LITTLE ROCK — Dean Lee’s reassignment within Arkansas State on Tuesday shouldn’t have any impact on a planned football game between ASU and Arkansas-Pine Bluff.
UAPB Athletic Director Lonza Hardy Jr. said Tuesday officials from each school need to only sign a contract that was sent to UAPB in June and a game set for 2013 would become official.
Lee was moved from the athletic director position he held at ASU for 10 years to a fundraising position within the university Tuesday. But Hardy said he doesn’t think the move will affect the likelihood of the teams meeting for the first time Aug. 31, 2013, in Jonesboro.
“I’m sure the football coach at ASU [Gus Malzahn] had some input in wanting to play us,” Hardy said. “I guess anything would be possible, but at this stage, I would not think that it would have any effect.”
In a June 6 e-mail obtained by the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette in a Freedom of Information Act request, Lee told Hardy that an updated contracted attached to the e-mail included an “additional $25,000 in game guarantee” to help with hotel costs. Lee then requested Hardy look over the contract, sign it and return it to him.
“We look forward to you coming to Jonesboro for this contest,” Lee wrote.
Hardy said the agreement is for one year, and declined to identify the payout until the contract is signed.
Sports, Pages 24 on 08/08/2012