The University of Alabama fired baseball coach Brad Bohannon on Thursday after a report of suspicious bets involving his team, with the school saying he violated “the standards, duties and responsibilities expected of university employees.”
No details were disclosed on why Bohannon was dismissed after five years on the job with the Crimson Tide, but the firing came three days after a report warning of suspicious wagers prompted Ohio’s top gambling regulator to bar licensed sportsbooks in the state from accepting bets on Alabama baseball games. New Jersey and Pennsylvania have since followed suit.
ESPN reported later Thursday that surveillance video from the sportsbook located at Great American Ballpark, home of Major League Baseball’s Cincinnati Reds, indicated the person who placed the bets was communicating with Bohannon at the time. ESPN cited multiple anonymous sources with direct information about the investigation.
Alabama said athletic director Greg Byrne had initiated the process of firing Bohannon and that pitching coach Jason Jackson would serve as interim head coach, beginning with Thursday night’s home game against Vanderbilt.
“There is no reason to believe at this time that any student-athletes are involved,” a person familiar with the investigation told The Associated Press.