According to a report from PennLive.com, Penn State is reportedly suing former defensive coordinator Bob Shoop for nearly $900,000 for breaching his contract when he left the Nittany Lions for Tennessee.
According to Penn State, a clause in Shoop’s contract with the university stated if Shoop resigned before his contract expired in February of 2018 he had to pay Penn State liquidated damages of 50 percent “of his base pay” for the remainder of his contract. The contract stated that Shoop wouldn’t have to pay Penn State back if he became the head coach at another university within one year of the date of his resignation. All of this information is according to provided court documents.
Shoop left Penn State to take the open defensive coordinator position at Tennessee in January of 2016. It’s been nearly 18 months since, and Shoop is still the Vols’ defensive coordinator and has not accepted a head coaching job at another university like his contract with Penn State stipulated. And now Penn State says he owes them almost $900,000.
Penn State claims that Shoop owes $891,856 on the two-plus years remaining on his contract he had with the Nittany Lions when he resigned.
According to the court documents, Penn State requested, in writing, that Shoop make the payment required under his contract. Penn State claims Shoop has not made any payment and has indicated a refusal to make any sort of payment. The university filed the breach of contract suit in Centre County court in early June, but Monday had it transferred to U.S. Middle District Court.
According to the contract included in the court documents, Shoop received an additional $150,000 on February 15th, 2015, and would have gotten similar amounts if he remained at Penn State on the same dates the next two years.
Shoop’s memorandum of understanding with Tennessee has his base pay listed as $245,000 and his supplemental pay listed as $905,000. The memorandum also states that Shoop “is solely responsible for satisfying any buyout or liquidation damages provision(s) between Coach and Pennsylvania State University and/or other prior institutions.”
But according to Penn State, Shoop has neither paid any of the damages and has not shown any indication he intends to do so.
We will continue to cover this story as more details emerge. Be sure to check back for updates.
