Arizona announces Lorenzo Romar will coach vs. Oregon, Deandre Ayton will play

Meanwhile, Sean Miller will “continue to fully support the University’s efforts to fully investigate this matter and am confident that I will be vindicated.”

The silence has been broken.

The University of Arizona has confirmed that Sean Miller will not coach the Arizona Wildcats on Saturday against the Oregon Ducks in Eugene after an ESPN report that said FBI wiretaps have him discussing a $100,000 payment to secure the signing of star freshman Deandre Ayton.

Assistant Lorenzo Romar will coach the Wildcats instead. Ayton is eligible and will play, according to the UA.

“I believe it is in the best interest of our team that I not coach the game tonight,” Miller said in a statement. “I continue to fully support the University’s efforts to fully investigate this matter and am confident that I will be vindicated. For now, my thoughts are with our team. They are a great group of young men that will support each other and continue their pursuit of winning a Pac-12 championship.”

Oregon and Arizona, which holds a two-game lead atop the Pac-12 standings, tip off at 8:15 p.m. MST on ESPN.

Based on Miller’s statement, it sounds like Arizona is putting off a final decision on his employment until later.

A strange quirk in Miller’s contract calls for him to receive $10.3 million if fired for cause, but roughly $5.2 million if fired without cause.

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