The Todd Graham “low octane” era is over at Pitt after just one season. Graham has left the program to be the next coach at Arizona State.
In a stunning move to Pitt officials, Graham has suddenly left the program with little notice to the university, his coaching staff and players.
Graham in fact didn’t even have the guts to tell his players in person that he was leaving the school. Graham informed his players through the team’s director of operations via text message.
In the message, Graham said leaving for Arizona State was in the best interests of his family.
In the message, Graham said leaving for Arizona State was in the best interests of his family.
“I have resigned from my position at Pitt in the best interest of my family to pursue the head coaching position at Arizona State. Coach there has always been a dream of ours and we have family there, ” Graham said. “The timing of the circumstances have prohibited me from telling you this directly.”
Pitt players received the message from Graham just after 12:15 p.m. today.
Graham never hit it off with his players this season and was regarded as a “phony” by several players. He was known to brag to his players about how much money he made.
Some members of the Pitt administration always got the vibe from Graham that this was just a stepping stone for Graham but no one imagined him bolting after one season.
“He fooled us all, ” a Pitt official said via text message. “We had no inkling something was in the works.”
What’s fascinating with this move is how Graham is going to talk his way out of leaving a program after one year and how Arizona State could trust a guy who leaves a program just like that. They obviously don’t see it as an issue.
Graham was the highest paid coach in Pitt football history and the funny thing with Graham is that he told Pitt officials last January to pay him enough so he won’t want to leave. The university stepped up and paid him $2 million per season after initially offering $1.6 million per season, a source said during last January’s coaching search. Former head coach Dave Wannstedt made $1.3 million in 2010.
With this being a “family move” for Graham, of course $2 million per season wasn’t enough for Graham to take care of his six kids. Sources say Graham having family in Arizona will help the family lower their baby sitter costs, which played a big part in Graham taking the Arizona State job…..
