Former Nevada Wolf Pack coach Rolovich fired at Washington State after refusing COVID vaccine

Washington State has fired football coach Nick Rolovich after he declined to get vaccinated against COVID-19 despite a state mandate that required it unless he was approved for an exemption.

Two people with knowledge of the decision confirmed it to USA TODAY Sports but did not want to be named because they were not authorized to speak publicly about it. Four assistant coaches also were fired Monday as vaccinated defensive coordinator Jake Dickert got tapped to become interim head coach, the two people said.

The university didn't immediately confirm the status of Rolovich’s request for a religious exemption from the mandate. But Rolovich and other state employees faced a deadline Monday to…