Arizona fired Rich Rodriguez as its football coach on Tuesday after conducting an investigation into allegations of sexual harassment against him, citing “several factors, including the direction and climate of our football program” for the move.
Rodriguez, 54, was the subject of a $7.5 million notice of claim filed last week with the state attorney general’s office accusing him of running a hostile workplace. The Arizona Daily Star first reported the notice of claim, which indicates a lawsuit is imminent, after a public records request.
Robert C. Robbins, the university’s president, and Dave Heeke, its athletic director, issued a joint statement on Tuesday evening announcing Rodriguez’s dismissal.