The 2021 college football season has already seen numerous head coaching changes.
Schools are getting rid of coaches quicker than ever.
But one college football coach just got fired over this political protest.
Washington State fired second-year coach Nick Rolovich after Rolovich refused to get the coronavirus vaccine ahead of Washington Governor Jay Inslee’s October 18 deadline for all state employees to get the jab.
“The noncompliance with this requirement renders [Rolovich] ineligible to be employed at Washington State University and therefore can no longer fulfill the duties as a head coach of our football program effective immediately,” Washington State Athletic Director Pat Chun announced. “It is disheartening to be here today. Our football team is hurting. Our WSU community is fractured. Today will have a lasting impact on the young men on our team and the remaining coaches and staff.”
Rolovich applied for a religious exemption and was denied.
The school also fired assistant coaches Ricky Logo, John Richardson, Craig Stutzmann, and Mark Weber for refusing to get the vaccine.
Under Rolovich, the Cougars began to show signs of a turnaround.
Washington State is one of the hardest major college football jobs for coaches to win at.
The school is located in far-flung Pullman, Washington and is not situated in a recruiting hotbed, which makes it difficult to attract top talent.
Washington State is also the “little brother” school to the much more well-known and successful University of Washington Huskies.
Even with all of those limitations, Rolovich made progress on the field.
In Rolovich’s second season as coach, the Cougars ripped off a three-game winning streak to lift their record to 4 and 3 and put them on the path for a bowl bid.
But now the Cougars season is in chaos because of Governor Inslee’s tyrannical vaccine mandate.
Sports with Balls will keep you up-to-date on any new developments in this ongoing story.
