Rich Rodriguez's 'Hideaway Book' included dress code, expectations, minutiae

Attorneys for former Wildcats football coach Rich Rodriguez have released a copy of the “Hideaway Book,” which Rodriguez’s former assistant referenced in a December sexual harassment claim.

While Melissa Wilhelmsen’s claim described the book as a tool used to establish secrecy within Rodriguez’s circle and wield control over the group, the book produced by Rodriguez’s attorneys in their response to the claim paints a very different picture.

Copies of the “Hideaway Book” from 2012 and 2015 obtained by the Star from attorneys detail the football program’s objectives, strategies for the season and job duties for every staff member and player.

The “Objectives of Hideaway,” listed in the 2015 book, are making sure every person in the program understands their responsibility and what they’ll be accountable for, to ensure “everyone is on the ‘same page’ on all aspects of the program” and to discuss problems and solutions to better the program.

There were four pages of expectations for staff, with “loyalty” at the top of the list.

The book specifies that employees are not to publicly criticize anyone in the program and will defend each other in public, saying, “man on street knocks a coach, don’t just shrug it off.”

“We will succeed or fail with LOYALTY between men in here and their wives/families,” the book says.

In her claims against Rodriguez and the UA, Wilhelmsen said that Rodriguez’s inner circle — consisting of her, former assistant coach Charlie Ragle and analyst Miguel Reveles — referred to themselves as the “Triangle of Secrecy.”

While the book doesn’t mention a “Triangle of Secrecy,” it appears from the book that secrecy was still something of a priority.

In a section called “No staff secrets out of the office,” Rodriguez detailed what he considers private information: “Discussions of personnel, problems and disagreements, be careful what you tell your wives, be careful what you say to the media (nothing is off the record) and tell your players to stay in-house as well.”

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The book lists specific rules regarding dress code, saying that slacks, dress shoes and golf shirts are required when school is in session and that staff should wear as much Arizona gear as possible.

One of the largest portions of the “staff expectations” section was employee conduct.

Directions to staff include “be careful of profane language around office, secretaries and public” and “don’t curse at players — you can yell at what he does or doesn’t do but don’t make it personal.”

Employees are also directed to not embarrass the program or fellow coaches with drunkenness, DUI and embarrassing actions in public, and to “remember, you are a leader of young men.”

In a section called “wives,” the book explains that staff members’ wives are “one of the most important assets to a coach” and “often set your temperament and focus.”

“Educate her and control her talk. She must understand our program, jobs, town and state,” the book says. “Be careful what you say to them. Make sure they are loyal to the staff and the program.”

The book also details off and on-field discipline, saying that the coaching staff will ensure that athletes not embarrass the school, themselves or their families with any “improper conduct.”

In the 2012 “Hideaway Book,” under a section about staff conduct, Rodriguez tells coaches it’s good to be involved in church, and although it’s voluntary, it sets a good example for the players.

Wilhelmsen’s claim says that the secretive environment created by the book led way to people saying things to the effect of “Title IX doesn’t exist in our office,” but a search of the 2012 and 2015 books showed that the words “Title IX” didn’t appear in either.

Wilhelmsen’s attorney, Augustine Jimenez, has not responded to the Star’s request for comment on the discrepancies presented by the different descriptions of the book’s purpose and contents.