Alcorn AD Fires Everyone Except the Head Coach

[Aggie One]

Alcorn State's entire football assistant coaching staff has been fired by athletic director Darren Hamilton, first-year coach Ernest Jones said Monday.

Jones then referred all further questions to attorneys Ricky Left and Wayne Farrell.

Jones said he was told of the changes Monday, when he and Hamilton talked face-to-face for the first time since the season-ending 26-21 loss to JSU on Nov. 22. The nine assistants were informed of the dismissals via letters left in their office mailboxes.

The coaches let go are: Earnest Collins, associate head coach and defensive coordinator; Dino Dawson, offensive coordinator; Michael Armour, wide receivers; Lorenzo Guess, strength and conditioning; Keith Majors, special teams; Jack Phillips, defensive backs; Terrance Robinson, running backs; Zach Shay, defensive line/linebackers; and Adam Shorter, offensive line.

Left, Jones' attorney, said Hamilton told Jones that he did not have to give a reason why the coaches were let go.

"It's really a very irresponsible act," Left said.

Hamilton did not return messages left on his cell phone Monday.

LaToya Shields, Alcorn's sports information director, said the university's official statement is that "some of the assistant coaches' contracts will not be renewed."

Collins said he has not talked to Hamilton or president George Ross. He said he went to human resources after receiving the letter Monday and said that an official would not explain the firing.

"It's unheard of," Collins said. "There's got to be something more behind it than just football. Tell me what I did. ... Tell me something.

"It's not ethical. ... I don't know anywhere where the AD fires your staff and doesn't say anything to you."

The Braves went 2-10 and 1-6 in SWAC play in the first year with the new regime. Alcorn lost seven games by 10 points or less, including six by a touchdown or less. The team ranked No. 9 in the SWAC in scoring offense (15.1 points) and No. 8 in scoring defense (29.1).

Jones was hired in December after spending 2007 as running backs coach at Cincinnati. Hamilton was hired in April.

[numberonebrave]

Guess the HC is expected to resign so they will not have to buy him out.

[Aggie One]

This is the worst game of chicken I've ever run across. The Alcorn legal department better start preparing for trial.

[numberonebrave]

Seven Alcorn State assistant football coaches fired last week have been reinstated, associate head coach Earnest Collins confirmed Tuesday evening.



Collins said the assistants were called into a meeting with Alcorn President George Ross on Monday and given letters of reinstatement, but not employment contracts. Collins said athletic director Darren Hamilton, who fired the coaches, was not present at the meeting.

The coaches returning are: Collins, who also serves as defensive coordinator; Dino Dawson, offensive coordinator; Lorenzo Guess, strength and conditioning; Keith Majors, special teams; Jack Phillips, defensive backs; Terrance Robinson, running backs; and Zach Shay, defensive line/linebackers. The status of offensive line coach Adam Shorter and wide receivers coach Michael Armour was never changed.

"Who knows what's really going on," Collins said. "They said we're going to get to the bottom of whatever it is they're trying to get to the bottom of.

"I really don't understand it all. I'm just happy I can take care of my family for another month."

Hamilton would not comment on the reinstatement of the coaches, but acknowledged he was served papers in a lawsuit filed by lawyers representing head coach Ernest Jones. Hamilton would not comment on the lawsuit.

Jones did not return a phone call Tuesday evening.

The coaches were fired a week after Alcorn finished the 2008 season with a 2-10 record, including 1-6 in the SWAC. Jones was hired by Ross last December. Hamilton was hired by Ross in April.

Former coach Johnny Thomas was fired after going 2-10 in 2007 and 48-61 in 10 years.

Jones told The Clarion-Ledger last week that he was not aware that his staff would be fired. Hamilton did not specify a reason for firing the assistants during an interview last week with The Clarion-Ledger, saying the one-year contracts were not renewed and that, "when you non-renew a contract, there's something different expected."

Collins said the staff is now awaiting paperwork to be processed so they can resume recruiting for the 2009 class. He said the program is in a tough spot now and has to re-recruit players who were interested in Alcorn State.

Signing Day is Feb. 4.

"My biggest concern was my family first and these student-athletes we're dealing with," Collins said. "That's what gets lost in all this stuff when it goes down like this, whether you've been here 11 months or 11 years. That's what we're ultimately in this business for, to turn young men into men.

"It's unfortunate that they see grown folks act like this."

[Bornthrilla]

This is a freak show.

[Aggie One]

Lunatics running the funny farm.

[aggiejazz]

The circus is just beginning


Alcorn coach fired, The Associated Press • December 11, 2008

Alcorn State head coach Ernest T. Jones has been fired days after filing a lawsuit seeking the reinstatement of seven coaches on his staff.

Attorney Wayne Ferrell said Thursday the firing was detailed in a letter from the university.

“It is pretty bad. It is in a letter that I’m not at liberty to disclose at this time. We think they are frivolous charges,” Ferrell said.

