A sworn affidavit obtained and circulated by the AP today includes allegations former West Virginia/current Michigan head coach Rich Rodriguez offered to hire the same WVU fundraiser accused of racist remarks for a new gig at Michigan.
Larry Aschebrook confronted Rodriguez and former assistant coach Calvin Magee after being informed of a West Virginia University investigation into Magee’s accusation. Aschebrook has denied making any such remark.
WVU President Mike Garrison asked the university’s Office of Social Justice in January to look into the allegations, which Magee initially made through his agent, Mike Brown, who also is Rodriguez’s agent. Brown said Aschebrook told Magee, who is black, that he wouldn’t have a chance at Rodriguez’s former job because of his skin color.
In an affidavit dated March 25, Aschebrook said he called Rodriguez in Ann Arbor, Mich., and told both Rodriguez and Magee (above) that the allegations were going to ruin his career.
Aschebrook said in the affidavit that Rodriguez told him, “Don’t worry about it. I’ll get you a job up here. You’ve been loyal to me, I’ll be loyal to you.”
Rodriguez, who took over as head coach at Michigan in December and hired Magee as an assistant coach, suggested Aschebrook could raise money for Michigan football and work at his football camp.
“I then asked, ‘why are you guys messing with my career?”’ Aschebrook said in the affidavit. “I’m not admitting to something that isn’t true.”
Rodriguez responded, “Like I said, I’ll get you a job tomorrow. You’ll be fine.”
Instead, Aschebrook, who was hired last August as executive director of the Mountaineer Athletic Club, is leaving at the end of the month for a fundraising job at Arizona State.