Published: 1/23/2009

UM football strength coach owes West Virginia $50,000

ASSOCIATED PRESS

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. A strength coach who followed ex-football coach Rich Rodriguez to Michigan owes West Virginia University $50,000 under a damages clause in his employment agreement.

Though no schedule for repayment is spelled out in Mike Barwis 2005 agreement with WVU, school spokeswoman Becky Lofstead said the university intends to collect.

A message seeking comment from Barwis was not immediately returned Friday.

Barwis spent 14 years with the Mountaineers, earning a final salary of $127,500.

Last summer, after months of bitter public wrangling, Rodriguez settled his own $4 million damages clause with WVU.

While Michigan paid the first installment, Rodriguez is scheduled to pay the remaining $1.5 million in three annual installments beginning in January, 2010.

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