SEATTLE -- Rick Neuheisel is out at the University of Washington. Finally and officially.

"The administrative process regarding Rick Neuheisel's termination has been concluded," a statement from the university said Monday night. "He has been terminated for cause as head football coach and is no longer employed by the University of Washington."

Neuheisel's lawyer, Bob Sulkin of Seattle, said he, Neuheisel and Neuheisel's wife met briefly Monday night with Norm Arkans, special assistant to Washington's president. He said they were told the termination would not be rescinded.

Sulkin flew back to Seattle after meeting earlier in the day with NCAA officials in Indianapolis.

Sulkin is expected to file a lawsuit on Neuheisel's behalf.

"Rick's a fighter," Sulkin said Monday night. "He's determined to fight this thing so that the truth comes out."

With Washington scheduled to open its practices on Aug. 6, the Huskies are expected to give the job as Neuheisel's successor to offensive coordinator Keith Gilbertson. Gilbertson, 55, was the offensive coordinator for coach Don James on the 1991 Washington national championship team and formerly was the head coach at California and Idaho.

The university called a news conference for Tuesday morning to discuss the football program.

Gilbertson was placed in charge of supervising the football program's day-to-day operations last month.

After a tumultuous summer, the Huskies open the season Aug. 30 at defending national champion Ohio State.

Washington athletic director Barbara Hedges announced June 12 she was firing Neuheisel, a former Colorado coach, saying he broke NCAA rules against gambling by taking part in neighborhood pools on the past two NCAA basketball tournaments.

She said he wasn't forthcoming when first questioned by NCAA investigators.

Neuheisel has maintained he didn't know he was breaking the rules, saying an athletic department memo from the school's compliance officer gave him permission to gamble with neighbors.

Sulkin said he learned at Monday night's meeting that Karen Nyrop, an assistant state attorney general, had a student unlock Neuheisel's office last Friday so she could "rifle through his things."

Neuheisel had a 33-15 record in four seasons at Washington, including a 7-6 mark last season when the Huskies lost to Purdue in the Sun Bowl.

Neuheisel's firing "with cause" means he will receive no more money from the balance of his contract and will have to repay a $1.5 million loan received last August.

Colorado's football program is still under NCAA sanctions for recruiting violations during Neuheisel's tenure.

Neuheisel left Colorado in January 1999 with a 33-14 record and three bowl victories in four seasons. Last October, the NCAA placed Colorado on two years' probation, reduced the number of scholarships and restricted off-campus recruiting by coaches because of 53 recruiting violations.