Mike Haywood lasted only two and a half weeks as the football coach at Pitt. But he wasn't fired amid a bad record or an expired contract. On Friday, he was arrested for felony domestic battery in the presence of a minor. He was released on Saturday, and Pitt sent out a statement of his dismissal shortly after.
"This is a matter of real regret for the many people at Pitt who had looked forward to working with him," Chancellor Mark A. Nordenberg said. "However, head coaches are among the university's most visible representatives and are expected to maintain high standards of personal conduct and to avoid situations that might reflect negatively on the university."
From the start, to many students and fans, Haywood seemed like an unlikely pick for the top coaching spot at Pitt. He had served for only two seasons as a head coach. When Haywood was hired, he emphasized the importance of discipline and excelling in class as a student athlete.
ESPN reports that it isn't certain whether or not Haywood had signed a contract, and he hadn't recruited any players, held a practice or coached a game yet.
What do you think of his dismissal?
Read the rest of this story at ESPN.