To succeed Montigel, TCU hired Oklahoma assistant coach Bill Allcorn, 38. In his first season, TCU finished in last place in the 2024 Big 12 championships and had one player participate in the NCAA championships.

TCU has a level of deniability on the age discrimination charges because, at the time, Montigel was part of a dramatic turnover among their head coaches. People such as football coach Gary Patterson, baseball coach Jim Schlossnagle, volleyball coach Jill Kramer and track coach Daryl Anderson were all let go, or left on their own, as the department overhauled its staff.

The lawsuit includes a sworn deposition from former TCU men’s golf associate head coach Adrien Mork, who is currently in the same role at the University of Arkansas.

The lawsuit states that when TCU assistant athletic director Michael Levy discussed a replacement for Montigel, Mork suggested hiring Chuck Winstead. Winstead coached LSU to a national title in 2015.

According to the lawsuit, Levy told Mork, “TCU is not going to hire some old coach who’s about to get fired.”

Among the many charges made in this lawsuit, that sounds believable. Because it’s sports. Because it’s life.

Just as it happened to Wade Phillips, it happened to Bill Belichick.

We all get too old, or make too much money, and some day the Job Grim Reaper wants all of us gone, replaced by someone younger, and cheaper.

The case of “Bill Montigel vs. TCU” will be the sad and awkward end to a once fruitful relationship that will conclude with a “go away” check.

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