 Former Bemidji State head football coach Jeff Tash is urging the community to stand behind the BSU football team and its players in the wake of the school's decision to fire him earlier this week. In a letter to the editor and today's Bemidji pioneer Tash wrote that he has great concern that his termination has caused a divide between fans and the team. Earlier this week in a sit-down interview with Lakeland News, Tash explained the circumstances that led to him being removed as coach of the team two days before the season opener, which involved the use of a racial slur. All of a sudden the warm-up music was put on and all of a sudden I thought I heard some inappropriate words. I yelled everybody shut the music off, we don't play F this, F that and then and this and that and I said the two N words. The player said no coach you don't get it you can't say that word and I went I was just repeating the words to the song and that's when the team made the comment that coach were you know if you're the head coach we're not going to play. In today's letter to the editor Tash said that he was made aware that a month ago the team came to a consensus and all of them signed a letter to BSU president Hensroot asking her to not terminate him. Tash said the president's decision was hers alone and should not be blamed on the team. Now BSU officials are still not saying much about the firing. Scott Faust the director of communications and marketing at the school confirmed to Lakeland News earlier this week that Tash is no longer an employee of the school. He said president Hensroot is not commenting on the reasoning behind her decision to fire Tash. Officials from the Bemidji State University faculty association say they are filing a grievance on behalf of Tash challenging the termination. If you've enjoyed this segment of Lakeland News please consider making a tax deductible contribution to Lakeland Public Television.