FCS 2019 PREVIEW: Howard Football Wants A Serious Bounce Back

Howard is previewed as part of our two-month "Three-a-Days" series previewing all 126 FCS teams and 13 conferences -- every single day.

Brian McLaughlin @BrianMacWriter

Published on July 01, 2019 at 7:30 PM EDT

Updated on July 01, 2019 at 8:35 PM EDT

HERO Sports welcomes you to "Three-a-Days", where we will preview every single one of the 126 FCS​ programs, with three teams being released each day from June 17 to July 28. Then, we'll preview all 13 conferences from August 1-4. Today, we present ... Howard.

We'll leave no stone left unturned when it comes to giving the FCS diehards all they could ask for this offseason. Learn about every program in the country, with HERO Sports.

HOWARD (4-6 IN 2018)

THE MEAC (HOWARD WAS TIED FOR 4TH IN 2018)

COACH: Ron Prince - At School: 1st year (0-0 record) Overall: 5th year (17-20)
LAST FCS POSTSEASON: 1993
2018 OFFENSE: 33.6 ppg (21st in FCS)
2018 DEFENSE: 34.1 ppg. (94th in FCS)
KEY GAME: Oct. 26 - @ North Carolina A&T: If Howard wants to jump back into the MEAC race, this is a game it will have to prove itself in. Last year and in 2017, they didn't play each other because of MEAC schedule rotation. Now, the Aggies are back on the schedule with a heap of curiosity out there about how the Bison -- behind uber-talented QB Caylin Newton -- will stack up.
SUM IT UP: Last year, Howard lost four games by less than a touchdown and is a hungry program because of its impressive 2017 season -- which produced seven wins and its first-ever FBS win (at UNLV) and nearly a second the next week (at Kent State). That 2017 team was young, so you have to think last year didn't sit well with the Bison program. Its players will be hungry to fix that​ this year and certainly has the weapons to make things happen. Losing head coach Mike London to William & Mary was a hit, but the school really did well with the hiring of Ron Prince, who has been an NFL assistant and the head coach at Kansas State. Prince returns to the FCS/I-AA level after a 19-year hiatus, as he was an assistant in the 1990s at James Madison, Cornell, S.C. State and Alabama A&M.

This offense is potent and is almost completely intact from last year. There's the Caylin Newton (yes, for the millionth time -- Cam's little brother) to Jequez Ezzard connection in the passing game to consider. Ezzard isn't the only skill player who can make plays, though he did average 26.6 yards per catch. If the O-line can find a couple of new studs up front, this offense will be just as good if not better than it was last year when it posted the 15th best total offense average in the FCS. Don't be surprised when the Bison hit the 40-point mark a bunch this fall. 

Defense is where the Bison really want to see serious improvement, especially against the run. Teams were able to grind down the defense and the turnover margin was statistically one of the worst in the FCS. Bottom line? Howard wasn't slowing anybody down last year and wasn't forcing turnovers, so that's something the team wants to remedy. There is talent here, for sure. Safety Tye Freeland held ACC scholarship offers and was the No. 4 overall rated FCS signee in the HERO Sports 2017 signing day rankings. He has played like a star from day one, and he and LB Marcellos Allison are solid cornerstones. If this unit could take a defense giving up 34.1 points per game to say, 25 points per game? Then this team is going to be competing for a MEAC championship.

OUR TAKE: This is a very strong program that made a great hiring decision with its new head coach. Last year was a head-scratching blip, but easily could have been an eight-win season. This year, the first two games (at Maryland, at Youngstown State) will not be easy, nor will the trip to Harvard in October. The Bison didn't back down from anybody with that non-conference schedule. But once Howard hits the meat of that MEAC schedule, it is going to win some ballgames. Look for a win-total around seven, maybe eight if the defense really turns it up a notch. That'll be the key to whether this is a .500 season or an eight-win season. 

TOP RETURNEE: Sr./WR Jequez Ezzard (HERO Sports Preseason All American - 26.6 yards per catch - 40 catches, 1064 yds, 12 TDs).
THE FOUNDATION: Jr./QB Caylin Newton (1st Team All MEAC - 2,629 yds passing, 22 TDs -- 504 yds rushing, 4 TDs); Jr./FS Tye Freeland (66 tackles, 8 PBUs, 2 INTs); Sr./WR Kyle Anthony (1st Team All MEAC - 53 catches, 659 yds, 6 TDs); Sr./LB Marcellos Allison (3rd Team All MEAC - 71 tackles led Howard last year); Sr./OL Phillip Flemming (returning starter); Soph./SS Jayson Robinson (48 tackles, 5 PBUs, 3 forced fumbles); Soph./LB Zamon Robinson (32 tackles, 9 TFLs, 5.5 sacks, 5 hurries); Soph./RB Dedrick Parson (706 yds rushing, 9 TDs - leading rusher in 2018). 
TOP NEWCOMER: Fr./DB Cassan Dixon (No. 118 rated FCS signee in the HERO Sports 2019 rankings -- reported an N.C State offer among others)
THE QUOTE: "We are looking forward to one of the most ambitious schedules in Howard University football program history. This schedule provides our program with a challenging inventory of traditional & non-traditional opponents. This level of national exposure is befitting of a top-tier institution like Howard University and its stakeholders. It also aids in our ambition to become the District of Columbia's college football team." -- Head Coach Ron Prince said during spring ball

Credit offensive line for Lions QB Stafford’s health, success

By Jeff Seidel

November 9, 2016

Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford walked through the door without a limp.

