Mike Santiago, hired in 2007 as the first football coach at the University of the Incarnate Word, has coached his last game for the Cardinals.
Citing philosophical differences, Santiago and UIW school officials mutually agreed to sever ties Monday.
Defensive coordinator Todd Ivicic, an assistant under Santiago the past 10 seasons, has been named the Cards interim head coach. Ivicic, 44, joined Santiago s staff as defensive coordinator in November 2007.
He s taught me a lot, Ivicic said, referring to Santiago. He s a good man, good friend and a good football coach. He has prepared me to take over this program at this time. I think the world of him, and I think the world of UIW. I ve been here four years now and this has been the greatest coaching
experience of my life.
Officially, Santiago resigned.
But sources close to the programsaid Santiago was forced outafter complaints of his purported verbal abuseof players and assistant coaches during practice and games reached the boiling point, one source said.
UIW president Louis Agneseand athletic director Mark Papich denied at a news conference Tuesday that Santiago, 56, was fired or pressured to step down.
We have accepted the resignation of Mike Santiago, based on mutual agreement, Papich said. We had some philosophical differences on the direction of the football program and its future. Mike has graciously stepped up and offered that resignation yesterday.
Agnese praised Santiago for his contributions to UIW.
Everything Mike said he would do for the University of the Incarnate Word, he has done, he said. And more so. Mike Santiago is a winner and always has been.
Santiago wishes Ivicic well
Reached by phone Tuesday night, Santiago declined to comment on why he quit with three games left in the Cards' third season.
I really can t say anything, other than I ll always love the players at the University of the Incarnate Word, Santiago said.
UIW had an 11-word statement from Santiago in a news release sports information officials handed to the media at Tuesday s news conference.
I sincerely wish the team well, especially the Forever First Class, Santiago said.
The Forever First Class is the 2008 recruiting class, the first signed by the UIW football program.
It s all about the team adapting, and I think we ve handled it well, said junior running back Trent Rios, a member of that 2008 recruiting class. It got pretty intense real fast. After the A&M-Kingsville game, it got pretty rough out there after a while. All the emotions got into it.
I didn t expect it to get this far. It built up and emotions took over. It s going to be different. We just have to move on and go forward.
Agnese said Ivicic, 44, and offensive coordinator Tony Marciano, 54, would be considered for the head coaching position when UIW begins its search in sometime in December.
UIW will have a student referendum next month before Thanksgiving on a proposed student-fee increase that would be used to help fund the athletic program s move to Division I in all sports.
Pending the results of that referendum and the decision of the (UIW) board, we will then decide whether we re having an internal or a national search (for a coach), at least for the coming year, Agnese said.
Santiago missed most of last week s workouts
Agnese met with Cards players and coaches Monday afternoon in the team s field house to tell them that the university and Santiago had parted ways.
Santiago hadn t been at the team s workouts since last Tuesday, according to several players. Santiago essentially had been out as the Cards' coach since last Wednesday.
Sophomore linebacker Juan Asencio said he was shocked when Santiago didn t return to practice after last Tuesday s workout.
A lot of people were aggravated at practice that day, Asencio said. One of our offensive linemen jumped offsides and Coach Santiago screamed at him. It got out of hand after that one.
Junior offensive tackle Ty Warnasch said emotions got the best of Santiago and some players at last Tuesday s practice.
When stuff on the field comes off the field, sometimes I feel that s a little too much, Warnasch said. What happens out there should stay out there.
Warnasch said he thinks Santiago s resignation is best for the team.
It s brought us together, he said.
UIW had an open date last weekend after losing a 41-38 heartbreaker to Texas A&M-Kingsville at home on Oct. 15.
Santiago s management style questioned
Dr. Agnese said this wasn t about wins and losses, said a source who was at Monday s meeting. This is about where we want to go as a university and what we want to be as a program.
The same source said Santiago s management style with his players and assistant coaches became an issue that boiled over at last Tuesday s workout.
UIW, which started playing in 2009 and competes in NCAA Division II, went 10-18 under Santiago.
The Cards, 2-5 overall and 2-3 in the Lone Star Conference, play at Tarleton State in Stephenville on Saturday. They went 5-5 in their inaugural season and 3-8 last year.
All I m thinking about is beating Tarleton State, Ivicic said. I m a day-by-day guy.
Ivicic was direct when asked a question about his coaching style.
I can be loud when I need to be loud and I can be soft-spoken when I need to be soft-spoken, Ivicic said. Dealing with kids is a funny thing, and I ve been able to do it for 20-plus years in college coaching. I feel very comfortable doing that, so it s going to be a good ride here the next three weeks.
We re going to coach them hard, but we re going to be very respectful toward them. We re going to do what we need to do to get the job done, but they will be treated with respect.
Ivicic, a 1986 Taylor High School graduate, holds bachelor s and master s degrees in kinesiology from Sam Houston State, where he played defensive end for the Bearkats in 1989 and 1990. He played at Trinity Valley Community college in 1987 and at Blinn Junior College in 1988.
Ivicic was an assistant coach at Tarleton State in the three seasons preceding his hiring at UIW in 2007. He was an assistant under Santiago for six seasons, 1999-2004, at Stephen F. Austin.
