Minnesota has fired coach Tracy Claeys after his football team was caught up in a sexual assault scandal that let players to temporarily boycott the Holiday Bowl in December. Claeys confirmed the news to the Minnesota Star-Tribune.
Athletic director Mark Coyle indicated in late November that Claeys would return next season, but the two decided to part ways after meeting together. Coyle — after Minnesota beat Washington State in the Holiday Bowl — said the meeting would "talk about the future and my expectations for our football program.”
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Coyle released a statement Tuesday explaining the "difficult decision" to fire Claeys.
"This decision is about the future of Minnesota football. We need a leader who sets high expectations athletically, academically, and socially," the statement read, in part.
While the 10 suspended Minnesota players won't face charges after allegedly being involved in a Sept. 2 sexual assault, the scandal pinned the team against school administration, forcing officials to discuss the graphic allegations made by a woman who claimed she believed she had sex with 10-20 members of the team. The team boycotted all team activities for two days after news of the suspension broke.
Claeys tweeted his support for the players at the time, but later backed off due to public backlash. In Coyle's statement, he called Claeys' tweet "not helpful."
"I accept that Coach Claeys intended it to support the boycotting players. Understandably others did not see it that way."
MORE: Minnesota players' standoff was for all the wrong reasons
Minnesota upset Washington State 17-12 in the bowl game.
Claeys went 9-4 this season and recorded a 11-8 record in 19 games with the Gophers after replacing Jerry Kill, who resigned for health reasons in 2015. Minnesota’s nine wins this season was the most since 2003, thanks in part to a stifling defense which allowed 22.1 points this year, the fewest yielded since 2003 when they gave up 21.9 a game.
Some Minnesota players took to social media Tuesday afternoon in support of Claeys.
Fire the coach that stick with his players .. it's sad how this administration doesn't care about the players at all
— Jalen Myrick (@5__On__It) January 3, 2017
How can someone makes such an idiotic decision...
— Carter Coughlin (@Cmoe34) January 3, 2017
Western Michigan coach P.J. Fleck, former LSU coach Les Miles and Boise State coach Bryan Harsin will be among the names linked to the Gophers opening, the Star-Tribune speculated.