Graybeal resigns

[velochat]

WSU football coach resigns

Graybeal takes reassignment in athletic department

Wed, Nov 17, 2004

By JIM BURTON
Standard-Examiner staff
jburton@standard.net

OGDEN -- A year ago, Jerry Graybeal was the toast of the Big Sky Conference and the owner of a new three-year contract.

Today, he is out as Weber State's football coach.

In the wake of the worst season in school history, Graybeal has stepped down after seven years at WSU.

Graybeal, whose Wildcats posted a dismal 1-10 record this season, informed Athletic Director William Weidner of his decision during a meeting Tuesday morning. Graybeal, 49, accepted a reassignment within the athletic department and will serve as a special assistant to Weidner.

"In our profession, you can be proud of players getting their names in the paper for the right reasons, (high) graduation rates, no NCAA blow-ups, (clean) compliance records -- those types of things," Graybeal said. "But the bottom line is conference championships and wins. We were unable to produce in that area."

Following a 2003 season in which the Wildcats went 8-4, Graybeal was named Big Sky coach of the year and was given a three-year contract. However, despite the return of a number of key players, WSU began the '04 season with an eight-game losing streak.

Graybeal resigned his post, but he
said it seemed clear the school's administration was looking for a change.

"The administration wants to move on in a different direction to see if they can't find that consistency when it comes to winning," Graybeal said. "Our football program, historically, has struggled with that bottom-line consistency."

During seven years at WSU, Graybeal compiled an overall record of 32-46 and 20-32 in the Big Sky.

The 'Cats went 6-5 in 1998, 7-4 in 2000 and 8-4 last season. They also suffered through records of 4-7 in 1999 and 3-8 in 2001 and 2002.

"I appreciate all of coach Graybeal's hard work and dedication to our football program," WSU President Ann Millner said. "During his tenure, coach Graybeal has always led by example, and today's decision once again demonstrates his character and integrity."

Weidner, who took over as athletic director on Nov. 5, said he was concerned about lagging attendance figures and some displeasure expressed by some of the school's financial donors.

"It just appears we're not moving forward, we're not progressing," Weidner said. "This year, for us to drop off as much as we had -- even with injuries -- I felt that we dropped far below expectations."

Weidner said when he and Graybeal met Tuesday morning, Graybeal suggested stepping down as coach.

"Jerry is a very loyal person," he said. "He's a man of integrity and character. He really cares about the program, he really cares about the university. So he suggested, 'Maybe it's time for me to step aside.' That's what led for me to present to him (the reassignment to special assistant)."

Weidner and Graybeal will meet again later this week or early next week to finalize the details of Graybeal's new assignment.

The contract Graybeal signed last year was a three-year deal with the final year as a option. Weidner said WSU will honor the second year of the contract but would not exercise the final year.

The financial terms of Graybeal's contract have not been disclosed.

Graybeal said he plans to fulfill whatever assignment he receives, but he would also consider other coaching offers.

"My family is my No. 1 consideration right now," Graybeal said. "I'm going to do what (the administration) asks of me and do it with as much energy as I've done in my coaching career. Coaching is a funny profession. Tomorrow somebody could call and say, 'Hey, are you interested in this?' Or it could be a year from now."




Copyright ©2004, Ogden Publishing Corporation