Awrey firing undermines University's reputation

December 10, 2007 —

GETT HIT ON THE WAY OUT -

SVSU's firing of football coach Randy Awrey is a blotch the size of a meteor crater on the University's otherwise clean record of conduct. The violations that Awrey allegedly committed are minor infractions, worthy of a suspension and a reprimand, but hardly worthy of the wide-ranging punishment SVSU's inflicted on its football program.

The school punished itself more than it did Awrey. Revoking two football scholarships and essentially destroying its relationship with Campus Village is the worst of it, but forfeiting a handful of games is pretty bad too. Officially, SVSU's record in 2005 is now a stunning 0-13, and the record will show that we went 3-7 in 2007. Playing ineligible players is not a negligible offense by any means, but the forfeiture of games wasn't even at the behest of the NCAA or even the GLIAC, but of SVSU's own volition.

What does that say about all the hard work the football team put into those winning seasons? And the fans that supported them the whole time? What did those students on the football team come to SVSU for? Definitely not to have the school willingly fork over a dozen wins to the NCAA.

Maybe SVSU was petrified of having the NCAA investigate the school personally - NCAA investigations are probably the least welcome (and most punishing) in all of sports. Most college coaches would rather find themselves in a courtroom as Barry Bonds than as a corrupt coach.

Like all schools, SVSU values its reputation. For an example, one need go no further than the front page of the University's Web site to understand how carefully its image is managed: buzz words ("caring and mentoring faculty") and squeaky-clean bios abound.

And there's nothing wrong with that. Parents wouldn't let kids enroll if the front-page picture was a game of drunken Twister and the cut line read "Wild parties in the Living Center force tough life decisions upon students on a weekly basis."

But has SVSU gone too far here? Awrey's crimes amount to setting up two assistant coaches with free lodging (with the blessing of the former athletic director) and paying part of his kids' rent.

How many parents of SVSU students help out their kids with rent? A whole bunch.

So it seems clear: SVSU has sacrificed its most successful football coach to maintain its reputation, but in the process, has actually damaged it. Is anyone buying the storyline that the official statement maintains?

If what the University says is true, Awrey was released for what amounts to a handful of minor infractions that most coaches will end up making, if only as a matter of course.

If SVSU is looking for a football coach that is immune to such minor mistakes, they might as well hire an accountant to coach the team.