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Did people forget the same exact thing happened to Jay Wright last off-season and it turned out to be complete BS?
The last 18 months have been some of the most scandalous in the history of collegiate athletics, and now there is a rumor developing out of Villanova indicating that another major indignity has taken place.
Jay Wright, the tenured head coach of the Wildcats’ men’s basketball team—and the man responsible for turning the program around over the past decade-plus—will allegedly resign amid allegations that he had an affair with a collegiate athlete enrolled at the school.
Weeks ago, a high school basketball coach in the Philadelphia area with credible knowledge of the situation gave me a heads up on this.
Associates of his who are assistants at local Philadelphia universities claimed they were hearing rumors of a potential Villanova collapse over the summer, with the trigger point being Wright’s infidelity.
Villanova assistants mentioned to them during summer camps and scouting trips that they feared for their own jobs. Wright had apparently been kicked out of his house by his wife and was now living elsewhere in the Philadelphia area according to the source.
Another anonymous source with ties to the Villanova board indicated that the group had already begun its search for a new head coach, with Wright expected to step down at some point this week.
The news has not been made official yet, but more and more information has been coming out via social media sites in the last 24 hours, lending more credence to the rumors.
The situation, as described, appears to closely mirror the events that ultimately led to the downfall of Bobby Petrino at the University of Arkansas just last year.
Petrino lost his job after news of his affair with Jessica Dorrell—a former student athlete and employee in the Arkansas athletic department—became public following a motorcycle accident involving the two.
While there appears to be significant differences between the circumstances surrounding Wright’s and Petrino’s affairs, the latest incident raises more questions about those currently employed as collegiate coaches.
Coaches will always have a unique level of access to others within the campuses and communities in which they work. Is it now safe to assume that other improper relationships have developed under similar circumstances in the past; many of which never came to light for numerous reasons?
Wright was a popular figure in the Main Line community outside of Philadelphia. He led the men’s basketball team to the Final Four in 2009 and is heralded as one of the most popular coaches in the country.
Wright gave a speech at the 2009 Villanova University Graduation ceremony and was seen as a legend in the eyes of many in and around the school during that time. Such a quick fall from grace would be shocking for a man who only a short time ago was being rumored as the target for the Philadelphia 76ers’ head coaching vacancy.
The next few days will shed even further light on this issue. Additional sources have indicated that the Board of Trustees at Villanova is allegedly aware of the situation, and has been looking into the possibility of replacing Wright.
According to Twitter, Amanda Busick, a Pennsylvaniawriter covering college sports for CampusInsiders.com, is reporting that her sources indicate that Wright’s resignation is imminent—though she seems to be wavering on the matter at this point.Comment
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