SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) — Washington State has fired football coach Nick Rolovich for refusing a state mandate that all employees get vaccinated against COVID-19..

Washington Gov. Jay Inslee, a Democrat, had set a deadline of Monday for thousands of state employees, including the Cougars’ coach, to be vaccinated against the coronavirus or risk losing their jobs.

Rolovich applied for a religious exemption. He had said he wouldn’t get vaccinated but wouldn’t specify his reasons.

Four assistant coach were also terminated. Defensive coordinator Jake Dickert was named the interim head coach