- Jerrad Hofstetter said he feels like he was ‘pushed out’ by Texas Tech
- After his firing, there is now a billboard in Lubbock with his image next to it
Fired Texas Tech rodeo coach Jerrad Hofstetter has received an outpouring of support following his shock firing in Lubbock last week amid allegations of financial mismanagement, animal abuse and rule enforcement.
Hofstetter told EverythingLubbock.com that he felt like he was “pushed out” by the Red Raiders’ athletic department over a misunderstanding regarding the cattle, some of which he kept on his own land.
“Everyone was fully aware that there were animals in quarantine outside the premises,” Hofstetter said AllesLubbock.com‘We kept all sick animals off the premises to prevent other animals from getting sick.’
Since his firing, a billboard in Lubbock now bears his image, reading: “Thank you Jerrad for your selfless service to our children and rodeo #striveforhonor.”
There have also been messages of support for Hofstetter from his former athletes, including senior Brock Corman, and of course through social media posts.
Fired Texas Tech rodeo coach Jerrad Hofstetter has received an outpouring of support
Hofstetter competes in the Tie-Down Roping event at the 2011 Houston Livestock Show
“Our very first college rodeo is in two weeks and they take our coach away,” Corman told KCBD.com.
“After an extensive investigation into multiple concerns, Jerrad Hofstetter has been terminated as coach of Texas Tech Rodeo for misconduct, effective September 5, 2024,” the school’s statement said.
“When he got here eight years ago, there were about 18 kids on the rodeo team,” Corman added. “It went from 18 kids to 130 in eight years.”
Texas Tech Rodeo alum Shelby Rhoden credited Hofstetter with founding the program.
“When I was a freshman,” Rhoden told KCBD.com, “nobody knew about Texas Tech rodeo. They didn’t even know Texas Tech had a rodeo program, let alone a team.”
Then came Hofstetter.
“It got so big that when I came home to Austin or traveled to other states, they knew about Texas Tech rodeo; they knew about Jerrad Hofstetter. He just made that program so great,” Rhoden said.
A billboard in Lubbock now features his image with the text: ‘Thanks Jerrad’
Clint Krehbiel, dean of Davis College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, has since released a statement regarding Hofstetter’s resignation.
“Because this is a personnel matter, Texas Tech University will not be commenting further on this matter. The search for a new coach is ongoing and we are committed to supporting our students during this transition.”
Hofstetter was ultimately brought down by an audit by the Texas Tech University System and an investigation by the Institutional Animal Care & Use Committee (IACUC), which found “numerous documented violations,” according to a letter from Texas Tech Davis College.
The report alleges that Hofstetter failed to account for “hundreds of thousands of dollars” in expenses and failed to produce receipts for more than 300 purchases.
Additionally, the IACUC investigation found neglect and poor livestock management, and Hofstetter failed to maintain required health and mortality data.
The letter claims that Hofstetter was given the opportunity to address the problems but failed to do so.
A Texas native who once topped the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association rankings, Hofstetter coached Texas Tech for six seasons. By the start of this year’s fall semester, he had recruited more than 100 students to the team, according to EverythingLubbock.com.