Story perspectives

ASU Places Greg Powers on Paid Administrative Leave

By Drooid · Sep 30, 2026, 10:57 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

Story summary

Arizona State University placed head coach Greg Powers on paid administrative leave.
Seven players submitted an anonymous 26-page letter on Sept. 28 demanding removal of all involved staff.
Player Matthew Mayich, 21, collapsed from exertional heat stroke during an Aug. 20 outdoor workout.
Players allege Mayich received no water and was left on wet towels instead of ice-water immersion.

History

Historical Context

The 2003 heat-stroke death of a Texas linebacker sparked nationwide safety scrutiny, echoing a broader move toward tighter university oversight that historians trace from medieval scholar guilds to modern corporate models. Early-21st-century critiques of managerialisation, such as those noting the University of Zurich’s 28,700-student scale and its 1833 state-founded status, illustrate how institutions now prioritize standardized health protocols.

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Story summary

Arizona State University placed head coach Greg Powers on paid administrative leave.
Seven players submitted an anonymous 26-page letter on Sept. 28 demanding removal of all involved staff.
Player Matthew Mayich, 21, collapsed from exertional heat stroke during an Aug. 20 outdoor workout.
Players allege Mayich received no water and was left on wet towels instead of ice-water immersion.

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