Cal Lutheran Dismisses Shoup in Absentia

After months of simmering, the Bob Shoup situation finally reached a boil. It was announced Friday afternoon that Shoup, Cal Lutheran’s football coach for 28 years, was released from his coaching duties. The announcement followed months of negotiations that began when Shoup was notified in August that he would not be retained.

At the time of the announcement Shoup was visiting a seriously ill friend in San Jose.

Shoup, Cal Lutheran’s only coach, could not be reached for comment, and it is not known when he learned of the decision.

Shoup and his wife, Helen, had flown to San Jose on Friday morning to visit former Cal Lutheran professor Don Douglas, who had undergone quadruple-bypass surgery after a heart attack.

Meanwhile, President Jerry Miller cited “the best interests of the university” Friday in a prepared statement that was faxed to local newspapers.

At Shoup’s invitation, Miller spoke at the team banquet Sunday night but made no mention of Shoup’s future.

Shoup has been granted a sabbatical leave for the 1990 calendar year and can return to his physical education teaching duties in 1991.

On Aug. 8, Shoup learned from a reporter that this season would be his last as Cal Lutheran’s coach.

“The last time, it was basically the university stating a decision, and I didn’t get to be part of it,” Shoup said several weeks ago. He subsequently expressed a desire to be a part of any announcement, but the release Friday included only quotes from Miller.

The decision marks the culmination of what has been seen as a power struggle between Shoup and the Cal Lutheran administration.

“Basically, it was a big conflict of personalities as well as principle,” said junior defensive lineman Dana Zupke, a team co-captain for 1990 and one of two student members of the Athletic Policy Committee. Zupke characterized the conflict as being “between Coach Shoup and President Miller. President Miller is put in a tough situation with Coach Shoup’s reputation. It’s tough to fight a man like that.”

Last fall, Cal Lutheran decided to leave the Western Football Conference and join the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. Shoup voiced his disagreement with the move.

Miller supported the move and said in the announcement that one concern was “the support of a strong, balanced program of intercollegiate athletics appropriate to the scale and mission of California Lutheran University.”

Miller also was quoted: “The university community appreciates the impressive record which Coach Shoup has achieved over his lengthy career.”

However, the release made no mention of Shoup’s 185 victories, 13 National Assn. of Intercollegiate Athletics District 3 championships and a national championship in 1971. Shoup coached the team to a 3-7 record this season.

Shoup, fourth among active college coaches in longevity, began the program in 1962 with a $5,000 budget and built Cal Lutheran into a small-schools power.

He earlier had said he would not pursue another coaching position.

Not all of the assistants were notified by the university of the decision, but Zupke speculated that some coaches could be retained.