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Volume 40, Issue 6. Today is .

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Volume 40, Issue 6
November 19, 2002

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Thunderbirds football coach benched
By Danny Alcocer
Mesa Legend

Photo by Michael Goodman
After 10 years as head coach of MCC's football team, David Rice was asked to step down after a brawl on the field at Homecoming.

Following the homecoming riot in which players and coaches mixed it up mid-field, fans fought in the stands after the Nov. 9 football game.

The MCC athletic department on Nov. 15 relieved Coach David Rice of his head coaching duties of the MCC football team.

The statement said, "MCC is reevaluating the direction of its football program and has determined that new leadership is necessary to be competitive locally, regionally and nationally. As a result we will begin a national search for a head footbal coach immediately to replace David Rice."

The dismissal came as a shock to MCC's football team.

Photo by Danny Alcocer/Mesa Legend
Disgruntled MCC football players (above) leave a meeting during which they were informed of coach Rice’s dismissal. The players were told not to talk to the press about the incident.

Rice has been the football coach for the Thunderbirds for the past decade beginning his tenure in 1992.

Rice's overall record for MCC is a decent 53–-55, for the 2002 season his record was 3–7.

The soul highlight of this season came from star tailback Will Henry who broke MCC's single season rushing record of 1,373 yards.

When MCC Dean Brian Johnson was asked if Rice's past two losing seasons were cause for his dismissal, he replied, "We don't judge the value of a coach based solely on wins and losses. What we are looking at is our student-athletes academic performance and their successful transferring towards baccalaureate goals."

Coach Rice's football team currently has an overall GPA of 3.03, according to the team's website.

Five out of the last six semesters the football team's GPA has been 3.00 or better.

Rice also boasts the first MCC student-athlete to receive a scholarship to Harvard University.

Athletic Director Allen Benedict, who was on the field Nov. 9 attempting to separate the two teams during the melee said that, "from his position on the field he could not see any physical contact happen."

He went on to say that, "Two years ago, SCC and MCC decided it would be in both colleges' best interests not to shake hands, one team would exit the field on way and another team would exit the other way to avoid confrontation. MCC caught a lot of criticism from the fans and the community for it. This year we decided that it would be a football game first. I should not have to say what is acceptable or not acceptable. Shaking hands is an opportunity to appropriately end a game, unfortunately that didn't happen on Saturday."

Johnson echoed Benedict's sentiments saying, "We want programs that are going to reflect positively on our program, the community, and our student-athletes. That's when MCC is at its best."

MCC President Larry Christiansen said, "That it is not a right, it is a privilege to represent our college."

All of the coaches at MCC are on annual contracts, consequently at the end of each season their performance is reviewed and it is then decided whether or not their contract will be renewed.

The order for Rice's release begins with the athletic director issuing a proposal. It then gets sent to Johnson who approves it and passes it to Christiansen, whos final approval makes the proposal an actuality.

When Johnson was questioned about Rice's removal, he said, "I stand by my colleague's (Benedict) decision. We have worked together for a long time and he has always been a very loyal, patient and understanding person."

When Benedict was questioned on whether his decision was based on the homecoming events, he replied, "I wouldn't base a decision like that on Saturday, but it has been a collaborative thought process since the end of the game."

Christiansen, remarking on the post-game activities, said, "We are not putting blame on the shoulders of the players. No one is saying that Coach Rice is a bad football coach or a bad person."

"I will not raise taxes," said Salmon.

Johnson added, "People model the behavior of their leaders. We just want to make sure we stay on course."