Columbia, S.C. — South Carolina's Eddie Fogler wanted to leave the Gamecocks and his college coaching career a winner. He thinks he's done that.
"I'm lucky," said Fogler, who resigned Monday after going 15-14 in his eighth season with South Carolina. "After 30 years, over 1,000 college basketball games, from my perspective ... I believe I am leaving with my dignity, with my integrity and with my sanity."
Fogler
Athletics director Mike McGee said Fogler agreed to leave when the university would not extend his contract. "He was not fired," McGee said.
Fogler will be paid $750,000 to buy out the remaining three years of his contract, McGee said. The money will come from athletic department funds and not from state sources.
The move came a day after South Carolina was selected for the NIT its first-round game is Wednesday at Connecticut. McGee said Fogler will finish the season.
Fogler wanted a "stronger commitment" from the school. He said without that, "it would become increasingly more difficult to recruit, coach and maintain the present level of the program at best."
The 52-year-old coach said he had no immediate plans.
"Never say never," he said when asked about another coaching job, but then added, "I have no plans to be a college coach again."
Fogler plans to stay in Columbia where he is building a house.
"There's no way I can sit home every day. There's no way I can play golf seven days a week so certainly sometime in the future I'll entertain some opportunities if there are any out there that might be of interest," said Fogler.
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