Upon first glance, West Virginia offensive coordinator/coach-in-waiting Dana Holgorsen‘s forced exit from a Charleston casino for “refusing to cooperate with casino management” that may, or may not, have involved Red Bull mixed drinks proved to be an embarrassing off-the-field incident.
The aftermath of the incident, which did not warrant any arrests, included a public apology from Holgorsen, as well as a statement from athletic director Oliver Luck. And, initially, that appeared to be the end of the matter.
According to one beat writer, though, Holgorsen’s latest incident was actually the most recent in a line of several drunken run-ins over the past few months.
According to Chuck Landon of the Times West Virginian, and citing several sources on the matter, Holgorsen has “reportedly been involved in at least three and, perhaps, as many as six alcohol-related incidents in the last six months”.
The Times reports that Holgorsen has been asked to leave and/or banned from Oglebay Park at Wheeling’s Island Hotel, Casino and Racetrack, Pete Dye Golf Club in Bridgeport and the bar/restaurant at the Waterfront Place Hotel, where Holgorsen lives.
Holgorsen has also allegedly was asked to leave the Union Pub And Grill in Huntington on Oct. 28, 2008, when he was the offensive coordinator for the University of Houston. The Cougars were playing Marshall University at the time.
Furthermore, Landon goes so far to say sources have told him that WVU president James Clements has told Luck that if “he read one more article about the coach-in-waiting, it would cost Luck his job.”
Strong words, to be sure.
Multiple sources close to the situation, however, have told CFT that while there is some truth to Landon’s reports -- specifically, the Bridgeport incident -- how much truth is still up in the air. The accusation that Luck is somehow on a hot seat after less than a year on the job also has not been confirmed.
But whether Holgorsen has had two alcohol-related incidents, or six, it matters not; he is the new face of the program and must be held to the highest of standards. And while his personal life certainly doesn’t impact his ability to draw up X’s and O’s, it does need to be kept behind closed doors.