Tarleton State coach Billy Gillispie was placed on temporary administrative leave, the school announced on Friday. This comes after the university received an anonymous complaint this week. Associate head coach Glynn Cyprien has taken over as acting head coach.
What did Billy Gillispie do?
While the exact nature of the complaint and the timeline of the investigation were not revealed, Gillispie has previously faced allegations of player mistreatment when he was with Texas Tech in 2011 and 2012. The 65-year-old had resigned as Red Raiders coach, citing health concerns, in September 2012.
The resignation came about a month after the school said it was investigating claims, stemming from Texas Tech players’ concerns about how Gillispie treated them. He was fired in 2009, with Kentucky athletic director saying Gillispie ‘wasn’t the right fit for the program’. Kentucky reached a $3 million settlement over his firing.
Under him, Tarleton State is 78-74, including a 25-10 record in 2023-24 and a CIT appearance. The 65-year-old is in his sixth season with the team. He has gone 226-182 in 13 seasons as a head coach with four NCAA tournament appearances.
Who is Billy Gillispie?
Gillispie is currently serving as head coach of the Tarleton State Texans men’s basketball team. Known for his high-energy style and rapid program turnarounds, Gillispie has had multiple high-profile jobs, including Division I stops at Arkansas State, Auburn, and UCF, plus his ongoing tenure at Tarleton. He is a four-time NCAA Tournament coach and 12-time Coach of the Year.
Gillispie’s coaching journey began in Arkansas high schools (1991-2005), where he built winning programs at Hughes, Shiloh Christian, and Springdale High. He transitioned to college as offensive coordinator at Arkansas (2006), then Tulsa (2007-08) as assistant head coach/co-offensive coordinator/QB coach. At Auburn (2009-11), he was offensive coordinator/QB coach during their 2010 national championship. His head coaching debut at Arkansas State (2012) yielded a 9-3 record, followed by Auburn (2013-20) where he went 63-31, including a 2013 BCS National Championship Game appearance (lost to Florida State).
At UCF (2021-24), Gillispie posted a 28-24 record, with two bowl appearances, but left amid a 4-8 2024 season. He joined Tarleton State in March 2020.