He could breathe with no apparent pain in his ribs or chest.

He didn’t wince. Didn’t gasp for air. There were no bandages on his hands and no reports of postgame X-rays, which was truly remarkable considering he had just reached the halfway point in the season.

Stafford smiled and looked relatively healthy, standing at the podium Sunday afternoon after an overtime victory over the Minnesota Vikings.

If you want to know why the Lions have won three of their past four games, it starts right there — with Stafford’s health.

It starts with the protection he is getting from the offensive line. Because Stafford can’t pull off any miracle comebacks when he’s beat up and on his back after getting sacked.

In the first five games of the season, Stafford was sacked 14 times. He has been sacked six times in the past four, and the Lions have won three.

“They did a great job,” Stafford said of the offensive line after he was sacked once and hit four times Sunday. “It might be the cleanest I have been in a game playing these guys, especially at their place.”

Let’s get a quick history lesson.

A year ago, Stafford was beat up unmercifully in both games against the Vikings. After the first game, Stafford needed X-rays on his ribs and chest, and he barely could breathe. In the second game, Stafford was hit 13 times, sacked seven times and needed X-rays on his left hand.

I remember watching the offensive line and thinking: They look so confused, like they have no idea whom to block.

The next day, the Lions fired offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi and Jim Bob Cooter took over, a change widely praised and dissected — in Cooter we trust!

But something else significant happened, which has gone largely unnoticed. On the day Cooter took over the offense, Caldwell also fired offensive line coaches Jeremiah Washburn and Terry Heffernan. Ron Prince, who had been coaching the tight ends, took over the offensive line. Prince was an assistant offensive line coach with the Jacksonville Jaguars (2012) and Indianapolis Colts (2010-11).

Last January, Caldwell made another move that seems to have paid off, hiring Michael McCarthy as a new quality control/offensive line coach.

“Ron Prince has done a great job,” Caldwell told reporters Monday. “He and Mike McCarthy have done a tremendous job with those guys, and we’re just trying to keep going, keep getting them better.”

When Pro Football Focus graded the Lions’ offensive players after Sunday’s game, four of the top-six grades were given to the Lions’ offensive linemen: left tackle Taylor Decker (83.4), left guard Graham Glasgow (73.6), right tackle Corey Robinson (73.6) and right guard Larry Warford (71.5).

Only Golden Tate (85.0) and Stafford (79.1) also cracked the top six, although I think they give extra points for the backflip.

And a lot of the credit has to go to Prince and McCarthy.

“I think the guys are really playing better and better together,” Caldwell told reporters Monday. “It’s because they’ve got a lot of heart and they fight you.”

There is plenty of room to improve for the offensive line. The Lions are averaging a measly 86.8 yards per game on the ground, fourth worst in the NFL. But the Lions are trying to cover up a bad running game with Stafford’s arm and a strong kicking game.

Everything, as always, hinges on Stafford.

In the four losses, Stafford has completed 63.3% of his passes for five touchdowns and four interceptions. In the five wins, Stafford has completed 71.2% of his passes for 13 TDs and one pick.

All in all, Stafford is a pretty good quarterback when he isn’t on his back.

So, as you praise Cooter and Stafford, don’t forget about Prince and the offensive line, which still is incredibly young and far from perfect, but it is jelling and continues to improve.

You could see the proof on Stafford’s face Sunday.

The way he looked pain-free after playing the Vikings.

Lions need improved play from o-line in second half

Ron Prince (Photo: Detroit Lions)

November 12, 2015

By Tim Twentyman

If the Detroit Lions are going to turn this thing around the second half of the season, the offensive line, more than any other unit on the team, needs to play dramatically better than they have the first half of the season.

Detroit's line is allowing too many hits on quarterback Matthew Stafford, and providing too few holes for running back Ameer Abdullah and Co. to run through.

The Lions own the 31st-ranked offensive line according Pro Football Focus. The site recently ranked all 32 units in the NFL.

The Lions are 29th in pass blocking, 26th in run blocking and 20th in penalties. Their highest rated player - guard Manny Ramirez - doesn't even start for them. No player along Detroit's front grades better than 19th at their position by the website.

This was supposed to be a young, athletic line that would start strong and only get better as the year went on. It hasn't worked out that way and now it's up to new offensive line coach Ron Prince to get things in order.

The former tight ends coach has taken over the reigns in the offensive line room since former offensive line coaches Jeremiah Washburn and Terry Heffernan were relieved of their duties before the trip to London.

"He's definitely one of the smartest people I've ever met," tight end Brandon Pettigrew said of his former position coach. "Big on details.

"Overall, he's probably the best coach I've ever had."

That's certainly high praise from Pettigrew, and he's right about Prince being a stickler on the details.

