Tag: fired

Feb 12, 2023; Glendale, Arizona, US; Philadelphia Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni in Super Bowl LVII against the Kansas City Chiefs at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

Report: Eagles fire DB coach Dennard Wilson

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Less than two weeks ago, some Philadelphia Eagles players were lobbying for defensive backs coach/passing game coordinator Dennard Wilson to take over as defensive coordinator.

He didn’t get the position, and now he reportedly is out of a job in the organization altogether. The Philadelphia Inquirer reported Monday that Wilson was fired following an “acrimonious meeting” with head coach Nick Sirianni over the weekend.

Instead of picking Wilson, 40, as defensive coordinator, Sirianni went with Seattle Seahawks assistant coach Sean Desai to replace Jonathan Gannon.

Gannon is the new head coach of the Arizona Cardinals.

The Inquirer said Wilson and Sirianni met because the head coach wanted to be convinced Wilson was willing to work with Desai. Wilson reportedly said he could move past his disappointment of not being promoted and cooperate with Desai, but Sirianni apparently had his doubts and decided to split with Wilson — and it wasn’t by mutual decision, per The Inquirer.

Cornerback Darius Slay and safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson both pushed on social media for Wilson to land a defensive coordinator job. He interviewed with the Cleveland Browns, who hired veteran coach Jim Schwartz for the post in January.

The Eagles, who lost Super Bowl LVII 38-35 to the Kansas City Chiefs, will take the field in 2023 with a new defensive coordinator, defensive backs coach and linebackers coach on that side of the ball. Linebackers coach Nick Rallis joined Gannon in Arizona.

Offensive coordinator Shane Steichen also departed to become head coach of the Indianapolis Colts.

–Field Level Media

Dec 4, 2021; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Michigan Wolverines assistant coach Matt Weiss against the Iowa Hawkeyes in the Big Ten Conference championship game at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Michigan fires co-OC Matt Weiss after investigation

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Michigan fired co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Matt Weiss on Friday amid an investigation into computer-related crimes on campus.

“After a review of University policies, the athletic department has terminated [his] appointment,” read a statement from athletic director Warde Manuel. “Consistent with university policy, we will have no further comment on this personnel matter.”

Weiss, 39, who was placed on leave Tuesday, released a statement Friday on social media.

“I have nothing but respect for the University of Michigan and the people who make it such a great place,” he posted on Twitter. “I look forward to putting this matter behind me and returning my focus to the game that I love.”

The Detroit News and ESPN reported that Weiss’ home in Ann Arbor was searched by police on Jan. 10. Police have also investigated Schembechler Hall, the home base of the Wolverines’ football program.

“The University of Michigan Police Department is investigating a report of computer access crimes that occurred at Schembechler Hall during December 21-23, 2022,” University of Michigan deputy chief of police Crystal James said in a statement, without naming Weiss. “Since this is an ongoing investigation there is no additional information to share.”

Further details about the nature of the crimes are not yet known.

Weiss just completed his second season at Michigan. After 12 seasons working for John Harbaugh on the Baltimore Ravens’ coaching staff, he was hired by Harbaugh’s brother Jim in 2021 to serve as the Wolverines’ QBs coach. The co-offensive coordinator title, shared with Sherrone Moore, was added between seasons.

Michigan is coming off a 13-1 season with a Big Ten title and a loss to TCU in the College Football Playoff semifinals.

–Field Level Media

Dec 18, 2022; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Broncos head coach Nathaniel Hackett before the game against the Arizona Cardinals at Empower Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

Broncos fire coach Nathaniel Hackett after ugly loss

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The Denver Broncos fired first-year coach Nathaniel Hackett on Monday, one day after an ugly 51-14 loss to the Los Angeles Rams dropped the team to 4-11.

It ends the shortest head coaching tenure in franchise history.

Broncos CEO Greg Penner released a statement thanking Hackett for his efforts.

“Following extensive conversations with (general manager) George (Paton) and our ownership group, we determined a new direction would ultimately be in the best interest of the Broncos,” Penner said. “This change was made now out of respect for everyone involved and allows us to immediately begin the search for a new head coach.”

