Idaho Soccer Coach: Jumping Ship or Moving up?

University of Idaho soccer coach Derek Pittman has resigned to accept the head soccer coaching job at Texas-San Antonio.

Pittman leaves the Vandal program amidst an air of uncertainty in Moscow on several fronts.

Soccer was targeted as one of three Idaho sports to be scrapped as part of an athletic budget cut. The women's team rallied support and got a "golden" goal when the State Board of Education granted a stay of execution, waiver for three years for soccer, men's golf and swimming and diving.

The Idaho athletic department is also without their athletic director Ron Spear who remains on leave as outside sources examine how Spear handled a reported sexual harassment-assault complaint two years ago.

The issue recently came to light again and some have asked for Spears resignation claiming he didn't follow University protocol and regulations.

Everything adds up to mass confusion and Pitman said the thought of soccer going away at Idaho was certainly part of his decision to leave but not the entire story.

Pitman claims the Vandal soccer team is loaded for next season and since the full time assistant position is also open, Pitman felt the timing was right to accept the offer from Texas San Antonio.

Pitman says now they can hire an entire new staff to work with the talent coming back.

Pitman was the Big Sky coach of the year in 2015 and his roots are in the Southwest being from Oklahoma and the job in Texas brings him closer to home.