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Thursday, March 28, 2024 | Back issues
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School Won’t Settle With Fired Coach

LUBBOCK, Texas (CN) - Texas Tech University rejected a settlement offer from its former head football coach Mike Leach.

Leach was fired in 2010 amid allegations that he had mistreated wide receiver Adam Jones, who was unable to practice due to a mild concussion.

Jones is the son of former ESPN analyst and current U.S. Senate candidate Craig James.

Leach filed a separate complaintagainst ESPN, which he accused of defaming him.

Leach, now head coach at Washington State, told Texas Tech officials in a letterthat he is "willing to settle this case for simply what I was owed under the contract for working in 2009, which i completed except for one day. Even though I worked up to December 30, 2009, I never received my 2009 pay for guaranteed income, my 10 year bonus or incentive bonuses (for the games we won, the ranking, reaching a bowl, etc.)

"If I had been given my 10 days notice as promised in my contract before I could be terminated (the 10-day cure provision,) I would have been employed through at least January 9. I simply ask for what the contract we signed says I would be paid through that date."

Texas Tech attorney Dicky Grigg told the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal that the Board of Regents believes Leach has been paid what he is owed. The regents unanimously rejected Leach's offer at their Dec. 15 board meeting, Grigg said.

"Tech's response is basically, that we have, you know, paid Leach every penny that we owed him. He was terminated for mistreating a student athlete for a concussion," Griggs told the Avalanche-Journal. "Afterward he was insubordinate in assisting the university."

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