The following article was written by Spencer Wingate.
Randy Shannon is suing the University of Miami for breaching his contract. Shannon, the head football coach at Miami during the 2007 – 2010 seasons, was fired on November 2010. He has filed a lawsuit against his alma mater over controversy regarding the obligations of the contract. Shannon was hired in December 2006 to a deal that expired on January 7th 2011. On May 2010, his contract was extended to January 31st 2014 through an employment and guarantee agreement.
Less than a year into his new contract, Shannon was terminated without cause. The university was held accountable for the remaining amount due from the contract. However, the university decided since the agreement had not reached a year, it was entitled to prorate the amount by about one-sixth. Shannon notes that he was already paid for the first year so he should receive the same amount over the subsequent years of the deal. He is still being paid monthly by the university, but at a lower rate than he believes he is rightfully owed. Furthermore, the agreement stipulated that Shannon would be given a compensation bonus if his team reached a bowl game. Miami played in the 2010 Sun Bowl against Notre Dame, but Shannon did not coach, as he had already been terminated. Shannon contends the contract awarded him the bonus for reaching the game, not coaching in it.
As part of the contractual agreement, the amount in question had to remain confidential and remains undisclosed. Shannon is accusing the University for breaching the contract and denying him a portion of the contract he is rightfully owed. Shannon hopes the suit will bring him his full compensation and clarify the school’s contractual obligations to him.