Hackett, 43, was hired on Jan. 27 to replace Vic Fangio after spending the previous three seasons as the offensive coordinator of the Green Bay Packers.

But Hackett couldn’t get anything out of the Denver offense this season despite the costly acquisition of veteran quarterback Russell Wilson.

–Field Level Media

Nov 26, 2021; Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA; UNLV Rebels head coach Marcus Arroyo looks on in the third quarter against the Air Force Falcons at Falcon Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports

UNLV fires head coach Marcus Arroyo

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UNLV fired head coach Marcus Arroyo after the Rebels went 5-7 in 2022 despite a 4-1 start.

Arroyo was 7-23 in three seasons with the Rebels, but just 5-17 in Mountain West games. The 42-year-old had two years left on the contract he signed in December 2019.

“We thank Marcus Arroyo for his unwavering efforts leading our student-athletes on and off the field for these three seasons,” UNLV athletic director Erick Harper said in a news release. “His program represented this institution in the community and classroom in a manner that is to be commended. However, with our increased expectations at UNLV we felt a change was in order at this time. We all wish Marcus and his family the best in their future endeavors.”

The Rebels finished 0-6 during the pandemic-shortened season of 2020, went 2-10 in 2021 and then started the ’22 season with four wins and a tight loss — 20-14 — to Cal.

The season turned for UNLV in a 40-7 loss to San Jose State on Oct. 7, followed by a 42-7 loss to Air Force and another lopsided defeat (44-21) at Notre Dame.

With a chance to become eligible for a bowl game, all three November losses for UNLV were one-possession games: San Diego State (14-10), Fresno State (37-30) and Hawaii (31-25).

The Rebels have played in just one bowl since their win in the Las Vegas Bowl in 2000.

–Field Level Media

Sep 17, 2022; Kalamazoo, Michigan, USA; Western Michigan Broncos head coach Tim Lester (middle) and defensive coordinator Lou Esposito (left) watch pregame warm ups against Pittsburgh Panthers at Waldo Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kimberly Moss-USA TODAY Sports

Western Michigan fires coach Tim Lester

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Western Michigan head coach Tim Lester was fired after posting a 5-7 record in his sixth season with the Broncos.

Lester, a former quarterback at WMU, was 37-32 since being hired and had five winning seasons before his first with a losing record in 2022.

Lester signed a contract extension in January, which includes a buyout of $500,000.

“First, I am disappointed that I won’t get to lead the Western Michigan football program and these players in the future,” Lester said in a press release. “I want to thank Al Molde and his staff for recruiting me here in 1995. I want to thank Bill Cubit for hiring me as an assistant in 2005. And finally, I would like to thank Kathy Beauregard and President John Dunn for giving me the opportunity to lead this program six years ago.”

Western Michigan went 13-0 in the regular season in 2016 under P.J. Fleck, who left to become head coach at Minnesota following the Cotton Bowl. WMU lost to Wisconsin, 24-16, and rose to No. 15 in the College Football Playoff rankings.

–Field Level Media

Sep 17, 2022; Gainesville, Florida, USA;South Florida Bulls head coach Jeff Scott prior to the game against the Florida Gators at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

South Florida fires coach Jeff Scott

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South Florida, in the midst of a 1-8 season, fired head football coach Jeff Scott on Sunday.

Special teams coordinator Daniel Da Prato was named interim head coach for the rest of the season.

“When Jeff came to Tampa in December of 2019, we had high expectations for where he could take our football program,” athletic director Michael Kelly said in a statement. “While he did so many things right, including rebuilding our culture, pushing forward our Indoor Performance Facility, and engaging our community, the on-the-field results fell well below our standards. He is a tremendous person and class individual and we wish him, Sara, Savannah and Hunter all the best in the future.”

The Bulls lost their seventh straight game Saturday when host Temple pulled away in the fourth quarter for a 54-28 win. South Florida is 0-5 against American Athletic Conference opponents and won its only game against Howard, an FCS opponent.

