It’s always better to use the Dean approach. Deny all truth to the rumor and then when the rumor is confirmed to be true say you knew it was true the whole time but couldn’t say anything.Only thing that makes sense? He doesn’t work for the athletic department radio anymore does he?
If you really have private information you can’t share you don’t go publicly saying you have juicy gossip but you can’t say anything. You just shut up and keep it quiet.