Minority coaches push for NCAA to adopt a Rooney Rule

Published Jan. 8, 2016 1:33 p.m. ET

foxsports

A group representing minority coaches is pushing the NCAA to adopt a rule that would require member institutions to interview a candidate of color for all head coaching and leadership vacancies.

The National Association for Coaching Equity and Development says it is joining longtime equality crusader Richard Lapchick in lobbying for an ''Eddie Robinson Rule,'' which would be college athletics' answer to the NFL's Rooney Rule. The group says such a rule would ''address the negligent hiring practices which consistently exclude racial and ethnic minority coaches and administrators from positions of leadership in intercollegiate athletics.''

Some of the prominent names who belong to NAFCED include Texas Tech basketball coach Tubby Smith, Georgetown basketball coach John Thompson III and Stanford football coach David Shaw.

The group was formed last year to combat the dwindling numbers of minority coaches in college sports.