Alabama head baseball coach Brad Bohannon fired amid gambling probe
The University of Alabama - Tuscaloosa has terminated the job of head coach Brad Bohannon, effective immediately, in the wake of a gambling-related inquiry initiated by the university after gaming regulators in Ohio issued a prohibition on accepting wagers on Alabama baseball.
The full statement is below:
“Alabama director of athletics Greg Byrne announced he has initiated the termination process for head baseball coach Brad Bohannon for, among other things, violating the standards, duties, and responsibilities expected of University employees,” the university said in a statement Thursday morning. “Bohannon has been relieved of all duties and Jason Jackson will serve as the interim head coach. There will be no further comment at this time pending an ongoing review.”
Over the weekend, multiple outlets reported that Ohio gaming regulators, off of a tip from U.S. Integrity, a Las Vegas-based firm that monitors the betting markets, issued an alert about "suspicious wagering activity" involving the Alabama-LSU weekend series.
According to an ESPN report, The Louisiana Gaming Control Board told NOLA.com that two specific bets placed at a sportsbook inside Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati, OH triggered the suspicious activity alert. "One was on a parlay which involved the LSU-Alabama game, and then there was another straight-up (money line) bet," said Ronnie Johns, chairman of the board. "I was told it was a large bet that involved LSU-Alabama."
The Reds were on the road, at Oakland, and won their Friday night matchup 11-7 against the Athletics.
The large bets could potentially be related to lineup changes made last-minute by Alabama - sophomore starter Luke Holman was scheduled to start Friday’s game, but was scratched due to "back tightness" and reliever Hagan Banks was told “an hour before” first pitch, per the game recap on Alabama's website, that he would be starting in Holman’s place.
The SEC issued guidelines last fall clarifying the prohibition on athletes and staff members placing gambling wagers on NCAA sports or placing any wagers from within university facilities. Several teams in the SEC have disciplined players for violations of the policy, up to and including dismissal from their teams,. for violations of the policy.
We'll update the story as further information becomes available.
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