Texas Tech fires suspended football coach Mike Leach
Two days after allegations surfaced that he may have mistreated one of his players, suspended Texas Tech football coach Mike Leach was fired by the university today.
According to the Associated Press, Leach's attorney received the letter of termination minutes before he was to meet with university representatives for a courtroom hearing on Leach's suspension.
The school suspended Leach on Monday after receiver Adam James said the coach forced him to be confined to an equipment shed on two occasions after he suffered a concussion. James is the son of ESPN college football analyst Craig James.
Leach signed a five-year, $12.7 million contract in February and was scheduled to receive an $800,000 bonus on Dec. 31. Texas Tech will play Michigan State in the Alamo Bowl on Saturday.
Since the allegations were made public, some of Leach's former players and current and former assistant coaches have come out in support of him.
Leach said in a court affidavit that he "would never intentionally harm or endanger a player" and that there is "absolutely" no evidence he violated team or university policies.
-- Austin Knoblauch
Photo: Mike Leach. Credit: Nati Harnik / Associated Press
