West Virginia University is completely debunking a previous report that came out over the weekend claiming offensive coordinator and head-coach-in-waiting Dana Holgorsen had as many as six “drunk in public” (for you Ron White fans out there) incidents spanning the course of several months.
Chuck Landon from the Huntington Herald-Dispatch (inaccurately stated at first by yours truly to be the Times West Virginian) initially reported that Holgorsen’s somewhat forced exit from a Charleston casino was actually the latest in a series of incidents not befitting of a soon-to-be face of the program.
However, even more sources have since told the Charleston Daily Mail that WVU is looking into the accuracy of the reports, but has not found them to be credible.
"[The] university will not take any action, but ‘knows the Herald-Dispatch story had blatant inaccuracies,’” the Daily Mail reports.
The Herald-Dispatch claims Holgorsen’s supposedly drunken past in West Virginia began in 2008 when Holgorsen was the offensive at Houston. According to the initial report, Holgorsen was kicked out of a Huntington bar after Houston was upset by Marshall, although even that accusation appeared to be sketchy at first.
“I can’t say for sure,” said long-time bar owner Herb Stanley.
A former collegue of Holgorsen told the Daily Mail that Holgorsen flew back with the team that night.
There are two other claims by Landon’s piece that university officials are planning on combating, not including the accusation that WVU athletic director Oliver Luck was called into the office of president James Clements and given the proverbial “two strikes and you’re out” speech.
“WVU’s president reportedly told Luck that if he read one more article about the coach-in-waiting, it would cost Luck his job,” Landon wrote.
University officials have called that claim an “outright lie”.
“WVU sources told the Daily Mail Luck had previously planned to be back in town for the rifle team’s annual fundraiser at the Mylan Park Community Center that evening. A plane ticket was purchased weeks in advance.”
It’s not surprising in the least bit that WVU would come out and downplay the report by the Herald-Dispatch, and as we’ve stated on here previously, sources have told CFT that many of the initial accusations appeared to stretch the truth of Holgorsen’s past.
Still, it would behoove Holgorsen and Luck to make sure the new face of the program in a state that has no professional teams doesn’t put himself in a compromising position again.