"He's a little more straight forward and to the point," right tackle LaAdrian Waddle said of Prince. "He'll keep it real with you. If you didn't do your job, he's going to let you know about it.
"We have to make those tiny little details count. We have to pay attention to the little stuff. We can't be short on stuff anymore."

It's the little things, and the details, Waddle says, that Prince has been working to improve over the last two weeks.

"Obviously, anytime that you make changes, you're going to get a little difference in personality, a little difference in style, a little difference just in terms of experience and background of dealing with the guys at the position," head coach Jim Caldwell said when asked what Prince brings to the offensive line room.

"It takes a little adjustment for the guys up front because he does have a little different style, but I think it's been constructive."

Starting left guard Laken Tomlinson said fans would have to wait and see Sunday when asked how much effect Prince has already had in that room.

Pettigrew thinks Prince will get the best out of the unit.

"His approach on coaching is excellent," Pettigrew said of Prince. "It's hard to describe but he has a method of taking each player and kind of molding his coaching around that player. You can't really coach every player the same. He just has a right way of doing that.

"One thing I do know is he's going to do everything he can to make sure that everything is understood down to the small details of the game plan. At the end of the day, (the offensive linemen) are going to have to buckle down and learn it and get with it."

The biggest winner, hands down: Ron Prince

Embarrassing scandals over at Kansas, Kansas St

By Doug Tucker, AP Sports Writer

May 13, 2011

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Within days of one another, two unrelated and very expensive scandals have finally wound down at Kansas State and Kansas.

The embarrassing episodes made headlines around the nation. They cost the state's two biggest universities hard-won prestige, some important friends and millions of dollars.

Officials at both schools say valuable lessons have not only been learned, but taken to heart.

Individually, the biggest losers are five former Kansas staff members who are headed for prison. But other victims include two highly accomplished executives who are settling into retirement with tarnished reputations.

The biggest winner, hands down, was Ron Prince.

Last week, Kansas State agreed to a settlement with its former head football coach, agreeing to pay him $1.65 million. It absolves Prince of any wrongdoing in a dispute over a memorandum of agreement that Kansas State had contended was signed without the knowledge of then-president Jon Wefald.

After Prince was fired at the end of the 2008 season, the school said it discovered the agreement signed by Prince and then-athletic director Robert Krause. Under that pact, Prince was supposedly owed $3.2 million by Kansas State and the Intercollegiate Athletic Council in addition to a severance payment of about $1.3 million.

Under terms of the original agreement, he was not to receive any portion of the money for almost five more years, and the full amount would not have been paid until the end of 2020.

The settlement left many unanswered questions, including why the Wildcats after two years suddenly dropped the fight.

"I don't want to get into any of those things," said athletic director John Currie.

The Prince matter was the icing on the cake of an embarrassing audit done by an outside firm in connection with Wefald's retirement after more than 20 years as Kansas State president. The audit called attention to many questionable accounting procedures and sent Wefald out the door under a cloud of controversy.

Many of Kansas State's biggest donors angrily said they would write no more checks.

Wefald's successor, Kirk Schulz, insisted on a policy of near-total transparency. When Currie was introduced at a news conference two years ago, copies of his contract lay on a table in the back of the room.

And it was this transparency, Currie said, that brought the people back.

"The first year of fundraising, we had a $5 million increase that first year in annual gifts," he said. "It was critical in our beginning to rebuild the trust in our fan base. If we're going to ask people to invest in our program, they need to know exactly where the dollars they invest will go."

In the meantime, five former Kansas athletic department officials are going to prison for their part in a ticket scalping scandal. Counting legal bills, the affair has cost the Jayhawks more than $2 million.

Ben Kirtland, the highest-ranking official snared in the affair, was sentenced on Thursday to almost five years in prison. He was the last to be sentenced in the case and U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom told The Associated Press it was time for Kansas "to move on."

The Jayhawks can't move on fast enough.

"Today marks the close of a painful chapter in the history of Kansas Athletics and the University of Kansas as the last of the conspirators in the recent ticket theft case was sentenced," Kansas president Bernadette Gray-Little and athletic director Sheahan Zenger told thousands of donors in an e-mail.

Just minutes after Kirtland was sentenced, Gray-Little and Zenger assured donors that steps had been taken to make sure nothing like this ever happens to Kansas again.

"We want to thank all of you who stood with the university during this difficult period, as well as those of you who made your concerns and disappointment known," they said.

As the scandal grew, athletic director Lew Perkins retired a year early. Like Wefald, his distinguished career was diminished in some eyes just as it was coming to an end. Investigators said he had no part in the scam. But critics will always say his failure of oversight let the school down.

Like Kansas State, Kansas has installed new policies and new procedures, all designed to make sure no such thing ever happens again.

The Jayhawks have also offered to advise other universities on what happened, and why. They are taking a proactive role in offering to share their experience, and the lessons they've learned, with other universities in hopes of preventing a similar theft.

"That's the silver lining you always look for," said associate athletic director Jim Marchiony.

