Players’ Boycott Fails to Ax Coach

Prairie View A&M; will retain embattled football coach Haney Catchings but will take steps to improve academics for its athletes, school President Percy Pierre announced today.

Pierre decided to keep Catchings despite a vow by striking football players to not play for him. The players began a boycott Feb. 5, claiming that they did not want to play for Catchings because he allegedly was interfering with their attempts to get an education.

Pierre said there is data to support the players’ charge that academic achievement has been on the decline in recent years. Pierre noted that Catchings was responsible only for controlling practice time, but he didn’t specify any time limits.

“I don’t know how they can do that and say they’re interested in academics,” said striking players’ spokesman Richard Haynes.