BREAKING: WVU and DC Vic Koenning Agree to Separate
In a press release Wednesday morning, West Virginia football announced that defensive coordinator Vic Koenning and the university have mutually agreed to part ways.
The release also stated that Koenninig still had two years and $1,074,059 remaining on his contract, but the separation agreement will have West Virginia pay Koenning $591,451 over the next 19 months.
About a month ago, West Virginia safety Kerry Martin Jr. took to Twitter to shed light on what was happening in the program. Martin made allegations that Koenning was mistreating the players and made racist remarks, while also bringing in religion and politics into conversations with players.
Vic Koenning's comment on the departure in the release
"I remain apologetic to anyone who perceived something I said or did as hurtful. That was never my intent. I wish to thank all the current and former players, coaches and colleagues – of all different ethnicities and backgrounds – whose support and encouragement have been invaluable to me and my family. I am relieved the process is over but will be forever changed by the experience. Personally, I'd love to get back to coaching our guys, but I know that doing so would create additional scrutiny and lingering distractions for our program. Taking all this into consideration, we have come to this mutual decision to separate. I will always be grateful for the relationships formed with so many players, coaches and WVU supporters. I am not done coaching. I remain passionate about leading young men and look forward to the next coaching chapter in my life. I wish nothing but the best for all Mountaineers."
Neal Brown's comment on the departure in the release
"As I've stated previously, I care deeply about Vic and every player, coach, staff member, and administrator who touches our program. This decision was not made lightly and both parties agree that it places us in the best position to positively move forward. Vic has meant a lot to this program over the past 18 months and to me, personally, for our time together both here and at Troy University. I know that Vic will find continued success as a coach. However, Vic and I both reached the conclusion that the current circumstances make continuing in his role as Defensive Coordinator challenging. At the end of the day, we all – Vic included – want what is best for our program."
What are your thoughts on Koenning no longer being with the Mountaineers? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below!
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