IOWA CITY, Ia. — Chris Doyle’s tenure with the Iowa football team ended after 21 years Monday, when he agreed to step aside after…
IOWA CITY, Ia. — Chris Doyle’s tenure with the Iowa football team ended after 21 years Monday, when he agreed to step aside after widespread accusations that the longtime strength coach used his position to bully and disparage former players, particularly those who are Black.
The university reached a separation agreement with Doyle, the school announced in a press release. Per the agreement, Doyle’s buyout will include two payments of $556,249.50 — one on Aug. 1, the other on Jan. 1,2021 — for a total of $1,112,499.
Iowa athletics director Gary Barta, appearing at a news conference and making his first remarks since the former players made their accusations on social media, said that the separation was finalized on Sunday.
« This was not a decision I made lightly, » Barta said. « It is just one piece of a plan that is going to be needed for us to move forward. »
Additionally, the university announced that it has hired Kansas City law firm Husch Blackwell to review the allegations of racial bias within the football program.
Barta said he expects the review « will take weeks, not months. »
« We don’t need an independent review to tell us that we have issues. We know we have issues, » Barta said. « And we have begun taking steps to improve and move forward. However, the independent review is important in order to look into specific concerns that have… arisen. »
Doyle, 51, had been placed on administrative leave by the university June 6, after former Hawkeyes took to social media to point to him as the largest impediment to fostering a racially inclusive atmosphere within the football program. It had been announced that Barta would lead a review of Doyle’s behavior.
Doyle issued a defiant statement on social media on June 7, admitting he had made mistakes but denying ever using racist language.
Doyle had been a pillar of Kirk Ferentz’s staff since he became head coach in 1999. A Massachusetts native, Doyle was credited with helping develop scores of lightly recruited athletes into high-performing Big Ten Conference football players. Ferentz valued him so much that he consistently referred to Doyle as his third coordinator (along with the offensive and defensive coaching leaders) and paid him accordingly. Doyle’s most recent contract called for him to make $800,000, the highest of any collegiate strength and conditioning coordinator.
