WSU's Rolovich fired for refusing vaccine
SPOKANE, Wash. -- Washington State fired football Coach Nick Rolovich and four of his assistants on Monday for refusing a state mandate that all employees get vaccinated against covid-19, making him the first major college coach to lose his job over vaccination status.
Washington Gov. Jay Inslee, a Democrat, had set a deadline of Monday for thousands of state employees, including the Cougars' coach, to be vaccinated against the coronavirus. Rolovich applied for a religious exemption.
Defensive coordinator Jake Dickert will be elevated to acting coach and his first game in charge will be Saturday at home against Brigham Young, the school said late Monday.
"This is a disheartening day for our football program," Athletic Director Pat Chun said in a statement. "Our priority has been and will continue to be the health and well-being of the young men on our team."
Rolovich was not immediately available for comment.
Rolovich, 42, was the highest-paid state employee with an annual salary of more than $3 million in a contract that runs through 2025. He had said he wouldn't get vaccinated but wouldn't specify his reasons. He was the only unvaccinated head coach in the Pac-12 and had worn a mask during games.
Also fired for refusing vaccination were assistant coaches Ricky Logo, John Richardson, Craig Stutzmann and Mark Weber, the university said.
Washington State hired Rolovich from Hawaii two years ago, after Mike Leach left for Mississippi State, and led the Cougars to a 1-3 record in the Pac-12 in a 2020 season cut short because of the pandemic. The Cougars have won their past three games and are 4-3 this season, including a 34-31 win over Stanford last Saturday. Rolovich finishes with a 5-6 record at the Pullman campus in southeastern Washington.
Rolovich was fired for cause, which means the university does not have to honor the rest of his contract, although lawsuits over the decision are likely. The Washington State athletic department is currently facing a shortfall of more than $30 million.