Nov 12, 2016; Lincoln, NE, USA; Minnesota Golden Gophers head coach Tracy Claeys watches during the game against the Nebraska Cornhuskers in the first half at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Thorson-USA TODAY Sports
Minnesota went 9-4, including a bowl victory this season, but head coach Tracy Claeys was fired, the school confirmed Tuesday.
Minnesota athletic director Mark Coyle, who came over from Syracuse in the offseason, said in November that Claeys would be back next season, but apparently changed his mind.
The suspension of 10 players as well as the team’s threat to boycott the Holiday Bowl as a result of the suspensions probably played a major role in the firing.
County officials declined to press charges against players for alleged sexual assault violations, but an internal investigation by the University of Minnesota’s Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action (EOAA) office led Coyle to suspend 10 players from the team indefinitely on Dec. 13.
That’s when the players announced they would boycott all football activities, and they did for two days.
Claeys told the team he would be fired if they did not play in the Holiday Bowl. Not only did the Gophers players play, they beat Washington State 17-12.
After that game, according to the Minneapolis Star Tribune, Coyle said in a statement that he and Claeys would “take this opportunity to reflect on this past season before sitting down together to talk about the future and my expectations for our football program.”
Claeys became the Gophers’ head coach during the 2015 season, when Jerry Kill resigned for health reasons. Minnesota went 11-8, including two bowl victories, under Claeys. The nine wins this season were the most for Minnesota since it won 10 in 2003.
Western Michigan coach P.J. Fleck, former LSU coach Les Miles and Boise State coach Bryan Harsin are among the coaches Coyle may target for the vacant post. Coyle was the athletic director at Boise State when Harsin was hired following the 2013 season.