Scott was hired ahead of the 2020 season after serving as Clemson’s wide receivers coach, run game coordinator and co-offensive coordinator between 2008 and 2019. He originally signed a five-year deal and also inked a two-year extension following the 2021 season.

But South Florida went just 4-26 under Scott, including a paltry 1-19 in conference.

“I would like to thank our players, coaches and staff members for all their hard work during my time as the head coach at USF,” Scott said in a statement. “I especially want to thank USF President Rhea Law and Vice President/Director of Athletics Michael Kelly for giving me the incredible opportunity to lead the football program the last three years. I will miss this team and will do anything in my power to help them in the future. I am disappointed that our hard work didn’t translate to more success on the field, but I am confident that we have set a new foundation. I know the future of USF football is bright and my family and I will always remember our time at USF as a very special chapter in our lives.”

–Field Level Media

Sep 24, 2022; Columbia, South Carolina, USA; Charlotte 49ers head coach Will Healy directs his team against the South Carolina Gamecocks in the first quarter at Williams-Brice Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Blake-USA TODAY Sports

Reports: Charlotte fires football coach Will Healy

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Charlotte fired coach Will Healy on Sunday amid a 1-7 start to the season, multiple outlets reported.

Healy, 37, was in his fourth season at the helm of the 49ers and had a 15-24 overall record. He led the 49ers to a 7-6 record and an appearance in the Bahamas Bowl in 2019 — the only season the team reached the .500 mark in Healy’s tenure.

This season, the team ranks last in FBS in scoring defense, giving up an average of 44.57 points per game.

Offensive line coach Pete Rossomando will serve as interim head coach. He has prior head coaching experience at Central Connecticut State and New Haven.

Charlotte lost 34-15 to FIU at home on Saturday to fall to 0-4 in Conference USA play. The 49ers turned the ball over five times and FIU jumped to a 27-0 halftime lead.

“It was really disappointing to have another performance at home where we didn’t play well and couldn’t find a way to get the win,” Healy said postgame. “I thought it was important to get on them early, and we did the complete opposite of that.”

Charlotte has lost 12 of the past 14 games as it prepares to move to the American Athletic Conference.

The Charlotte Observer said candidates to replace Healy include Pep Hamilton, a Charlotte native who is the Houston Texans offensive coordinator; Campbell coach Mike Minter; and Josh Gattis, the offensive coordinator at Miami.

Charlotte will play next Saturday at Rice.

–Field Level Media

Quarterback, Noah Vedral, head coach Greg Schiano with offensive coordinator Sean Gleeson as Rutgers football players participate in their first day of training camp to start the 2022 season at their practice facility in Piscataway, NJ on August 3, 2022. Rutgers Football Players Participate In Their First Day Of Training Camp To Start The 2022 Season At Their Practice Facility In Piscataway Nj On August 3 2022

Rutgers fires offensive coordinator Sean Gleeson

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Rutgers fired offensive coordinator Sean Gleeson on Sunday amid a three-game losing streak.

Tight ends coach Nunzio Campanile will serve as the interim offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach.

“This was a difficult decision, but I believe it is in the best interest of our program to make a change,” head coach Greg Schiano said in a statement. “I want to thank Sean for his hard work and wish he and his family all the best in their future endeavors.”

The Scarlet Knights (3-3, 0-3 Big Ten) are coming off a 14-13 home loss Friday night against Nebraska.

Rutgers has scored a total of 33 points during its three-game skid against Iowa, Ohio State and the Cornhuskers.

Rutgers ranks 109th in the country in total offense with 334.0 yards per game.

Gleeson joined the Scarlet Knights’ coaching staff in 2020 after working as the offensive coordinator at Oklahoma State (2019) and Princeton (2017-18).

Campanile has been at Rutgers since 2018. He was 1-7 as the interim head coach in 2019 after Chris Ash was fired.

–Field Level Media

Jul 26, 2022; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Nebraska Cornhuskers head coach Scott Frost talks to the media during Big 10 football media days at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Goddin-USA TODAY Sports

Nebraska fires Scott Frost after 1-2 start

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Nebraska fired coach Scott Frost on Sunday amid a 1-2 start to the season and one day after a stunning loss to Georgia Southern.

