Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, September 21, 1994 TAG: 9409230065
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: From Associated Press reports
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
West left Tennessee-Chattanooga with four years remaining on his contract to accept the Clemson job in November. West will pay his former school the $140,000 - about two years of his old salary - in three installments. There will be $60,000 due by Dec.31 and an additional $60,000 by the end of 1995. The final $20,000 is due at the end of 1996.
``I know I'm fulfilling my obligations,'' West said Tuesday. ``I'm certainly not excited about it, but I do feel like I'm doing what I should do.''
West and Tennessee-Chattanooga chancellor Frederick Obear have squabbled about the coach's obligations since January. Earlier this year, Obear had reduced West's obligation from four years to two, since the contract said the coach could leave after the third season.
West made $68,968 at Tennessee-Chattanooga. He has a five-year contract with Clemson at $110,000 per year in base salary.
Obear said the settlement was ``fair and equitable to both parties.'' He said the school's costs in replacing West with coach Buddy Green were covered by the agreement.
In other football:
A new award, the Eddie Robinson Trophy, will be given to the top player from a black college each year.
The first trophy, named for the Grambling coach who has won more games than anyone else in college history, will be awarded Dec.8 in Atlanta.
Forty-three black colleges are eligible to nominate a player for the award. The four finalists will be announced Nov.23, and the winner will be picked by a panel of sportswriters, sports information directors and coaches.
by CNB