BETRAYAL OF TRUST: Why SSU fired football coach Robby Wells

1/1/2011 UPDATE:  SAVANNAH STATE UNIVERSITY HAS BEEN DISMISSED FROM THE ROBBY WELLS LAWSUIT BY THE COURT.  MORE TO FOLLOW, AS WE SEEK A COPY OF THE DISMISSAL DOCUMENT.

Savannah State University played its final football game Saturday and ended its season with a losing record for a 12th consecutive year. The Tigers' troubles, however, extend well beyond the football field.

On Dec. 22, 2007, SSU - an institution listed among the South's historically black colleges and universities - broke tradition when Robby Wells became its first white football head coach. Barely more than two years later, Wells was gone, having resigned amid a cloud of charges and countercharges that included allegations of unethical behavior on his part and racism on the part of the university.

View documents on ethical issues involving Robby Wells

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Savannah State Officials Respond to Ex-Coach's Lawsuit

According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution (AJC), Dr. Claud Flythe, VP for Administration at SSU is leaving the school at the end of the month. Flythe is named in the Well's lawsuit and chaired the search committee that selected Robert Wells as the Tigers football coach.

The January firing of Savannah State University head football coach Robert Wells was one of “the most poorly handled situations,” one school administrator said. “This should have been addressed in January,” when Wells was given a “resign-or-be-fired” ultimatum from university officials after they called his coaching ethics into question two years after he was hired. Wells last month sued the school and several administrators, including the interim athletic director and administration vice president Claud Flythe. Wells, the first white football coach in the school’s history, said he coached the team to the most victories it has had in years and that he was fired because his fiancée is black.

During his first year as coach, the team won five games -- equal to the total amount of victories during the five previous seasons. It was the school’s best season in 11 years, the lawsuit said. In Wells' second season, the Tigers were 2-8. In speaking with the AJC, Flythe called Wells a “pathological liar” and is adamant that race had nothing to do with his dismissal. “It’s ludicrous that someone would make those accusations,” a heated Flythe told the AJC. Wells was given a one-year contract extension in December 2009. The university confirmed other news reports that 13 of the players were ineligible to participate in spring practice and that 20 players had either quit or were dismissed from the team.

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ESPN's "Outside the Lines" returns to Savannah State

Savannah State University QB A.J. DeFilippis will share his opinion on the upcoming edition of ESPN "Outside the Lines" show that has not finalized a date for airing.

A crew from ESPN's investigative program "Outside the Lines" made a second visit to Savannah State University on Friday. The crew is working on a story about ex-football coach Robby Wells, who accused administrators of racism and lies in his Feb. 11 resignation letter.

The crew attended the Tigers' practice Friday morning. SSU interim head coach Julius Dixon, quarterback A.J. DeFilippis and defensive back Darren Hunter participated in on-camera interviews, SSU sports information director Opio Mashariki confirmed Saturday night. A crew from ESPN's "Outside the Lines" also visited SSU on March 23-24, and interviewed administrators and coaches about Wells.

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Backdrop:

Robert "Robby" Wells ended his first head coaching job with a 5-7 (2008) and 2-8 (2009) record at Savannah State University on February 11, 2010. Wells needs to put away the race card and move on. I didn't think much of Wells when he was hired -- as higher qualified African-American finalists were passed over, like Raymond Gross, Rubin Carter and Kent Schoolfield.

Raymond Gross (former Georgia Southern University All-American QB, won two 1-AA National Championships in 1989 and 1990; QB coach at B-CU for seven years under Alvin Wyatt; OC at Clark-Atlanta); Rubin Carter (former head football coach at Florida A&M University (16-17); current defensive line coach at University of New Mexico; had a storied career highlighted by 12 seasons (1975-86) as a defensive tackle with the Denver Broncos famed "Orange Crush" defense; played on five AFC West championship teams and two Super Bowls; noted recruiter; 21 years of Division I college and professional coaching experience; All-American DT from the University of Miami (Fla.)); and veteran coach Kent Schoolfield (current WR coach at Capital University (OH); former offensive coordinator at FAMU, NC A&T, James Madison during their 1-AA playoff runs; head coach at Fort Valley State (Ga.) with three NCAA Division II Playoff runs; WR coach at Florida State and Pittsburgh; also coached at Temple and New Mexico State). All had better resumes and proven collegiate coaching careers at the time of Robby Wells' selection.