A call to Alcorn State’s athletic department seeking comment was not immediately returned. Lljuna Weir, the school’s public relations director, declined comment Thursday but said she would pass a request on to school officials.

Jones later told The Natchez Democrat newspaper that university attorneys notified his attorneys of the firing.

“I plan to be the head football coach at Alcorn State University, and I want to be the head coach at Alcorn State University,” Jones told the newspaper after learning about the school’s decision. “I just ... I can’t even get my thoughts together right now.”

Alcorn went 2-10 this season, but lost six games by a touchdown or less and four games in the final minute. The Braves were 2-8 in 2007 under former coach Johnny Thomas.

The firing of Jones is the latest development in a bizarre series of events that began Thanksgiving Day when Alcorn athletic director Darren Hamilton declined to renew the one-year contracts of seven of Jones’ assistants. He has refused to discuss why the coaches were fired.

Alcorn State president George Ross has not commented on Hamilton’s decision.

Jones has said he was watching television on Thanksgiving Day when he found out most of his staff had been let go. Hamilton notified Jones of the decision Dec. 2, Jones has said.

The coaches fired were defensive coordinator Earnest Collins Jr., offensive coordinator Dino Dawson, running backs coach Terrance Robinson, defensive line and linebackers coach Zach Shay, defensive backs coach Jack Phillips, special teams coach Keith Majors and strength and conditioning coach Lorenzo Guess.

“State law doesn’t require me to provide a reason,” Hamilton said in a Dec. 3 interview. “I have rules that I must follow in terms of state regulations.”

After the firings, Jones hired Ferrell and another attorneys to fight Hamilton’s decision.

“We filed a lawsuit on Friday afternoon asking for a temporary restraining order to refrain Alcorn from firing those coaches and they were reinstated on Monday,” Ferrell said Thursday.

“Coach Majors was having brain surgery on the following Monday. They put notices in their box on Wednesday afternoon (before Thanksgiving Day) after everybody had left so all of the coaches found out about it on television, including the coach having brain surgery.”

Ferrell said Hamilton’s decision made it “so he (Jones) could not function as a football coach.”

While Hamilton has said he felt there was room for improvement on the field, he has refused to say whether the dismissed coaches were not renewed for cause or performance.

This is not the first time Hamilton has been criticized for his management style.

Hamilton was fired in March 2007 after less than seven months as athletic director at Eastern Washington University.

His management style had drawn complaints and EWU associate athletic directors Mike Allen and Pam Parks met with that school’s president to discuss their concerns. And all the head coaches, except for one who was out of town, went to the president.

[Brandmasta]

I lost all respect for Alcorn when they stiffed Cal Poly on a return game a few years ago. I lost a little respect for our department for agreeing to a similar home-home arrangement with them and not insisting that the first game be at A&T.

Then they hire this AD guy that couldnt even last a year at E. Washington! Alcorn deserves what they have coming to them.

[Bornthrilla]

If ever there was an appropriate time to use the acronym "WTF?", this is it.

[Bornthrilla]

President says Jones is still Alcorn's coach

By Ernest Bowker
Published:
Friday, December 12, 2008 12:33 PM CST

Alcorn State football coach Ernest T. Jones was fired on Thursday. Or he wasn’t. Or no one knows.

One day after Jones’ attorney said he received a letter from the university informing him of the coach’s dismissal, Alcorn State President George Ross said this morning that Jones has not been fired.

“Coach Jones is not fired. There are lawsuits filed, so I’m limited in what I can say. But Coach Jones has not been fired,” Ross said. “Ernest Jones is the head coach at Alcorn State University.”

Jones, on a recruiting trip, said that was welcome news, although he hadn’t heard from his attorneys or Alcorn officials today.

“I’m on the road recruiting. All I hear is what I know from the newspapers, the TV and what you guys tell me,” Jones said. “I’m going to do my job until somebody tells me to park the truck and turn my keys in.”

On Thursday, Jones’ attorney, Wayne Ferrell, told The Associated Press the firing was detailed in a letter from the university. Jones learned of his apparent dismissal from reporters and his attorney early Thursday afternoon. He had no contact about the matter from Alcorn officials, he said.

Alcorn athletic director Darren Hamilton refused comment, even when asked to confirm whether Jones had been fired.

“I have no comment on the situation,” Hamilton said, repeating the same answer to several questions.

Alcorn finished the season, Jones’ first, with a 2-10 record. Alcorn lost six games by a touchdown or less and four times in the final minute. Alcorn was 2-8 in 2007 under former coach Dr. Johnny Thomas.

Ross’s statement is the latest development in a series of events that began Thanksgiving Day when Hamilton declined to renew the one-year contracts for seven assistant coaches. Jones has said he was watching television when he found out most of his staff had been fired and didn’t hear about it from Hamilton until Dec. 2.

Hamilton has refused to discuss why the coaches were fired.

“State law doesn’t require me to provide a reason,” Hamilton said last week. “I have rules that I must follow in terms of state regulations.”