Ron Prince happy with settlement

May 10, 2011

MANHATTAN, Kan. -- Former Kansas State football coach Ron Prince says he is satisfied with a settlement reached with the school that calls for him to receive $1.65 million.

Announced on Friday, the settlement also absolves Prince of any wrongdoing in a dispute over a memorandum of agreement that Kansas State had contended was signed without the knowledge of then-president Jon Wefald.

After Prince was fired at the end of the 2008 season, the school said it accidentally discovered the agreement signed by Prince and then-athletic director Robert Krause. Under that pact, Prince was supposedly owed $3.2 million by Kansas State and the Intercollegiate Athletic Council in addition to a severance payment of about $1.3 million.

Under terms of the original agreement, he was not to receive any portion of the money for almost five more years, and the full amount would not have been paid until the end of 2020.

Neil Cornrich, Prince's agent, said the settlement -- at its present value of $1.65 million -- "essentially represents an agreement by KSU and IAC to pay Coach Prince almost the entire $3.2 million termination payment. Coach Prince will receive these funds upfront and almost nine years earlier than they were originally due, providing a significant financial advantage over the deferred payments."

Kansas State to pay ex-coach Ron Prince $1.65 million in settlement

Ron Prince was hired at K-State in 2005 and coached the Wildcats for three seasons, going 17-20 during his tenure. He was fired in 2008 with three games remaining in the season.

BY KELLIS ROBINETT

May 9, 2011

MANHATTAN — Kansas State has reached a settlement in its lawsuit against Ron Prince that will pay the former football coach $1.65 million, a lump sum Prince’s lawyers and agent say is better than what he was previously owed.

The settlement ends a two-year process in which K-State attempted to bar Prince from receiving deferred payments of $3.2 million from a “secret agreement” between Prince and former athletic director Bob Krause in 2008, months before Prince was fired.

Prince also received $1.2 million in buyout money from his regular contract.

“We are happy that the university has recognized its commitment,” said James Neale, a Virginia-based lawyer representing Prince. “We’re pleased with the deal financially, but we’re even more pleased with the fact that Ron Prince has been vindicated.”

Neil Cornrich, Prince’s agent, said in a statement that Prince was “appreciative of KSU’s willingness to structure the settlement in such a favorable manner.” Cornrich contends the settlement is a “significant financial advantage” for Prince compared to the $3.2 million buyout. Those payments were not scheduled to start for almost five years and would not be fully paid until Dec. 31, 2020.

“Discounted to present value, the $1.65 million settlement figure essentially represents an agreement to pay Coach Prince almost the entire $3.2 million termination payment,” Cornrich said. “Coach Prince will receive these funds upfront and almost nine years earlier than they were originally due.”

The $1.65 million must be paid by May 25.

K-State’s athletic department incurred a total of $395,000 in outside legal fees during this process. In a university release, athletics director John Currie said the settlement amount will be paid from conference and NCAA revenue and that no individual donations or ticket revenue will be used.

The department will earmark K-State’s share of the withdrawal fees to be paid by Nebraska and Colorado to the Big 12 Conference toward fulfilling the settlement.

Closing the chapter

“We are glad to close this chapter and focus our energies on building upon the terrific 2010-11 year Kansas State student-athletes have had both on the playing field and in the classroom,” Currie said in a statement.

Both sides were to argue their cases in front of a jury beginning June 13 in Riley County District Court.

“Both sides wanted to put all this behind them,” said Wichita lawyer Craig Shultz, who also represents Prince. “The only way to do that was to settle now.”

The lawsuit began when K-State claimed Krause overstepped his bounds by negotiating a memorandum of understanding with Prince that contained the $3.2 million buyout. Former president Jon Wefald insisted the agreement was made without his knowledge and that Krause did not have the authority to make such a deal without his involvement.

The agreement was inadvertently discovered by K-State in 2009, it said, and the university responded by launching a lawsuit seeking to invalidate the deal.

“From our perspective, the cash payment is fair,” Shultz said, “and as good as getting the full payments listed in the contract over time.”

No wrongdoing

Shultz said a part of the settlement includes a statement by K-State that clears Prince of any wrongdoing.

The statement says: “Neither the University nor K-State Athletics contends or believes that in negotiating his employment agreement or the MOU (memorandum of understanding), Coach Prince engaged in any wrongful or unethical conduct. Discovery has demonstrated that this situation was not of Coach Prince’s making.”

It’s safe to say the case will be remembered for years.

Not only was it a first-of-its-kind dispute, it led to a regime change within the athletic department.

Putting all that behind it could have impacted the settlement on K-State’s end.

“I think it’s a favorable outcome for Prince,” said Michael McCann, a Vermont law professor who also works as a legal analyst for Sports Illustrated. “For the school, there is a benefit to having closure to litigation. I don’t know what the value of that is, because it’s hard to quantify, but this lawsuit has attracted a lot of publicity that the school doesn’t want.

“It will provide closure, whereas if it goes through litigation, regardless of who wins and loses, you still have the possibility of appeals and public statements. You can certainly see why the school wants to settle it and have some closure even if it means paying Prince a substantial amount of money.”

Arguments made during a hearing for summary judgment last fall in Riley County District Court appeared to give Prince the advantage.

