Justice Department Now Investigating Montana Football

Montana Football Sexual Assault Scandal Now Under Justice Department Investigation

Allegations of sexual assault raised against multiple Montana Grizzlies football players have resulted in a newly opened investigation by the U.S. Justice Department, Reuters reports.

The scandal came to light for most of us shortly after the surprise firing of football coach Robin Pflugrad and athletic director Jim O'Day long after the usual firing period, but the story has been building for something like two years now.

From the Reuters report:

University President Royce Engstrom told Reuters he was informed of the inquiry during a meeting on Monday with Justice Department officials who told him the probe would examine the response of the Missoula-based university, city police and county prosecutors ...

Engstrom said it was not made clear to him what prompted the inquiry, nor could he specify its scope, but he cited "a general heightened awareness of sexual assault activity on our campus and community," adding, "It's certainly related to that."

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Montana Football Players Want Answers After Coach Firing

The Montana Grizzlies fired their head football coach, Robin Pflugrad, and athletic director, Jim O'Day, on Thursday amid floating sexual-assault rumors plaguing the team. The university, however, neither addressed the allegations nor even gave a specific reason for such a massive cleaning-house move in what is a bizarre time of year for this sort of thing.

Now, the Grizzlies, who Pflugrad so vociferously defended against allegations of sexual abuse and rape, want answers. They released a statement on the team's official website demanding as much. An excerpt:

"As student athletes of this university we are left without an answer as to why our two leaders, Coach Pflugrad and Jim O'Day, are gone," the letter reads. "These events have left us disappointed, saddened and stunned, but they have also provided us something else.

"We have been reminded of the commitment we made years ago, and supported by our families, to pursue excellence in the sport we love that led as from across the country and Montana to come here. Our responsibility to honor those who support us, our duty to respect the players and coaches who built the proud Griz tradition, and our unwavering appreciation of Griz Nation is now stronger and more deeply felt."

The din of noise pressuring the university to do something to explain its actions, which may very well have been justified, is mounting.

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Mick Delaney Named Interim Head Coach At Montana; Jean Gee Interim AD

Just one day after cleaning house, the Montana Grizzlies have named an interim head football coach and athletic director. Recently retired assistant Mick Delaney will make his return for the Grizzlies, taking over as interim head coach. Jean Gee will run the athletic department in a temporary role.

Delaney knows the team, working as an associate head coach before retiring after the 2011 season.

Delaney recently concluded his fourth season as an assistant coach at Montana and working with the running backs, and was the associate head coach. A veteran mentor, Delaney has been in coaching ranks 44 years, with 29 of them at the collegiate level. Originally from Butte, he came to Montana from Colorado State where he was an assistant coach from 1993-2007.

Gee previously served as Montana's senior associate athletic director.

Montana will continue to search for a new head coach, though there appears to be more pressing issues at the moment. One would have to assume suddenly firing a head coach and athletic director in the middle of March only comes due to a significant problem bubbling under the surface, and it's likely we've only learned portions of the true reasons behind the change.

Dan Hawkins To Montana Rumors? Yep, That Seems Fine

Inside Robin Pflugrad, Jim O'Day Being Fired By Montana Football

The Montana Grizzlies fired football coach Robin Pflugrad and athletic director Jim O'Day on Thursday in the middle of March, which is decidedly not coach-firing season in college football. As concerns grow about the many sexual assault charges over the years against Grizzlies players, the university isn't doing much to explain just why the two were fired out of nowhere.

The Missoulian has an extensive report on the day's events, from O'Day being told at 8 a.m. local time to a staff meeting at 9:30 to Pflugrad meeting with his players early in the afternoon.

From the article, Pflugrad's comments in strong support of quarterback Jordan Johnson, who's under investigation for rape ... sure are very strong comments:

Last Saturday, Johnson returned to the practice field, following a civil no-contact agreement between his lawyer and that of his alleged victim; the TRO was dismissed, though Johnson was to avoid all contact with the student.

After the Grizzlies scrimmaged Saturday, Pflugrad spoke highly about the return of Johnson, who has denied the rape allegation through his lawyer. The quarterback was allowed to return upon the decision of an Athletic Conduct Team, created as part of UM's new student-athlete code of conduct.

"I think any time you have a person of Jordy's character and tremendous moral fiber, and he's your team captain and part of the leadership council, your players are going to be fired up," Pflugrad said at the time.

Elsewhere, Football Scoop has video of the coach expressing his shock at losing his job.

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Montana Says Little About Why Robin Pflugrad, Jim O'Day Were Fired

Montana confirmed Thursday afternoon that it's fired football coach Robin Pflugrad and athletic director Jim O'Day. It also noted a replacement will soon be named and so forth, though that's not really anything anybody beyond Grizz fans are concerned with right now.

The statement, from president Royce Engstrom:

The University of Montana has determined not to renew the contracts of Athletics Director Jim O'Day and head football coach Robin Pflugrad. The University will announce an interim athletics director and interim head coach by the end of the week. Further details about the search for permanent replacements will be released as the process develops. We thank Jim and Robin for their dedicated service to the University, and we wish them the best.

It's appearing more and more likely that the program's problem with a number of sex assault investigations involving football players may have contributed to the two dismissals. It'll probably continue to feel more and more like that until the school says something to the contrary, but there's still no solid reason to reach that conclusion.

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Montana Football Coach Robin Pflugrad, AD Fired Amid Sex Assault Investigations

Montana has fired its football coach and its athletic director, perhaps while dealing with questions regarding their roles in a number of assault investigations involving football players.