Controversy at West Virginia University has garnered some closure with the resignation of now-former head coach Bill Stewart today. This puts offensive coordinator, Dana Holgorsen, on a fast-track to being the head coach of the Mountaineer football team. Holgorsen was not initially supposed to be the head coach until the 2012 season began, and was regularly referred to as the “head coach in waiting.”
Athletic director of West Virginia University, Andrew Luck, announced Bill Stewart’s resignation just hours ago and noted that controversy of Stewart asking local sports reporters to find “dirt” on Holgorsen could not be verified by the school. Nonetheless, it has undeniably provided considerable haste to Stewart’s season-early departure from the school no matter how a person wants to ‘shake it.’
Luck stated the following in regard to allegations surrounding coach Stewart, “It has recently been a difficult time for all of us who love Mountaineer football and our University. As a first comment, let me make this clear, the University has not substantiated any allegations of wrong doing on the part of Coach Stewart or his wife Karen Stewart. The University will have no further comment on those allegations.”
Stewart apparently handed over a message to be conveyed by the school which Luck relayed, “Bill sends this message to all Mountaineers, ‘As I said on the day I was appointed head coach, what is best for WVU is my first priority. Today, I am doing what I believe to be in the best interest of the Mountaineer Nation.”
Stewart dismissed his former lawyer and brought in a new person to negotiate with the school, which talked with WVU throughout today.
Stewart finishes his run at WVU with a 28-12 record, with three consecutive 9-3 seasons.