Wyoming coach Dave Christensen was suspended one week and fined $50,000 for his actions following an Oct. 13 loss to Air Force.
Last week, the Mountain West Conference reprimanded Christensen for his postgame conduct, saying it violated the league’s sportsmanship rules. Christensen has apologized.
Christensen confronted Falcons coach Troy Calhoun on the field after Air Force’s 28-27 victory.
He accused the Falcons of faking an injury to their starting quarterback in the fourth quarter so they could set up the next play without taking a time out. Air Force took the lead on the next play when backup quarterback Kale Pearson scored on a bootleg.
A video of the confrontation appeared on YouTube last week and included audio of Christensen cursing at Calhoun.
“The reputation of our University and of our athletics programs is of the upmost importance,” athletic director Tom Burman said in a statement.
Christensen is a graduate of Everett High School and was a member of the football team at the University of Washington from 1980-82 before graduating from Western Washington in 1985. He was a graduate assistant for the Huskies from 1988-89.
Assistant head coach Pete Kaligis will serve as interim coach against No. 21 Boise State on Saturday.
Kaligis, a graduate of Bellingham High School, was a starting guard on the Huskies’ 1991 national championship team. He was a strength and conditioning coach for the Huskies from 1999-2004.
GESSER’S CHANCE
Former Washington State quarterback Jason Gesser, 33, was introduced as Idaho’s interim coach, replacing former WSU assistant Robb Akey, who was fired Sunday.
Gesser was an assistant coach at Federal Way (2006), Franklin Pierce (2007-08) and Eastside Catholic high schools (2009-10) before Akey hired him as running backs coach.
“He gave me a chance to become a college coach and a coordinator. I owe my life to the guy,” said Gesser, who wants to be considered for the permanent job. “This is not an easy situation.”
Athletic director Rob Spear indicated that Gesser will have an opportunity to land the job on a full-time basis, but also said he plans a nationwide search and will make a decision on a new coach as soon as possible.
“Obviously, I want to become a head coach,” Gesser said. “That’s something I get a chance to do now.”
Asked if he had a list of candidate names, Spear said: “Sure I do.”
Spear declined to name any candidates.
EXTRA POINTS
Florida State senior running back Chris Thompson is done for the season and possibly for his college career because of a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee. It is his second season-ending injury after he suffered a broken back as a junior. … Missouri junior quarterback James Franklin will likely miss his second consecutive game against Kentucky because of a sprained medial collateral ligament in his left knee. … Maryland quarterback Perry Hills has a torn ACL in his left knee and is done for the season. Hills is the second Maryland quarterback this season to be sidelined by a torn ACL. C.J. Brown was hurt in August. … The Atlantic Coast Conference issued one-game suspensions to North Carolina freshman linebacker Shakeel Rashad for running into a Duke player during a substitution, and three officials from the Duke-UNC and Florida State-Miami games. … Sam Houston State linebacker Darius Taylor and Southeastern Louisiana safety Kevin Roberts were suspended by the Southland Conference for hits to the head or neck area of defenseless players. … Rita Chizik, the mother of Auburn coach Gene Chizik, has died.
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