On Monday, Ross gave letters of reinstatement to the dismissed assistants. Although they are back on the job, the seven coaches have not been given new contracts for next year.

The coaches fired were defensive coordinator Earnest Collins Jr.; offensive coordinator Dino Dawson; running backs coach Terrance Robinson; defensive line and linebackers coach Zach Shay; defensive backs coach Jack Phillips; special teams coach Keith Majors; and strength and conditioning coach Lorenzo Guess.

Offensive line coach Adam Shorter and wide receivers coach Michael Armour were not among the fired coaches.

After the firings, Jones hired Ferrell and another attorney to challenge Hamilton’s decision.

Ferrell said Hamilton’s decision made it “so he (Jones) could not function as a football coach.”

“Right now they’re employed. They’ll be here at the end of the month. But they’re named in the lawsuit so I can’t comment beyond that,” Ross said of the reinstated assistants. “Football moves forward. They’re out there recruiting.”

Associated Press reporter Timothy R. Brown contributed to this report.

Contact Ernest Bowker at [e-mail].

[Bornthrilla]

Jones files $3M lawsuit against Alcorn State

By Krysten Oliphant (Contact) | The Natchez Democrat

Published Saturday, December 13, 2008

LORMAN — Embattled Alcorn State University football coach Ernest Jones is asking for $3 million in damages in a lawsuit against the university.

The 61-page lawsuit, which was filed Dec. 5 in Hinds County, specifically names Alcorn President George Ross and Athletic Director Darren Hamilton, as well as the Mississippi Board of Trustees of Institutions of Higher Learning.

Days later, Jones’ attorney Wayne Ferrell, of Jackson, said he received a letter signed by Hamilton indicating that the first-year coach’s four-year contract was being terminated.

Jones is seeking $1.5 million in actual damages and another $1.5 million in damages “suffered as a result of his detrimental reliance upon the false promises” of the university.

The lawsuit claims that Ross “refused to incorporate the terms and conditions which accurately depicted the terms and conditions” set forth in Jones’ contract when he was hired Dec. 11, 2007. Jones did not receive his official contract until Aug. 11, and its terms were different than what had been agreed upon, according to the lawsuit.

It also alleges that Hamilton began to undermine, interfere with and harass Jones immediately after his April 2007 hiring. It states that Hamilton intentionally breached the terms of Jones’ contract — including barring him from additional earnings through third-party contracts like New Balance shoes — and deliberately failed to provide a work environment conducive to helping Jones succeed.

According to the lawsuit, funds from a non-conference football game at New Mexico State University earlier this season were to go toward a new team weight room that Hamilton failed to provide.

It claims Hamilton made up events of “inexcusable neglect of duty or insubordination” by Jones.

It asks for a temporary restraining order prohibiting Ross or Hamilton from firing Jones or his staff, from freezing Jones’ budget and from interfering with recruiting and coaching.

Jones’ termination comes two weeks after Hamilton fired seven of Jones’ assistant coaches without his knowledge and three days after they were reinstated by Ross.

But Ross, in his first comments since the initial firings, said Jones still has a job.

“There has been no definitive action taken against Ernest Jones,” he said. “Please understand no one has been fired yet.

“I have full faith and confidence in the athletic program at Alcorn State University.”

Ross would not comment further on the firings or anything to do with the lawsuit, and he said any appeal of a coach’s firing would have to go through him as Chief Executive of the university.

Ricky Lefft, of Columbia, S.C., an attorney representing Jones, said Jones does plan to appeal.

He said Ross’s statement is based on a technicality.

“What he’s hanging his hat on is, there’s a procedural process with the (Mississippi Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning),” he said. “They word it as a recommendation because they simply have to go through this process. If they decide internally through the appeals process that he can be terminated on that basis, he’s terminated.”

Lefft said Jones plans to appeal the firing to the IHL board.

But IHL Director of Media Relations Annie Mitchell said, in general, firings of coaches and their appeals do not come through the IHL. She said she could not comment on the Alcorn State case specifically because of ongoing litigation.

Associate head coach Earnest Collins, offensive coordinator Dino Dawson, running backs coach Terrance Robinson, linebackers coach Zach Shay, secondary coach Jack Phillips, strength and conditioning coach Lorenzo Guess and defensive line coach Lorenzo Guess each received letters in their boxes from Hamilton the evening before Thanksgiving Day notifying them their one-year contracts would not be renewed.

Hamilton refused to explain why the coaches were fired but said the decision was made the day after the Braves 26-21 loss to Jackson State in the Capital City Classic Nov. 22 in Jackson.

But in a Dec. 8 meeting with Ross, all seven coaches were reinstated.

The Braves went 2-10 in their first season under Jones, but lost six games by 6 points or less and four games in the final minute of play.

Despite the turmoil, Jones is still recruiting.

The coach was leaving a recruiting stop at Velma Jackson High School early Friday afternoon.

All Jones would say was that he was continuing with business as usual.