University of Cincinnati baseball coach quits after betting scandal

University of Cincinnati baseball coach Scott Googins has stepped down from his position, as announced by the university on Wednesday.

The resignation comes after a challenging season for the Bearcats, which was further complicated by the recent dismissal of two assistant coaches over their alleged knowledge of improper betting activities.

Athletics Director John Cunningham expressed gratitude for Googins’ six-year tenure leading the Bearcats’ baseball program in the official announcement, while refraining from mentioning the specific circumstances surrounding the terminated assistant coaches.

It should be noted that Googins himself has not been implicated in any sports betting or NCAA violations. However, the assistants in question allegedly possessed knowledge of NCAA betting violations and failed to report them.

The focal point of the betting controversy revolves around Bert Neff, an Indiana resident who is the father of a Cincinnati player. Neff’s previous actions resulted in the dismissal of Alabama coach Brian Bohannon. 

Neff stands accused of placing wagers on an Alabama-LSU game at the BetMGM Sportsbook at Great American Ball Park, reportedly acting on information provided by Bohannon. The unusual nature of the bets, including a parlay and a substantial moneyline wager, triggered alerts from integrity monitoring services. Consequently, the Ohio Casino Control Commission suspended wagering on Alabama baseball.

The departure of Coach Googins comes on the heels of a disappointing season for the Bearcats. Since assuming the helm in 2018, Googins managed to lead the team to just one winning season.

This year, Cincinnati finished with a 24-33 record and fell short of qualifying for postseason play. Notably, the team experienced a series of defeats following the termination of director of baseball operations Andy Nagel and hitting coach Kyle Sprague on May 17. While neither assistant is accused of betting on Cincinnati baseball, it appears they were aware of Neff’s wagers on the Alabama-LSU game that took place on April 28.

Meanwhile, the University of Alabama holds the top seed in the NCAA’s Tuscaloosa Regional tournament, scheduled to commence on Friday. The Tide, ranked 16th nationally at the end of the season, will face off against 4-seed Nicholls in the opening game. Since assuming the role of interim coach in early May, former assistant Jason Jackson has guided the team to a commendable 10-4 record.

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