“He probably had the stronger argument,” McCann said. “It seemed that the athletic director either had authority (to negotiate a coaching contract) or one could presume he had authority, and in either case Prince would likely win.

“I think Prince had the stronger legal argument heading into the case, but there is still a benefit to Prince for settling. It ends all risk of losing.”

Prince was hired at K-State in 2005 and coached the Wildcats for three seasons, going 17-20 during his tenure. He was fired in 2008 with three games remaining in the season.

Krause, who had already taken a new role at a K-State satellite campus in Olathe, resigned from his position when news of the second buyout with Prince became public. Wefald retired in 2009.

Kirk Schulz took his place as K-State president, and John Currie followed Krause as athletic director. Prince is an assistant offensive line coach for the Indianapolis Colts.

K-State, Prince reach settlement

May 6, 2011

By Austin Meek

After two years of litigation, Kansas State University has settled its lawsuit against former football coach Ron Prince.

Prince will receive a settlement worth $1.65 million, roughly half the value of his $3.2 million buyout agreement.

That so-called secret agreement, discovered by the university in May 2009, sparked a prolonged legal battle between the school and its former coach. Prince, now an assistant with the Indianapolis Colts, is relieved to have closure, one of his attorneys said Friday.

"This case was difficult on him," said attorney Jim Neale, of Charlottesville, Va. "I think he did feel on some level betrayed."

With a June 13 trial date looming, both sides had incentive to settle. Neale said negotiations gained momentum after Riley County District Court Judge David Stutzman denied summary judgment motions from both parties, leaving a settlement as the only alternative.

"Nobody wants to spend a week in court in with lawyers," Neale said. "The prospect of a trial was expensive and stressful. It's the last thing in the world anyone wants to do."

As part of the settlement, K-State released a statement absolving Prince of wrongdoing in the negotiation of his $3.2 million memorandum of understanding.

"Neither the university nor K-State Athletics contends or believes that in negotiation (of) his employment agreement or the MOU, coach Prince engaged in any wrongful or unethical conduct," the statement read. "Discovery has demonstrated that this situation was not of coach Prince's making."

Prince's agent, Neil Cornrich, described the public statement as "an extraordinary step," and Neale said it was a major factor in Prince's decision to settle.

"He's very happy to have K-State make the statement they did about him not doing anything wrong," Neale said. "It's unusual, if not extraordinary, to resolve a civil litigation with a statement like that."

The MOU called for Prince to receive deferred payments of $800,000 in 2015 and 2016 and $1.6 million in 2020. Prince will receive the $1.65 million as a lump sum, a stipulation that made the settlement more attractive.

"Discounted to present value, the $1.65 million settlement figure essentially represents almost the entire $3.2 million termination payment," Cornrich said in a statement. "Coach Prince will receive these funds up front and almost nine years earlier than they were originally due, providing a significant financial advantage over the deferred payments."

K-State athletic director John Currie said the settlement will be paid with Big 12 and NCAA revenue instead of private donations or ticket revenue. K-State has earmarked its share of the conference withdrawal fees to be paid by Nebraska and Colorado to offset the expense.

"We are glad to close this chapter and focus our energies on building upon the terrific 2010-11 year Kansas State student-athletes have had both on the playing field and in the classroom," Currie said in a statement.

Prince received a $1.2 million buyout when he was fired in November 2008. Six months later, the school discovered the $3.2 million addendum, signed by Prince and former athletic director Bob Krause. K-State sued to invalidate the agreement, arguing Krause acted outside his authority in negotiations.

Neale questioned the wisdom of the lawsuit, which was filed before Currie and President Kirk Schulz arrived at K-State.

"I don't understand why they filed suit," Neale said. "It's never been clear to me. I don't know why they didn't just pick up the phone and talk to coach Prince and quietly try to negotiate."

After two years and nearly $400,000 in legal fees, K-State is happy to move forward.

"We are pleased to have this matter resolved," Schulz said. “We appreciate the work that our university counsel has provided during this process and can now maintain focus on moving forward as a university community.”

Lesson Learned

Prince, K-State settle lawsuit for $1.65 million

By John Taylor

May 6, 2011

During the time when the legal dispute between Kansas State and former head coach Ron Prince had become particularly heated back in August of 2009, we wrote that one of these days the school will learn that you neither mess with Mother Nature nor attempt to cheat the clients of Neil Cornrich.

Nearly two years later, the school’s bank account has been quoted as saying “lesson learned”.

As a thumbnail background for those unfamiliar with the Prince situation, he was fired by Kansas State in early November of 2008 and replaced by Bill Snyder. In May of 2009, the school filed a lawsuit against Prince in which it claimed that the former head coach entered into what was essentially an illegal “secret agreement” with the former athletic director, an agreement that entitled Prince to $3.2 million in deferred compensation. Prince, per the agreement, was slated to receive that compensation between 2015 and 2020.

It was announced today, however, that those legal proceedings are over and Prince got his in the here and now. Well, technically, he got half of his.

