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Larry Eustachy created ‘a culture of fear’ according investigation

Colorado State v San Diego State

LAS VEGAS, NV - MARCH 13: Head Coach Larry Eustachy of the Colorado State Rams calls to his team during a semifinal game of the Mountain West Conference basketball tournament against the San Diego State Aztecs at the Thomas & Mack Center on March 13, 2015 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by David Becker/Getty Images)

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An investigation that spanned 99 days during the 2013-14 season determined that Colorado State head coach Larry Eustachy created, “a culture of fear and intimidation and emotionally abused his players.”

This information was uncovered, in a lengthy report, by Matt L. Stephens and Kelly Lyell of The Coloradoan.

The two reporters obtained the report that is more that 90 pages long and spoke to several of the 14 people who were interviewed by investigators. Former athletic director Jack Graham reportedly helped lead the investigation and determined that Eustachy should be fired. However, all terminations must be signed off by the university president.

“I believed Eustachy should be terminated and believed we had the basis to terminate for cause,” Graham, told The Coloradoan. “I was advised by [president] Tony Frank that we did not have the basis to terminate for cause and that Eustachy was to be placed on a personal improvement plan.”

Of course, this is not the first time the head coach had been in hot water before. In 2003, as the head coach of Iowa State, Eustachy was photographed kissing several students at a University of Missouri party, hours after his Cyclones were defeated. He was suspended and later resigned as a result.

“I am deeply disappointed on a very personal level that someone chose to publicize confidential information from my personnel file,” Eustachy said in a statement issued by Colorado State. “That said, I fully recognize that I’m not perfect. I have my faults and strive every day to be better than I was yesterday.”

Some former players interviewed did say he has gotten better since the 2013-14 season, which ended 16-16, marking his worse finish with the Rams.

Eustachy has been a head coach for 26 years with stops at Idaho, Utah State, Iowa State and Southern Mississippi before taking the coaching vacancy at Colorado State in 2012. He took the Rams to the NCAA Tournament in his first season and holds a 103–57 (47–35 Mountain West) record in his time in Fort Collins.