“Earlier today I met with Coach Frost and informed him we were making a change in the leadership of our football program, effective immediately,” athletic director Trev Alberts said in a school-released statement. “Scott has poured his heart and soul into the Nebraska football program both as a quarterback and head coach, and I appreciate his work and dedication.

“After the disappointing start to our season, I decided the best path forward for our program was to make a change in our head coaching position. Associate Head Coach Mickey Joseph will serve as our interim head coach for the remainder of the 2022 season.”

Frost, 47, was on the hot seat throughout much of his first four seasons — all with sub-.500 finishes — at Nebraska, but in November, Alberts brought him back on a restructured contract after the coach laid out a blueprint for the program.

Alberts apparently wasn’t willing to wait for improvement. Neither were fans, who chanted “Fire Frost” at Memorial Stadium in Lincoln on Saturday during Georgia Southern’s 45-42 win.

Nebraska also lost its high-profile season opener to Northwestern, played in Ireland, 31-28 after squandering a 28–17 lead with about nine minutes left in the third quarter due to what critics termed questionable coaching decisions.

The Huskers’ only win on the season came Sept. 3 over FCS program North Dakota.

Frost signed a seven-year, $35 million contract when he arrived at Nebraska in December 2017, fresh off an undefeated season at UCF. He was given a two-year extension in 2019 that pushed the contract through 2026.

He reportedly has a $15 million buyout that would have dropped to $7.5 million had he been fired after Oct. 1.

Nebraska faithful had high hopes when Frost, a Nebraska native, returned to his alma mater. He was the quarterback of the 1997 team that finished 13-0 and earned a share of the national championship.

The Frost era ends, however, with a record of 16-31 (10-26 Big Ten) and no bowl appearances.

Joseph, 54, joined the Nebraska staff this season after five years as an assistant at LSU. He becomes the first Black head coach of the Nebraska football team.

A former Cornhuskers quarterback, Joseph was the head coach at Oklahoma’s Langston University from 2011-12. He compiled a 13-7 record at the NAIA program.

–Field Level Media

Jan 2, 2022; Inglewood, California, USA; Denver Broncos head coach Vic Fangio looks on in the first quarter of the game against the Los Angeles Chargers at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

Broncos fire head coach Vic Fangio

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The Denver Broncos fired Vic Fangio on Sunday morning after his three seasons as the team’s head coach.

The decision came one day after the Broncos dropped a 28-24 decision to the Kansas City Chiefs in their regular-season finale. Denver finished the season with a 7-10 record, marking its second straight last-place finish in the AFC West.

Fangio sidestepped addressing his future as the team’s coach on Saturday. When asked if he thought this was his last chance as the Broncos’ coach, he said “the whole focus was on our players and this team.”

Fangio, 63, posted a 19-30 record with the Broncos. He had never been a head coach until the Broncos hired him.

Fangio was named the 17th head coach in franchise history on January 2019 after accumulating 32 years of NFL coaching experience, including 18 years as a defensive coordinator.

General manager George Paton addressed the team’s plans going forward.

“Our search to find the next head coach of the Broncos will be a comprehensive, collaborative process,” Paton said. “We’re approaching it with an open mind and look forward to spending time with some outstanding candidates.

“With the foundation in place, the progress that’s been made and the resources we have to get better, I’m excited about the future of our team. We will find an outstanding leader and head coach for the Broncos and our fans.”

Team president and CEO Joe Ellis said Paton will drive the search.

“For the last three seasons, Vic put his heart and soul into coaching the Broncos,” Ellis said. “I want to thank Coach Fangio for giving his maximum effort to our organization day he was hired.

“George will have full authority to select the next head coach of the Broncos. This is his decision and his program. I have complete confidence in George’s ability to lead an exhaustive and successful head coaching search.

“We will give George every available resource and fully support him in hiring the very best head coach to lead the Broncos.”

–Field Level Media