WVU president says he had tense meeting with Rodriguez

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. -- West Virginia president Mike Garrison said in a deposition that former football coach Rich Rodriguez was "very distraught" in a private meeting the night before he resigned and accepted the top job at Michigan, complaining about harsh public reaction to a lost shot at a national championship.

As part of the $4 million lawsuit the university has filed over a buyout clause in the coach's contract, Garrison testified the two had a tense final meeting Dec. 15 -- one in which the president admits he may have raised his voice and one in which Rodriguez allegedly put his head in his hands and complained about how difficult his choice was.

A transcript of Garrison's deposition was released late Monday, along with testimony by chief of staff Craig Walker, assistant athletic director Mike Parsons and two members of the WVU Board of Governors.

Garrison also denied in the June proceeding he had misled Rodriguez into signing the contract that was in effect when he quit, disputing assertions he told the coach he didn't believe in and wouldn't enforce buyouts.

Nor did he suggest that if a dispute arose, the parties would probably settle for $2 million, Garrison testified.

He acknowledged, however, he told Rodriguez he might change his position in future contracts, and that he "would like the university to look at other options besides liquidated damages provisions, if they fit the circumstances."

Garrison also revealed he had a testy exchange with sports agent Mike Brown in the summer, before he'd assumed the presidency, in which Brown vowed to "shop, as he put it, Product Rodriguez on the open market."

Garrison found Brown's remarks about the state and the university "fairly disparaging" and said he later told Rodriguez that Brown did not have the coach's best interests in mind.

Garrison's account of the pivotal final meeting differs greatly from the recollections of Rodriguez, who claims he urged Garrison to keep a variety of promises that had not been kept.

The only point on which the two apparently agree is that each felt the other had become a different person.

Rodriguez had unresolved demands involving assistant coaches, a personal website, free passes for high school coaches and other matters. He says Garrison unequivocally refused to meet them.

Garrison, however, says he reiterated his commitment to working on the outstanding issues but could not give a firm answer that evening.

"I didn't say 'yes' or 'no.' What I said was, 'We will continue to look at these items," Garrison testified.