In a release issued by NC Sports this evening, it was announced that Prince and Kansas State have reached a settlement agreement in the amount of $1.65 million. That’s, of course, $1.55 million less than the number contained in the contractual agreement between Prince and ex-AD Bob Krause; however, it’s also $1.65 million more than the school claimed their former coach was owed.

Perhaps most importantly — yes, even more important than the seven-figure sum — the statement issued by the firm which represents Prince stated that the university has “also taken the extraordinary step of absolving Coach Prince of any wrongdoing whatsoever.” In May of 2009, it was alleged by the school that some sort of ethical duty had been breached by negotiating with Krause without university lawyers present.

Here’s the entire text of the release regarding Prince, who’s currently the assistant offensive line coach for the NFL’s Indianapolis Colts:

Coach Ron Prince has agreed to a $1.65 million settlement with Kansas State University (“KSU”) and the Intercollegiate Athletic Council of Kansas State University, Inc. (“IAC”). While it is unfortunate that the decisions of prior administrators and a current member of its Office of General Counsel caused KSU to initiate this lawsuit and incur unnecessary and costly legal fees, Coach Prince is pleased that KSU and IAC have now chosen to do what is right and honor their obligations.


As part of the settlement, KSU and IAC have also taken the extraordinary step of absolving Coach Prince of any wrongdoing whatsoever by noting: “Neither the University nor K-State Athletics contends or believes that, in negotiating his employment agreement or the MOU, Coach Prince engaged in any wrongful or unethical conduct.”


In addition to this concession, the settlement is financially advantageous to Coach Prince. Under the terms of the contract Coach Prince had previously entered into with KSU and IAC, he was entitled to deferred termination payments totaling $3.2 million. However, Coach Prince was not scheduled to receive any portion of that sum for almost five more years, and the full amount would not have been completely paid until December 31, 2020.


Consequently, discounted to present value, the $1.65 million settlement figure essentially represents an agreement by KSU and IAC to pay Coach Prince almost the entire $3.2 million termination payment. Coach Prince will receive these funds upfront and almost nine years earlier than they were originally due, providing a significant financial advantage over the deferred payments. In addition, Coach Prince will avoid trial and litigation fees. As a result, the settlement is a complete validation of Coach Prince’s claim that the contract he signed with KSU and IAC was negotiated in good faith in an openly disclosed format, mutually agreed upon, and legally binding.


To this point, KSU and IAC had argued that the $3.2 million termination payment was part of a “secret agreement,” and that Coach Prince was therefore owed nothing. However, even with the ability to try the case in front of a hometown jury, KSU and IAC instead agreed to settle the case for nearly the full amount – a total vindication of Coach Prince and a firm indication that their legal position had been exposed as one completely without merit. Moreover, the settlement sets a clear precedent that institutions of higher learning will be held responsible for the contracts they have signed and the promises they have made to their employees.


Appreciative of KSU’s willingness to structure the settlement in such a favorable manner, as well as its decision to absolve him of any wrongdoing, Coach Prince is pleased that all parties can finally put this matter behind them.

Experts: KSU case tough to make

School faces difficult argument in saying Krause lacked authority to make contract with Prince

BY AUSTIN MEEK

July 24, 2010

Michael McCann has watched plenty of sports stars squirm.

As SI.com's sports law expert, McCann wrote about Roger Clemens on Capitol Hill and Barry Bonds in federal court. As a professor at Vermont Law School, he published an influential opinion on American Needle v. NFL, the recent Supreme Court case involving antitrust issues in professional football.

But no, he hasn't seen a case quite like this one.

"This is the first case of its kind that I'm aware of," McCann said, "in terms of an athletic director appearing to represent the university, executing a contract and the school trying to get out of it."

McCann was referring, of course, to Kansas State's lawsuit against former football coach Ron Prince. K-State is seeking to nullify Prince's $3.2 million buyout agreement, negotiated and allegedly concealed by former athletic director Bob Krause.

The case hinges on the validity of a two-page Memorandum of Understanding, signed by Krause and Prince, that calls for Prince to begin receiving a series of deferred payments in 2015. K-State contends the MOU is not a valid contract, a point that could be difficult to prove in court, McCann said.

"Under contract law, if it looks like a contract, it often is, particularly when there is something called consideration," McCann said. "If each party is giving up something, then normally the court will find that there is consideration between them. And if there's consideration, there's normally a contract.

"From what I can tell, coach Prince is saying, 'Look, in exchange for me giving up the pursuit of a different kind of contract, I'm agreeing to the memorandum, and you're getting financial stability. We're each giving something up.'"

The issue of consideration depends on the relationship between Prince's public employment contract and the MOU, said Washburn law professor Michael Hunter Schwartz.

"If both parties understood this was all part of one deal," Schwartz said, "that argument won't carry the day."

Krause's authority is another point of contention. K-State contends Krause was not authorized to negotiate on behalf of the university, though McCann considers that argument a tough sell.

"If it's absolutely clear that he didn't have authority, and everyone knew he didn't have authority, that's one thing," McCann said. "One would think that an athletic director has sufficient authority to represent the university in contractual negotiations for a coach."

