Fired Ute football Coach Jim Fassel angrily charged school officials Wednesday with misleading him and putting winning ahead of anything else.
Fassel, who was fired Tuesday afternoon by Athletic Director Chris Hill, said he had been treated fairly by the university - until this week. He noted the fact that he has a multi-year contract which was renewed after last season."I think up to this point I had been (treated fairly)," said Fassel. "But it's a shock to me because of all the things I'd been told all along I was doing was right. Ten months ago I signed a new contract. They said, Jim, we're not interested in quick fixes, and to continue to plug away. To handle it in this manner was just atrocious. It was a typical case of not having faith in anybody."
A Fassel press conference was set for Wednesday afternoon.
Fassel says he was puzzled about a show of support from the Utah administration - including A.D. Chris Hill and President Chase Peterson - that he now says apparently wasn't there. "If it was a question of not having a vote of confidence by the administration, why renew my contract last year?" He continued, "What I feel now is that their support was a matter of convenience."
The Ute coach, who compiled a 25-33 record in five years at Utah, had three years remaining on his contract.
Hill said Tuesday that it wasn't a 4-8 season or the 70-31 loss to BYU that was the reason for the firing, but an overall lack of being competitive on the field. However, he acknowledged Fassel had built up the academic side of the football team.
"My question is, if they say it wasn't just this year that changed things around, and the evaluation wasn't based on just one year, then what the hell did they renew my contract for?" said Fassel.
The coach met briefly with Hill on Tuesday afternoon, where he was told he wouldn't be retained. "All he told me is this wasn't the direction he wanted to go," said Fassel.
He continued, "I guess it's one of those philosophical things, and a message to all young coaches in America: that no matter what the academics are, if you don't win, you get fired."
As recently as Tuesday morning, Fassel was telling his assistant coaches his job was secure. Fassel's contract is reportedly a rollover pact, in which a year was added annually to the existing three-year agreement.
Hill said the remainder of Fassel's contract will be honored, but he didn't say exactly how the buyout will be financed. "It'll come out of private funds we've raised . . . reserves accumulated from funds generated by the athletic department."
The news came so abruptly, Fassel didn't have time to call all the coaches before the news was releasd to radio and television stations. Some of the coaches' families, including Fassel's own son, heard the news on the radio.
The coach expressed frustration over trying to build the program on a long-term basis and feeling he had the administration's support, yet finding himself fired. "What they're saying is, `Yes, we want a long term approach, but you better win in the meantime.' "
He added, "In my profession, this (being fired) is part of it. I went into this with my eyes completely open, but I didn't expect to be misled."
While Fassel was popular with players, fans and media and made progress with graduation rates, his program was making little headway on the field. Utah had only two winning seasons in Fassel's five-year tenure.
"I think it's just the concept that we really have not progressed our program to where it needs to be," said Hill. "I don't know how else to say it."
He continued, "We are pleased with the way Coach Fassel has represented the University of Utah. Unfortunately, we have not made the progress that we expected in the football program; therefore, we feel it necessary to make a change. We appreciate all he has done for the University of Utah.
"I don't think it's wins; I think it's competing. As much as winning, we need to be more competitive in the Western Athletic Conference."
Utah finished seventh in the WAC with a 2-6 record this year.
The removal of Fassel, though sudden, was a matter of discussion among fans, players and in the media for a week. Speculation hit a high pitch shortly after Fassel told the Crimson Club that he had given some thought to resigning. Later in the week Fassel said he wanted to remain as coach. But Hill had apparently begun to question the wisdom of keeping a coach who had, however briefly, entertained thoughts of quitting. When asked about Fassel's future, Hill replied that he would review the matter at season's end - failing to give a public show of support.
Hill said Fassel's doubts about continuing coaching were not the impetus for the firing. "I think it was just the culmination of our evaluation of the total program," said Hill.
In response to a question about having the support of President Chase Peterson, Hill replied, "I wouldn't jump off this cliff if I didn't."
After an 8-4 start in 1985, Fassel's teams went 2-9, 5-7, 6-5 and 4-8. Although he brought such crowd-pleasing innovations as the "Duck" offense into his system, the Utes struggled to win, even in the WAC.
The program was marred by drug-related arrests involving players in both 1988 and 1989. Under Fassel the Utes led the nation in passing and total offense in 1988 and were among the national leaders every year.
The five-year stay at Utah was not the 40-year-old Fassel's first. He was a quarterbacks and receivers coach in 1976. He was hired in 1985, replacing Chuck Stobart, after serving as an assistant coach for the Portland Breakers of the USFL. He was an assistant coach at Stanford 1979-83, where he tutored star quarterback John Elway.
While Hill said he would look for a new coach "as soon as we can," at least two names have already appeared. Jack Reilly, Fassel's offensive coordinator, is expected to apply for the job. Another possible candidate is Arizona Assistant Coach Ron McBride, who was, perhaps not coincidentally, in Salt Lake Tuesday on a recruiting trip. McBride was a former assistant Ute coach and a candidate for the head coaching job when Fassel was hired.
The firing of Fassel, which also means the termination of most or all of his assistants, brought out some gallows humor. Commenting on the direction of the program, offensive backfield coach Wayne McQuivey said, "Coaches are just like farmers - next year is always going to be a better year."
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Highs and lows of Fassel's career
1985 season: Utes go 8-4, winning first five games
February 1986: Fassel signs QB Scott Mitchell.
1986 season: Utah goes 2-9, including 64-6 loss to Ohio State.
September 1987: Utes stun Wisconsin in televised game.
July 1988: Fullback Martel Black arrested and eventually convicted on cocaine trafficking charges.
November 1988: Utah wins last four games, including first victory over BYU in a decade.
August 1989: Three players arrested on cocaine trafficking charges.
November 1989: BYU 70, Utah 31.