(Updated 2x): WSU Football terminates Coach Rolovich & four assistants for cause

Nick Rolovich's religious beliefs vs. protecting his community against coronavirus.

Update: It is official.

Additionally, Washington State has “initiated the separation process based on the terms of their respective contracts” with four assistant coaches:

• Defensive tackles coach Ricky Logo

• Assistant head coach/recruiting coordinator/cornerbacks coach John Richardson

• Co–offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach Craig Stutzmann

• Offensive line coach Mark Weber

It’s probably worth noting who’s still with the team after this Thanos-level wipeout:

• Defensive coordinator/linebackers coach Jake Dickert (confirmed to become acting head coach)

• Associate head coach/offensive coordinator/running backs coach Brian Smith

• Special teams coordinator Kyle Krantz

• Wide receivers coach Andre Allen

• Safeties coach Mark Banker

• Edge rushers coach A.J. Cooper

Original: Nick Rolovich’s career at Washington State came into jeopardy when he sought a religious exemption from the state and university’s mandate for safe, tested, and approved vaccination against COVID-19.

John Canzano @johncanzanobft

Nick Rolovich has been terminated by Washington State, per a university source. Terminated for cause, along with the other unvaccinated WSU assistants.

According to John Canzano of the Oregonian, Nick Rolovich and other unvaccinated assistant coaches were terminated with cause. It was also reported earlier in the day that AD Pat Chun would be speaking to the team at 5:30 p.m. tonight.

The interim coach is “expected” to be DC Jake Dickert, according to Kyle Bonagura.

Kyle Bonagura @BonaguraESPN

I can confirm @johncanzanobft report that Nick Rolovich is out as the WSU coach, per source. Jake Dickert is expected to be named the interim coach.

Rolovich—a Bay Area native—had the good fortune of being offensive coordinator to Cal WR Trevor Davis for the 2011 season at Hawaii. The next year, he was OC/QB Coach at Nevada when they defeated us at the re-opening of Memorial Stadium. He was hired by Washington State after Captain Mike Leach’s departure in 2019; with his first season coinciding with COVID insanity, he went 1–3 and was 4–3 (3–2 Pac-12) in his second year. He has a 33–33 record over the course of his head-coaching career and is 5–6 (4–5) at Wazzu amid a three-game winning streak (that we started!) and coming off a win against Stanfurd.