Southern University released this statement Tuesday night regarding the status of its third-year football coach, Stump Mitchell.
The statement does not quote Mitchell, who reportedly interviewed for an assistant coaching job withe St. Louis Rams on Monday. Attempts to reach Mitchell have been unsuccessful since Monday.
In full, the SU statement reads:
Mitchell, Southern set to open spring practice Wednesday
2.21.12 | Southern U. Athletic Media Relations
BATON ROUGE – Despite recent reports regarding his future at Southern University, head football coach Stump Mitchell opens 2012 spring football practice on Wednesday, the university announced.
The Jaguars begin the first of 15 scheduled practices at 4:15 p.m. tomorrow afternoon in shells before moving to full pads for the first time on Feb. 24. Southern’s spring game is scheduled for March 17.
Mitchell, who is 6-16 in two seasons at Southern, embarks on his third season as head football coach on the Baton Rouge campus and has one year remaining on a three-year contract signed in Jan. 2010.
Interim Director of Athletics Sandy Pugh said Tuesday that while it has been reported that Coach Mitchell has been interviewed for a position with the NFL’s St. Louis Rams, the University is going forward with Coach Mitchell leading players during their first day of practice.
“Stump Mitchell is head football coach at Southern University today,” she said. “There will be no other comments on the situation unless, and until, the situation changes.”
“I join the rest of the Jaguar Nation in wishing Coach Mitchell well in his third season at Southern University,” Pugh said.
The Jaguars open the 2012 season on the road at Football Bowl Subdivision member New Mexico in Albuquerque, N.M. on Sept 1.
Here is a complete look at the Jaguars spring practice schedule.
Feb. 22 - 4:15 p.m. (Shells)
Feb. 24 - 4:15 p.m. (Full Pads)
Feb. 25 - 9 a.m. (Full Pads)
Feb. 27 - 4:15 p.m. (Full Pads)
Feb. 29 - 4:15 p.m. (Full Pads)
Mar. 2 - 4:15 p.m. (Shells)
Mar. 3 - 9 a.m. (Full Pads)
Mar. 5-8 – Midterms Exams
Mar. 9 - 4:15 p.m. (Full Pads)
Mar. 10 - 9 a.m. (Full Pads)
Mar. 12 - 4:15 p.m. (Helmets)
Mar. 14 - 4:15 p.m. (Shells)
Mar. 16 - 4:15 p.m. (Full Pads)
Mar. 17 - Spring Game
Mar. 20 - 4:15 p.m. (Full Pads)
Mar. 22 - 4:15 p.m. (Full Pads)
Good riddance stump! please let it be the case. The program under his guidance has been an utter mess.