Edgar expresses disappointment at university decision

By Marty Mishow


Southeast Missourian


What Scott Edgar had been notified of in a letter received Tuesday was 
officially announced by Southeast Missouri State on Wednesday.


Edgar is out as the university’s men’s basketball coach.


In a three-paragraph news release from Southeast, the university announced 
that Edgar’s contract has been terminated without cause effective Dec. 30, 
pursuant to the terms of his contract.


Edgar had been on administrative leave since October after the university 
received a letter from the NCAA alleging five infractions specific to the
 men’s basketball program since Edgar was hired before the 2006-2007 season.


In the statement from the university, Southeast interim director of 
athletics Cindy Gannon said: "We feel it is important for the university and 
for coach Edgar to have the opportunity to move forward. Since this is a 
personnel matter, the university and its employees will have no further comments."

Edgar had about 2 1/2 years remaining on a five-year contract. Under the terms of the contract, by the university terminating Edgar without
 cause, he will be paid the remaining base salary of the contract along with
 any funds in an annuity at the date of termination.


Edgar, whose base salary was $120,000 annually, will receive about $325,000 in the buyout from the university.


Edgar on Wednesday expressed disappointment 
that he won’t have an opportunity to return as the Redhawks’ coach.
 He had hoped to clear his name at the NCAA Division I Committee 
on Infractions hearing in April, after which he hoped to resume his duties.


"Kind of like I touched in my statement [Tuesday], I’m disappointed their
 decision did not allow me a fair chance to go through the normal NCAA 
process," Edgar said. "I was hoping we would go through this NCAA process 
together.

"In this whole thing, that [the NCAA process] was No. 1 because I’m 
confident and I felt in order to get my program back, initially I needed to
 clear my name and keep my name clean, like it’s been for basically the 30 years I’ve been in this profession. In doing that, I felt like I would get 
my program back."


Edgar posted a 23-39 record in his two seasons at Southeast, including 12-19 last year.

The 2007-2008 Redhawks got off to an 11-5 start — 6-0 in the Ohio Valley 
Conference — before losing 14 of their final 15 games.


Edgar was asked if he thinks he still would be Southeast’s coach if the 
Redhawks had experienced considerably more success the past two seasons.

"That’s just for people to decide," he said. "By no means am I proud of the 
record, but I will say this, the five prior seasons to me coming here,
 Southeast won 26 conference games, which is an average of five a year. In my 
two years, we won 16 conference games, an average of eight a year.

"Right now the guy who’s got the best program in our conference is coach [Dave] Loos [of Austin Peay]. He won 15, 11, seven, 11 and 13 games his 
first five years, so it takes quite a while to build a program. You look at
 the University of Missouri, [football coach] Gary Pinkel, it took him a long time."

He said he was disappointed he didn’t get to coach for the entire duration of his contract.

After holding out hope that he would some day return to coach the Redhawks,
 Edgar said he now is resigned to the fact that won’t happen.

"I see closure in this right now, with the letter I received [Tuesday],"he 
said. "I’m not the coach at Southeast Missouri, but I do wish the players 
and the coaches and the community, I wish them championship success."

Edgar continues to maintain that he never knowingly broke NCAA rules and 
plans on proving that when the NCAA Division I Committee on Infractions 
hears the case in April.


Asked about his future plans and if he intends to coach again, Edgar said:
 "I’ve been doing this 30 years. Basketball has been a part of my life on a
 daily basis ever since I guess I’ve been 10 years old.

"I do know this, when God closes the door and you remain faithful, he will
 open up a better door."

Second-year assistant Zac Roman has served as Southeast’s acting coach since Edgar was placed on administrative leave.

The university is expected to conduct a national search for Edgar’s 
replacement.