Kansas fires AD Bohl, denies Williams link

LAWRENCE, Kan. -- The University of Kansas fired athletic director Al Bohl on Wednesday, and he said basketball coach Roy Williams was behind it.

"I believe the Kansas basketball coach had the power to hold his athletics director in his hand like a dove," Bohl said. "And he had a choice to either crush me with his power of influence or let me fly with my vision for a better, total program. He chose to crush me."

Bohl has had numerous clashes with the popular Williams, whose Jayhawks lost to Syracuse in the national championship game Monday night. Bohl was hired in 2001 to replace longtime athletic director Bob Frederick, a close friend of Williams.

Williams is expected to be a leading contender for the vacant coaching job at North Carolina, his alma mater.

Kansas Chancellor Robert Hemenway denied that he fired Bohl to convince Williams to stay.

"We have to trust him to make the right decision now," Hemenway said of Williams.

Bohl, however, is convinced that the decision to remove him was made by Williams.

"It is bad when a basketball coach can have the ability to hire and fire someone," Bohl said.

Hemenway said North Carolina athletic director Dick Baddour contacted him Wednesday about speaking with Williams.