Former football coach may seek damages from university

David Saunders, a former University of Mississippi assistant football coach, filed a notice of claim this summer against the university for a violation of contract and damages.

Saunders said he believes UM athletic director Pete Boone retaliated against him for his work with student athletes with learning disabilities. The former linebackers coach claims Boone violated the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act. He is seeking damages for “anxiety, stress and lost income.”

The notice of claim stated that then first-year head coach Houston Nutt offered Saunders a coaching position in 2008, a position which involved aiding athletes with learning disabilities. Soon afterward, Boone eliminated the position. 

Saunders then spent time working with a nonprofit organization, but he still gave Nutt advice on helping student-athletes remain eligible to play.

According to the claim, Nutt continued to tell Saunders he wanted him on his staff and believed he could make it happen if the Rebels were successful in the 2009 season. The Rebels went 9-4 that year and captured a second-straight Cotton Bowl victory.

“To avoid Coach Nutt’s pursuit of other employment opportunities, Mr. Boone agreed to a number of changes which Coach Nutt desired in the football program, one of which was the rehiring of Saunders,” according to the claim.

The claim states Nutt offered Saunders a position for $120,000 per year, which caused Saunders to turn down other job offers. However, Saunders did not sign a written contract.

Saunders’ claim insisted Boone did not hold to his side of the earlier agreement with Nutt to hire Saunders, leading Saunders to work without pay until April 2010. Saunders finally received a contract to work for $12 per hour as the “Operations Coordinator.”

Saunders took the job because he had no income, according to the claim.

Saunders spent the year of 2010 searching for employment elsewhere while serving as the operations coordinator, and on Jan. 3, 2011, he took a job as an assistant football coach at University of Louisiana at Lafayette.

“The university is committed to the success of its student-athletes both on and off the field,” university attorney Lee Tyner said. “We are confident in the university’s position if Mr. Saunders chooses to pursue his claims in court.”

No lawsuit has been officially filed, Tyner said.

Jim Waide, attorney of Waide & Associates, P.A., currently represents Saunders in this case.

“(Saunders) is a terrific football coach and recruiter, and he has the best interests at heart of his student-athletes, especially these student-athletes that come from poor backgrounds,” Waide said. “We are hopeful to get this resolved without the filing of a suit, but whether we do or not, I honestly do not know.”       

Boone would not comment on the subject but did release a statement in August saying, “We’re extremely committed to helping all student-athletes succeed, especially those with learning disabilities, so we were surprised about this claim.”