File Photo John Mackovic, UA football head coach

Head coach John Mackovic doesn't quit, but apologizes

Head football coach John Mackovic apologized at a press conference yesterday afternoon for his inappropriate conduct, after a series of comments he directed at his team led a large contingent of players to meet with President Pete Likins.

Contrary to speculation leading up to the press conference, Mackovic did not resign. But he did admit to making comments that led his players to air their concerns to the university's highest authority, and apologized for his "inappropriate" behavior.

"I'm terribly sorry for my part in this turmoil and unrest. I accept full responsibility for my actions, and pledge to work tirelessly to mend fences," he read from his prepared statement.

Mackovic said many of the objections raised by his team were centered on events that transpired almost two months ago.

"The genesis of the discomfort on our team most likely comes from comments I made to the team after our loss to Wisconsin," Mackovic said. "The Monday following the game, I said many things that were inappropriate. Most importantly, I allowed my emotions to get control of me."

Mackovic's voice cracked with emotion as he said, "I have failed to live up to my own standards."

"I told a player as recently as last Saturday that he was a disgrace to his family for the way he was playing. I have made a full and open apology to him, and hope he can accept it," he said.

It was later revealed the player he insulted was tight end Justin Levasseur.

The press conference came right after a meeting between Mackovic and the players, in which the coach said he gave each member of the team an opportunity to voice their complaints about his conduct. He said none of the players who spoke asked for his resignation or threatened to leave the team.

Athletic director Jim Livengood, who met with Mackovic last night after Likins' meeting with the players, said neither he nor Mackovic treated resignation as a possibility.

"We talked about lots of options, but we never went down that path," Livengood said.

Livengood also said that Mackovic, who is slated to earn $800,000 next season in the third year of a five-year contract, will be back next year.

Mackovic said he was unaware of the meeting between more than 40 players - reported to be mostly veterans - and Likins until Livengood called him Tuesday night. Mackovic and Livengood had a meeting at 9:30 p.m. to discuss the situation.

Local media outlets and Internet sites as early as 1 p.m. reported that Mackovic's resignation had already been arranged, and most of the assembled media regarded the mid-week timing of the 4:15 p.m. press conference as a sign Mackovic was stepping down.

According to the coach, he did not address the team earlier about his comments after the loss to Wisconsin, even though he felt the statements might have been inappropriate.

"Right from the start, I knew I was wrong in addressing my team the way that I did. I failed to correct the situation the next day and allowed it to fester for these weeks," Mackovic said.

The road leading up to yesterday's press conference has been a rough one for Mackovic, who was hired last January. He said at the time he planned to bring Arizona to its first-ever Rose Bowl berth, and was generally considered to be an upgrade in recruiting and discipline over former head coach Dick Tomey.

But the team has struggled to an 8-13 record so far under Mackovic, and is winless in Pacific 10 Conference play this season. The Wildcats will not be bowl-eligible this season for the fourth-straight year.

Criticism of Mackovic reached a fever pitch this week after a prominent columnist in Tucson called for the coach to be fired, claiming the coach had led the team to "the worst season in 100 years of Arizona football," and had little support from the community or his players.

Despite his contrition, Mackovic said he would not change his coaching style.

"I'm a hard-nosed coach," he said. "I don't apologize for that."