College Football

South Carolina football ends ties with chaplain

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 8:50 p.m. ET

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COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) South Carolina coach Will Muschamp has cut ties with former football chaplain Adrian Despres.

Department spokesman Steve Fink says Muschamp wanted to have ''multiple voices'' instead of one person to help with a player's spiritual side and development.

Despres has been connected with Gamecocks football from 2000-2015.

In an address to the Columbia Rotary Club last month, Muschamp outlined his spiritual philosophy for the team and said he wouldn't have a team chaplain.

In August, Depres and the school received a letter from the Freedom From Religion Foundation saying the chaplain's presence in the program violates constitutional guidelines against publicly funded institutions endorsing religion or engaging in religious exercises.

The FFRF sent similar letters to several major schools including Auburn, Clemson, Georgia and Georgia Tech.