Update 12/6/19 4:36 p.m.

Ron Prince has resigned as head coach of Howard University’s football program effective immediately, the university announced on Friday. “The University and Coach Prince have agreed to mutually part ways,” the university’s statement reads. “A national search for a replacement will begin immediately. Director of Football Operations Aaron Kelton will continue interim responsibility for the day-to-day operations of the football program.”

Original:

The head football coach at Howard University, Ron Prince, has been placed on administrative leave amid what the university calls “an internal investigation of the allegations involving concerns about the football program.”

“Howard University is committed to ensuring our athletic programs reflect Howard’s core mission and values and to ensuring the well-being and success of all student athletes,” Athletics Director Kery Davis said in a statement. HBCU Digest first reported the decision.

In early September, a self-identified parent alleged Prince had been “threatening, hostile, abusive, and disrespectful of the young men and coaching staff at Howard University since his arrival” in a letter to Howard’s president and the head of the NCAA, which was reprinted by HBCU Game Day.

The anonymous note alleges that Prince removed more than 26 athletes from the program, ridiculed injured athletes and sent them home without treatment, threatened to take away scholarships, and made it mandatory to attend church service. “Athletes are terrified of this man, he tells them they are garbage and to transfer. Most of these young men are scared to report the abuse out of fear of retaliation,” the letter claims.

The university declined to make Prince available for comment, and DCist was otherwise unable to reach him. Director of Football Operations Aaron Kelton will serve as the interim coach until further notice.

Multiple players announced transfers in recent months, including star quarterback Caylin Newton, who was the MEAC Offensive Player of the Year last season (and the younger brother of Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton). Newton’s father told the Washington Post last month that “extenuating circumstances” were considered in his son’s abrupt decision to leave the team. It is not clear if they are related to Prince.

A former Howard University football team player who played while Prince was the head coach tells DCist that he believed Prince didn’t like him and was penalized for it. While he said he doesn’t feel like Prince personally attacked him verbally, he announced his intention to transfer after he didn’t get much playing time.

“When he doesn’t like a player, he’ll purposely not play you. He’s trying to get people to leave so he can open up more scholarships,” the former Howard player claims. DCist has granted him anonymity to speak openly because he fears possible retribution.

The player believes that others players transferred because they didn’t like the way Prince ran things, including yelling and cursing at both other coaches and players. “In football, you can’t really be sensitive to stuff like that, but when it comes to calling us words like ‘dumbasses,’ ‘fuckers,’ ‘cocksuckers’ and stuff like that, is what I feel like a head coach should never say,” the former player says.

He added that Prince created a different environment for the team than what he expected. “That family aspect of football that you usually get in high school and college, he wanted no part of that really,” the former player says. “He wanted to run this like this was the NFL, and that’s not the case.”

Prince was hired as the head coach for Howard’s football team just last year. The team has struggled since, with a 1-8 record this season.

Prince has worked for 12 teams over more than 25 years, the Washington Post reported. His experience included three seasons at Kansas State, where he succeeded Coach Bill Snyder, before he was dismissed. He was also the offensive line coach for the Detroit Lions before he was fired from the position two years ago.

“I’ve been covering the NFL since 2013, and I’ve never heard a coach ripped this much by players,” Kyle Meinke, Detroit Lions beat reporter wrote last year. “His personality was just, like, grating. He wore on veterans.”

This story has been updated with Prince’s correct title with the Detroit Lions.