蜜柚直播 Wildcats athletic director Dave Heeke had made the decision to fire football coach Rich Rodriguez regardless of the outcome of the university鈥檚 investigation into his workplace behavior, according to a UA official who was not authorized to talk to the press.
The university waited until after the third-party investigation had been completed last Thursday to determine whether Rodriguez could be fired for cause 鈥 in which case 蜜柚直播 wouldn鈥檛 have had to pay Rodriguez鈥檚 buyout of $6.28 million, the UA official said.听
The investigation, conducted by the law firm of Cohen Dowd Quigley, could not substantiate the 鈥渙riginal specific harassment allegations鈥 brought by a former UA employee against Rodriguez, according to a letter from Heeke and 蜜柚直播 president Robert C. Robbins released Tuesday night. Therefore, Rodriguez couldn鈥檛 be fired for cause.
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However, as the letter notes, 鈥溍坭种辈 Athletics 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.鈥澨
Heeke鈥檚 decision was based on several factors, including on-field performance; poor attendance at 蜜柚直播 Stadium; Rodriguez鈥檚 off-field behavior, including in postgame news conferences; and the necessity of the internal investigation.
Rodriguez was fired Tuesday night after six seasons as 蜜柚直播鈥檚 coach. His firing came in the wake of a $7.5 million notice of claim filed with the 蜜柚直播 Attorney General鈥檚 Office in which a former UA employee accuses Rodriguez of creating a hostile work environment and sexually harassing her.
Rodriguez denied those allegations in a note he tweeted late Tuesday night. Rodriguez did admit to having a 鈥渃onsensual extramarital affair with a woman who is not affiliated with the university.鈥
Rodriguez noted that complainant 鈥 whom he referred to as 鈥渕y former administrative assistant 鈥 did not cooperate with the investigation. It is believed she declined to do so because she did not trust that the university would treat her allegations with the seriousness she felt they deserved.
Heeke has begun the process of finding a new coach. . UA players, including quarterback Khalil Tate, have thrown their support behind interim coach Marcel Yates, the Wildcats鈥 defensive coordinator.
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