RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) — Three days after his sudden dismissal for using an ineligible player during a game, former St. Augustine’s University head football coach Howard Feggins ripped into the university for a lack of support and appropriate resources provided to the football program.
Feggins claimed the lack of resources included a lack of equipment for the players, staffing —including a full-time athletic trainer — and facilities, as the team was forced to practice in the parking lot due to stadium renovations.
“Do they really care about the mental and physical health of our student-athletes?” Feggins said.
Several dozen current players came out to support their former head coach this morning, with two offering to speak on his behalf.
Senior Quarterback Anthony Butler said the team was in shock on Friday when they learned their coach had been let go halfway through the season.
“I’ve been part of some teams where it’s a revolving door with coaches, but I’ve never got a coach fired in the middle of the season, let alone the day before a game,” Butler said.
Butler said the university didn’t offer players much explanation behind the sudden dismissal, only referring to the decision as “business.”
“That was troublesome to hear because, as coach explained, business wasn’t taken care of,” Butler said. “It’s just odd that this was the situation they decided to use business on.”
Senior Kevin Brewington said there were a lot of things they were trying to get done as a team and felt like the St. Augustine’s administration wasn’t showing their support in those endeavors.
“We would have to put in a lot of work just to get a response back, let alone the help we needed,” Brewington said. “Something as small as getting a response back and we couldn’t get that.”
Brewington said that the football team has tried to address issues, like nutrition, for several years to no avail. Players told their coach they went hungry or spent money for meals off campus because the university didn’t provide enough food to fuel the team.
“I feel like they don’t care enough,” Brewington said. “We’ve had a history of losing seasons and everything, but at the same time, resources help a lot when it comes to winning and losing.”
