Bob Huggins says he didn’t write resignation statement
- Advertisement -
Jeff BorzelloESPN Staff Writer4 Minute Read
Bob Huggins threatens legal action if not reinstated
Bob Huggins is threatening legal action against West Virginia unless he is reinstated as head coach.
The potential legal battle between Bob Huggins and West Virginia University continued to build on Monday, with Huggins releasing a statement saying he never submitted a resignation notice to the school and should therefore still be employed as the men’s basketball head coach.
A June 17 announcement released by the school and attributed to Huggins indicated he was stepping down following his arrest the night before on a charge of driving under the influence. The arrest came just six weeks after Huggins used an anti-gay slur in a radio interview, which resulted in a three-game suspension and a $1 million salary reduction.
However, in his statement on Monday, Huggins said the June 17 announcement was not written by him.
“I did not draft or review WVU’s statement,” Huggins wrote. “This false statement was sent under my name, but no signature is included. … I am employed by WVU pursuant to an Employment Agreement. I never submitted the notice required under the Employment Agreement to voluntarily resign.”
He also wrote that he did not inform his players of his decision to resign at a June 17 meeting, telling them only that he did not know what was going to happen.
Huggins added he voluntarily checked into a rehabilitation center and that he plans to remain there until he is “cleared to return to [his] active coaching duties.”
Last week, David A. Campbell, an attorney representing Huggins, sent a letter to West Virginia University indicating Huggins’ resignation email came from Huggins’ wife, June Huggins. As a result, Campbell claimed, Huggins never formally resigned.
In response, the university told Campbell it does not plan to reinstate Huggins.
“Moreover, if Mr. Huggins or his counsel attempts to publicly suggest that he somehow did not resign and retire from his position, please be advised that the University will swiftly and aggressively defend itself from these spurious allegations,” wrote Stephanie D. Taylor, vice president and general counsel for the university.
Campbell responded to Taylor in another letter on Monday, stating that Huggins’ employment agreement requires Huggins to send written notice of his resignation to the school’s athletic director and general counsel.
“Accordingly, based on the plain language of the Employment Agreement and clear West Virginia law, an email from Coach Huggins’ wife to Steve Uryasz, WVU’s Deputy Athletics Director, is not effective notice of resignation under the Employment Agreement,” Campbell wrote.
Taylor and the university responded Monday night to Campbell’s second letter, reiterating the university’s stance that Huggins indeed resigned and that it will not reinstate him as head coach, while also calling Campbell and Huggins’ assertions “meritless” and “contrary to the documented…
Read More: Bob Huggins says he didn’t write resignation statement 2023-07-10 23:27:20