholarship Association executive director, who attended the meetings.
''I think it was time for a leadership change, is what I gathered,'' Sundberg said.
Engstrom's statement thanked O'Day and Pflugrad for their service and said the university plans to announce an interim coach and athletic director by the end of the week.
The Missoulian first reported the story on Thursday morning. O'Day told the newspaper that he and Pflugrad were shocked by the news, but they understand that is part of the business.
''I'm sure the president has been reviewing all the different things that have been going on for some time and just decided, both in leadership of the department and in leadership of the football program, it was time to make a change,'' O'Day said.
The firings cap six months of tumult for the university and the football program.
Engstrom released a report last week detailing the university's response to the sexual assault allegations, the Missoulian reported, saying five Montana students had left the school as a result.
Three others who were accused were appealing the decisions, while three cases were closed because of a lack of evidence, and two more were not pursued by the alleged victims.
According to the Missoulian, some cases involved alleged rape by multiple men.
Engstrom said some of the cases are still being investigated by police.
Earlier this month, a university student accused starting quarterback Jordan Johnson of sexually assaulting her. No charges have been filed.
Johnson was temporarily suspended from spring practice while a temporary restraining order was issued against him. After the restraining order was dissolved last week to be replaced by a civil no-contact agreement, Johnson was allowed to participate in a Saturday scrimmage.
Pflugrad welcomed him back to the field, calling Johnson a person of ''tremendous moral fiber'' in a statement that was criticized by the alleged victim's attorney.
In January, running back Beau Donaldson was suspended from the team after he was charged with raping an acquaintance in September 2010. He has pleaded not guilty.
Last fall, police used a stun gun against two football players after quarterback Gerald Kemp and cornerback Trumaine Johnson scuffled with officers responding to a noise complaint. They pleaded no contest to disorderly conduct charges.
Sundberg said none of those allegations were raised at the meetings Thursday.
Pflugrad was the Big Sky Conference football coach of the year in 2011 after he guided the Grizzlies to a co-conference championship in his second year as coach. Sam Houston State defeated Montana in the semifinals of the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs.
Pflugrad was promoted from wide receivers coach to head coach after Bobby Hauck left for UNLV in 2009. It was Pflugrad's second stint with the Grizzlies, after being an assistant coach from 1986 to 1994. In between, he coached and recruited at Oregon, Washington State and Arizona State, and he previously coached at Portland State.
Montana went 7-4 in his first season in 2010.
O'Day was hired as athletic director in 2005, moving up from director of development for UM intercollegiate athletics after Don Read retired.
Montana fires coach, AD following sexual assault investigation
Posted by Ben Kercheval
Though 1-AA powerhouse Montana is coming off an 11-3 season that saw the Grizzlies come close to another NCAA championship — losing to Sam Houston State in the national semifinals — the football program will begin the search for a new coach and athletic director after it was announced Robin Pflugrad and Jim O’Day were fired, respectively.
The Missoulian reports that Pflugrad and O’Day will not have their contracts renewed, per an announcement from the school.
“The University of Montana has determined not to renew the contracts of Athletics Director Jim O’Day and head football coach Robin Pflugrad,” school president Royce Engstrom said in a statement. “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.”
Additionally, assistant athletic director Greg Sundberg released the following email to the Grizzly Scholarship Association board of directors:
“It is with great sadness that I inform you all that this morning our Athletic Director, Jim O’Day and Head Football Coach Robin Pflugrad were released of their duties as of 8:00 a.m. this morning. It will be a very difficult time for all of us in the coming days and I would ask that you stay positive.
“As more information comes out, I will be sure to let you know. At this point and time this is all that I know.”
The school didn’t specify the reason behind the firings, but the decision comes on the heels of several sexual assault cases, both on and off-campus, that have occurred over the past couple of years. Two of those cases are said to haveinvolved members of the school’s football team.
The Associated Press identifies starting quarterback Jordan Johnson and running back Beau Donaldson as two players connected to sexual assault cases.
So take that as you will; normally, coaches and AD’s aren’t fired for the actions of players.
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