Former Pitt coach Graham blasted in Hawaii senate meeting

ALTOONA, Pa. -- Todd Graham didn't coach at Pitt for very long -- only one season in 2011 -- but that was enough for him to make such an awful impression that his name still conjures up bad memories all these years later.

Graham now has made national news for his actions as the head coach at the University of Hawaii, getting ripped overnight in biting testimony to the state senate for alleged mistreatment of players.

You probably never want to be trending on Twitter at 3 a.m., but that's what happened to Graham after reports of how he has treated players at Hawaii were made public during the state senate meeting. Former players and parents testified at the meeting, as did Graham and Hawaii athletic director David Matlin.

This tweet overnight by college football insider Bruce Feldman summed things up:

Graham just wrapped up his second season at Hawaii, finishing with a 6-7 record after going 5-4 in 2020.

The team has had 19 players enter the transfer portal, including the starting quarterback and several other key starters. Even Graham's own son, Michael, a defensive back, has entered the transfer portal.

Problems first came to light when SFGate published a story in early December detailing issues within the Hawaii program, with players focusing their criticism toward Graham.

Here's an excerpt from that story:

SFGATE reached out to dozens in the program and spoke to eight players, most current, all of whom have played for Graham at Hawaii, about his tenure. A common theme emerged from these conversations: overwhelming frustration. Nearly all the players’ complaints centered on Graham. In his introductory press conference last year, Graham said he prioritized a “family-centric” environment while continuing the team’s recent success. “We just won 10 football games,” he said. “So why would you come and completely change what you’re doing?” But players who spoke with SFGATE insisted that Graham has instead emphasized a culture shift, one that hasn’t been appreciated. 

Graham is a known disciplinarian, including at his previous head coaching stints with Rice, Tulsa, Pittsburgh and Arizona State. Several Hawaii players said they believe Graham’s approach has consistently crossed the line in terms of decency and respect. One player told SFGATE, “I would go as far to say it’s verbal abuse the way he talks to guys. … It’s personal. It’s not like, ‘Oh, you need to be faster.’ He’s calling guys useless, jackass and a sack of s—t.”

Another player reiterated to SFGATE that Graham insults his players constantly, reportedly calling players “dogs—t,” among other demeaning terms. Multiple players also said Graham constantly threatens to take away playing time from anyone who questions him. One player recalled Graham telling a teammate to “stop talking back or I’m going to take away your senior year.”

The SFGate story helped pave the way to the three-hour state senate meeting that took place Friday evening in Hawaii.

So, what all was said during the lengthy state senate meeting about Graham? Following is a thorough recap by a local reporter in Hawaii who attended the meeting. It's a long Twitter thread, but if you want ALL the particulars, click the tweet below.

Here's a tweet featuring video testimony of a Hawaii player's mother. Apparently, Graham hates ukuleles but really likes Dr. Pepper.

Despite the heavy criticism aimed at Graham during the state senate testimony, reports out of Hawaii indicate that the school's president and athletic director remain committed to him. One reporter, Brian McInnis, tweeted that school president David Lassner said of the meeting "this process is unbelievable" and then called the negative testimonials "cherry picked."

Graham said this during his testimony: "I am a demanding coach because I believe our players deserve the very, very best," according to McInnis' reporting.

Matlin said that "no," he would not buy out Graham's contract if the school had the money to do so. Graham makes $800,000 a year and is signed through 2024. The school would owe $1.275 million to buy him out, according to SFGate.

Going back to his Pitt tenure, Graham went 6-6 with the Panthers in 2011. He reportedly did not have permission to speak with Arizona State about its head coaching position in December of that year, but still interviewed for the job and then left Pitt to become the Sun Devils' head coach.

The way Graham left still angers Pitt fans and helped earn him the nickname "Fraud Graham." The coach sent out the following text message to players informing them that he was leaving, which drew heavy criticism toward Graham at the time and even still to this day.

I have resigned my position at Pitt in the best interest of my family to pursue the head coaching position at Arizona State.  Coaching there has always been a dream of ours and we have family there. The timing of the circumstances have prohibited from telling you this directly. I now am on my way to Tempe to continue those discussions. God Bless. Coach Graham.

Graham had success early on at Arizona State, going 8-5, 10-4 and 10-3 his first three years, then struggled to an 18-20 record over the next three years before getting fired following the 2017 season.