When asked to document his authority during contract negotiations, Krause pointed to a provision in the by-laws of K-State's Intercollegiate Athletic Council authorizing him to "enter into any contract or execute and deliver any instrument in the name of and on the behalf of the Corporation" as CEO.

Even if Krause didn't have actual authority, Schwartz said, Prince's attorneys can claim he had apparent authority by virtue of his position.

"There are two ways a person can have authority," Schwartz said. "They can either have actual authority — someone said, 'You have power to do this' — or you can have apparent authority. Even if (Krause) wasn't actually given the authority to do it, his role at K-State made it look like he was in a position to make these kinds of decisions."

Still, McCann said, attacking Krause's authority could be K-State's best strategy.

"If K-State can somehow argue that coach Prince and his representatives knew with certainty that the athletic director had no authority to negotiate a contract, maybe their argument would have some weight," McCann said. "I think that would be their best play."

K-State has argued that Krause acted alone, though the former athletic director testified that he discussed the separate buyout agreement with aides Jim Epps and Bob Cavello. Epps and Cavello denied that claim in depositions.

Even if Krause was a rogue actor, McCann said, it doesn't absolve K-State of responsibility.

"Their argument might be, 'This was the renegade athletic director, and not only was he the renegade athletic director, but everyone knew that,'" McCann said. "That, of course, is kind of a weird argument. Why was there a renegade athletic director?"

Both sides have filed motions for partial summary judgment, essentially asking the court to rule in their favor without a trial. The case likely won't be resolved that easily, Schwartz said.

"Summary judgment is one of the least frequently granted motions in court," Schwartz said. "If there's even a question of credibility, you want a jury to decide that."

KSU attorney: Hasty changes made in Prince deal

Jacque Butler represented K-State in contract negotiations

By Austin Meek

July 22, 2010

Between the dentist's office and the ultrasound appointment, Jacque Butler had one more errand to run.

Butler, an attorney who represented Kansas State University in negotiations with former football coach Ron Prince, testified that she removed key safeguards from Prince's contract during a hurried lunch break without considering the potential ramifications.

"I was directed to make specific changes and I just didn't consider what those were," Butler said during a May 12 deposition obtained by The Topeka Capital-Journal.

Those changes allowed for the creation of Prince's $3.2 million memorandum of understanding, the agreement at the heart of K-State's legal battle against its former coach. Prince was fired in November 2008, months after he signed a new five-year contract and the controversial buyout addendum.

K-State has filed a lawsuit seeking to invalidate the separate buyout agreement, arguing that former athletic director Bob Krause acted outside his authority in contract negotiations.

Butler, Krause and other university officials provided depositions in April and May. Attorneys for both sides were scheduled to make oral arguments in Riley County District Court this week, but the hearing was postponed when District Judge Meryl Wilson recused himself from the case.

The case has been reassigned to District Judge David Stutzman, who issued the 2002 ruling that allowed 580 WIBW Radio to retain rights to K-State football broadcasts.

According to Butler's deposition, Krause directed her to remove several clauses from Prince's proposed contract in August 2008, days before Prince signed the contract and separate buyout agreement. Butler removed language that established Prince's public contract as the "entire agreement between the parties" and the "full settlement of any claim that coach might otherwise assert against the university."

Butler testified that she wasn't given a reason for the changes and didn't discuss the revisions with anyone at the time.

"I think I made them over a noon hour as I was going from one appointment to the other," she said.

In doing so, Butler admitted she functioned "more like a legal secretary" than an attorney representing K-State in contract negotiations. Butler also acknowledged that, by not considering the impact of the changes, she "probably did not" serve the university as well as she could have.

"I think had I considered it, I probably would have talked to someone about it, but I didn't," Butler said.

Butler, who is no longer employed by K-State, had no further comment when reached Thursday at the office of her current employer, the law firm Smith, Burnett and Larson in Larned.

K-State attorneys have argued that Neil Cornrich, Prince’s agent, was instructed by former athletic director Tim Weiser to deal only with Butler in contract negotiations. But Krause testified that he preferred to deal with the agent directly, and Butler acknowledged she was aware of conversations between Krause and Cornrich.

At Krause's request, Butler e-mailed drafts of Prince's employment agreement to Cornrich, Krause, university president John Wefald, deputy athletic director Jim Epps and associate athletic director Bob Cavello on July 31, 2008, a week before the contract was signed.

"These drafts reflect the changes that you have discussed with Mr. Bob Krause," Butler wrote to Cornrich, using language proposed by Krause. "Mr. Krause will be calling you to discuss these drafts and KSU looks forward to finalizing this matter in the near future."

Attorneys asked Butler if the e-mail represented implicit permission for Krause and Cornrich to speak directly.

"I don't know know that that was my thought process at the time," Butler said.

Salute Prince for Final Class

By Purple Pride

December 24, 2009

MANHATTAN, Kan. -He’s been gone for a year now, and little positive has been said about former Kansas State coach Ron Prince. But after reviewing the accomplishments of his final recruiting class … Prince signed a good one.

Little positive has been mentioned in the same sentence with the name Ron Prince in the last 12 months, but it may be time to give a belated salute to his last recruiting class that was ranked among the Top 30 in the country.