Savannah State University current offensive coordinator Alan Hall left the Tigers program in March 2009, before Spring pratice for the same position at Winston-Salem State University, only to return to SSU after Coach Robby Wells was released on February 11, 2010. Hall, a member of the Miami Hurricanes' 1991 national championship team and a backup to Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Gino Torretta, said it was a tough decision to leave the Tigers program in 2009.

Wells, in his allegations, fail to mention that 13 players were ineligible to participate in 2010 Spring practice and 20 players either quit, are in jail or were dismissed from the team. Not to mention the fact that starting quarterback Kurvin Curry, a sophomore last season, was among those missing from Spring drills.

The Savannah Morning News recently reported that five Savannah State University football players were arrested on Feb. 4 and 10, 2010 respectively, and are currently in the Chatham County jail on charges stemming from a Feb. 4 attack on two fellow (non-football players) students, Carl Gee and Karl Arila, on campus.

Sophomore defensive backs Edward Ndem and Patrick Thomas, freshman defensive back Jevontae Jefferson, sophomore defensive lineman Juvaro Goodman and sophomore running back Rashard Russell all are charged with aggravated assault, a felony. All but Russell also are charged with aggravated battery. Their cases will go to a Chatham County grand jury, where prosecutors are expected to seek indictments within 90 days. Chatham County Recorder's Court Judge Tammy Stokes on March 2 denied bond for the five defendants, all recruits of Robby Wells.

Patrick Thomas, from Atlanta, was charged with battery and released on bond. Thomas was rearrested Feb. 7 on an aggravated assault charge. Jevontae Jefferson, a freshman cornerback from Mableton, is charged with battery. He was released on $1,500 bond.

Brent McCall is facing a felony charge of possession of marijuana with intent to distribute following his arrest on March 14, on campus. The 20 year old McCall also is charged with misdemeanor possession of a drug-related object for use. He was busted "during a routine room check on campus." McCall, a sophomore defensive back from Detroit, came to SSU from East Ridge High School in Clermont, Fla. He played in four games last season and three games in 2008.

Again, Wells resigned on February 11, 2010, while 33 of his players were either being arrested for drug selling, assault and/or battery, and flunking out--all under Robby Wells watch as head football coach. With a 2009 record of 2 and 8, he would have been locked out of the athletic facilities at any school serious about Division I FCS football and student graduation rates.

SSU became a "provisional" member of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference on March 13, 2010.

If anything is "outside the lines," its the players that Wells recruited to Savannah State that did not obey the rules, his meager Division I coaching experience, and the negative script he and his crew are writing in Tiger history.

It appears someone (head coach and 33 players) forgot about the student, in student-athlete.

SSU's Kilcrease leads QB competition

Locals DeFilippis, Wilson and Taylor in the mix

Savannah State first-year football coach Robby Wells has named JaCorey Kilcrease the Tigers' starting quarterback going into fall practice, which begins at 3:30 p.m. today. Kilcrease, a 6-foot, 170-pound junior, was SSU's starting quarterback last season. His playing time was shortened after he suffered a separated left (non-throwing) shoulder in the third game against Bethune-Cookman.

Kilcrease started five of the seven games in which he played. He was 62-for-126 passing for 490 yards, three touchdowns and four interceptions. His backup, freshman Greg McCrary, was 38-for-95 passing for 412 yards, three touchdowns and 13 interceptions. McCrary quit the team after last season.


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