Coach cleared of child-porn charges fights reassignment

• Todd Hoffner will not accept his new role at Minnesota State-Mankato
• Hoffner was cleared of child pornography charges on Nov. 30
• The team flourished under acting coach Aaron Keen

Minnesota State-Mankato football coach Todd Hoffner, who was cleared last month of child pornography charges, is fighting reassignment by the school.

In a news release Friday evening, the school announced that effective immediately, Hoffner is an assistant athletic director for facilities development. Hoffner could not be reached for comment but his attorney, Christopher Madel, told the Minneapolis Star-Tribune that his client would not accept the reassignment.

"We intend to fight the university until Mr. Hoffner is restored as head coach of the successful football team he created," Madel told the newspaper.

Hoffner was placed on paid administrative leave in August after three short videos of his naked children were found on his university-issued cell phone, which had been turned in for repair. He was arrested several days later and charged on two felony counts: using minors in a sexual performance or pornographic work and possession of child pornography.

Hoffner testified Oct. 31 in his own defense in a motion-to-dismiss hearing, saying, "There's nothing inappropriate in any of those videos," and explaining the children, ages 9, 8 and 5, were simply playing and acting silly after a bath.

On Nov. 30, Blue Earth County District Court Judge Krista Jass agreed and dismissed the case for lack of probable cause, ruling the videos did not meet the legal definition of child pornography and that there was not substantial evidence that Hoffner "used or permitted his minor children to pose or model in a 'sexual performance' or 'pornographic work.' " Jass also wrote in the ruling:

"The videos under consideration here contain nude images of Defendant's minor children dancing and acting playful after a bath. That is all they contain."

While Hoffner was on leave, the football team flourished. Led by acting coach Aaron Keen, Minnesota State-Mankato's offensive coordinator, the Mavericks went unbeaten in the regular season and reached the NCAA Division II semifinals. In the release, the school said Keen's role remains unchanged for now, but that the school "will be making additional decisions regarding the head football coach position in the coming weeks."

Earlier this month, the school acknowledged Hoffner was no longer on leave but had been placed on a 20-day unpaid suspension. The union representing Hoffner is contesting the suspension. Hoffner's annual salary is about $101,000, according to the school.

University spokesman Dan Benson said Friday evening the school had completed its investigation of one complaint against Hoffner, but said one other complaint remains under investigation. He would not disclose the nature of either complaint. Benson also would not discuss why Hoffner wouldn't be reinstated as head coach.

"That is also something I cannot comment on," Benson said.

According to the school's release, the new position would report to the school's vice president for finance and administration, and would involve helping develop a plan for the school's athletic and recreation facilities, including "possible upgrading and replacement" of the football stadium.

"The idea that they would try to reassign him … certainly is not what the majority of people I have spoken to would like to see," Dennis Hood, co-president of the Mavericks' Touchdown Club, told the Star-Tribune. "We're all very surprised that it has come to where it is."

Hoffner is also fighting to keep records related to the police investigation sealed. He sued the state of Minnesota and Blue Earth County, seeking to prevent the reports from being released. A Twin Cities television station had asked for the records, but Jass has temporarily sealed the records until they can be reviewed.

Jim Fleming, Hoffner's attorney, told the Mankato Free-Press the police records, including items such as computer files and photographs taken when investigators searched Hoffner's home last August, should be sealed for privacy. In an affidavit, Fleming wrote:

"Plaintiff Mr. Hoffner has an ongoing investigation relative to his employment as a head football coach at (Minnesota State-Mankato). Release of private non-public data could irreparably harm (Hoffner) with respect to that investigation that a civil lawsuit for damages would not fully compensate."

Several residents of the community about 80 miles south of Minneapolis interviewed by USA TODAY Sports in late October referenced Jerry Sandusky, wondering if the scandal at Penn State influenced university and law-enforcement officials. John Harrington, a longtime Minnesota-State Mankato booster, noted that even if Hoffner was cleared, "the damage is done. His reputation is tainted."

Harrington added that when he "googled Todd's name, immediately a picture of him comes up in an orange jumpsuit."

"Seeing what it's done to Todd, I still know why (the university) did what it did when it started (the investigation)," Harrington added. "But from then on, I don't know how it's not been dropped."