On signing day back in early-February, 2008, the class numbered a whopping 32 players – 19 from the community college ranks, plus 13 high schoolers.

First, seven of those – Dustin Bell, Javonta Boyd, Kwamaine Brown, John Finau, Tony Gillespie, Kenny Session and Jack Hayes (stayed for 10 days) -- never arrived on campus for a variety of reasons putting the class at 25.

In reality, the number will soon be six who never arrived on campus as Boyd, a 6-foot-3, 290-pound defensive lineman, has recommitted with the Wildcats after a two-year stay at Butler County Community College.

But let’s now consider what the class that did arrive accomplished:

• Brandon Banks – Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Year, 2nd team all-Big 12 wide receiver, shattered all kickoff return records and ended as a Top 10 type receiver in Wildcat history, 2008 Offensive Newcomer of the Year.

• Daniel Thomas – While a late arrival, he was a part of the class and emerged as the Big 12 Offensive Newcomer of the Year and a 1st-team all-Big 12 running back after leading the conference in rushing.

• Brandon Harold – A 2008 Freshman all-American, among all freshman in 2008, Harold led the nation in tackles for losses.

• Ulla Pomele – A two-year starter at linebacker.

• 2008 starters from the class – Banks, Logan Dold, Harold, Blair Irvin, Billy McClellan, Edward Prince, Pomele, Aubrey Quarles, Hansen Sekona

• 2009 starters from the class – Banks, Daniel Calvin, Antonio Felder, Attrail Snipes, Thomas, Wade Weibert and Braden Wilson.

• Others in the regular two-deep rotation in at least one of the years – Joseph Kassanavoid, Collin Klein, Blake Slaughter, Ethan Douglas, George Pierson, Josh Berard and Grant Valentine.

That’s 15 players who were regular starters, plus another seven who were high-profile backups. That totals 22 of the 25 players who arrived on campus with the 2008 recruiting class and could be defined as true contributors.

K-State caught with their contractual pants down?

By John Taylor

August 10, 2009

This past May, Kansas State filed a lawsuit against Ron Prince in which it was claimed by the school that the former head coach entered into a secret agreement with the former athletic director, an agreement that entitled Prince to $3.2 million in deferred compensation.

Subsequently, an independent audit revealed that there were additional deals between four other persons connected with the university, including current head coach Bill Snyder, that were similar to the one signed by Prince.

With that in mind, CFT has obtained a copy of a release entitled "Coach Ron Prince Files "Answer and Counterclaims" to Kansas State University's "Amended Complaint." The release was written by the agency that represents Prince, NC Sports, LLC.

It appears below, in its entirety.

And, if you are a fan of the Wildcats or a current member of the administration, we strongly urge you to look away. It's does not paint a pretty or flattering picture of the institution:

The contract between Coach Ron Prince and the Intercollegiate Athletic Council of Kansas State University, Inc. ("IAC," now known as K-State Athletics) was negotiated in good faith, mutually agreed upon, and understood as legally binding when it was signed by all parties. Kansas State University ("KSU") has brought an unfair action against Coach Prince, reneging on this contract between him and IAC, even though the contract was conceived, suggested, and drafted by KSU and the IAC.

The contract between Coach Prince and KSU was drafted by the University's attorney, Jacqueline R. Butler. It guaranteed a portion of Coach Prince's contract. In determining fair compensation should the University elect to terminate Coach Prince without cause, both parties agreed that the remainder of the contract should also be guaranteed. However, KSU insisted that the additional guarantee be contained in a separate, confidential memorandum. As a result, Ms. Butler was asked to remove language from the "public" contract which had stated that it was "the entire agreement between the parties" since that was no longer going to be true. Ms. Butler removed that language from the "public" contract specifically to allow for the type of legally binding contract that was signed between IAC and Coach Prince. Coach Prince did not request such confidentiality, nor did he care whether the agreement was public, but accommodated the University's request. The signatures of Coach Prince on both documents were requested at the same time in a singular fax document and were returned at the same time; the parties both agreed to the terms, signed, and understood it was legally binding.

The use of such arrangements is not uncommon. In fact, an independent audit conducted by KSU itself has revealed arrangements for at least four other KSU individuals which appear similar to the contract signed between Coach Prince and IAC, including: Tim Weiser (former Athletic Director); Bob Cavello (former Senior Associate Athletic Director for Administration and Finance); Bob Krause (former Athletic Director and Vice President for Institutional Advancement); and Bill Snyder (former and now current Head Football Coach).

In light of these compelling facts, the contract between Coach Prince and IAC is legally binding, and the legal position taken by KSU and IAC in this matter is without merit.

And boom goes the dynamite.

It was one thing for Kansas State to fire a coach who not only beat Texas two out of three years, but took over a K-State team devoid of talent due to their now-current coach leaving the Manhattan cupboard bare upon retirement.

It's another thing to attempt to withhold payment of money that Prince is legally entitled to receive, and publicly drag the three-year coach's name through the mud.

One of these days, though, maybe Kansas State will learn that you don't mess with Mother Nature... or cheat the clients of Neil Cornrich.