Ga. Tech, Duke fire coaches
Georgia Tech fired coach Chan Gailey on Monday, two days after his sixth straight loss to rival Georgia ended a disappointing season.
Athletic director Dan Radakovich made the announcement after a morning meeting with Gailey. Defensive coordinator Jon Tenuta will take over as interim coach for an expected trip to the Emerald or Humanitarian Bowl, and he will be a candidate for the job permanently.
The move was widely expected after Georgia Tech (7-5) came up far short of another run at the Atlantic Coast Conference championship one year after winning its division. Also, Gailey never beat the school's biggest rival, dropping to 0-6 with a 31-17 loss to the Bulldogs on Saturday.
"Nobody likes to get fired," said Gailey, a former head coach with the NFL's Dallas Cowboys. "But all they can take is your job. They can't take your pay. They can't take your family. They can't take your integrity."
Gailey's overall record was 44-32 in six seasons, and he never lost less than five games in a year. Radakovich said the latest loss to Georgia did not influence his decision; he already had decided to make a change.
"We've been very consistent with wins and losses," said Radakovich, who's in his second year as AD and inherited Gailey from the previous regime. "I want to be able to ratchet that up, take the next step."
Radakovich said business considerations were as much a part of his decision as wins and losses. The 55-year-old Gailey had lost support among the fan base, which made fundraising more difficult, and he wasn't the sort of dynamic personality who could help the Yellow Jackets make a name in the crowded Atlanta sports scene.
Duke to replace Roof: Duke fired football coach Ted Roof on Monday, two days after the Blue Devils concluded a 1-11 season with their ninth straight loss.
Athletic director Joe Alleva said at a news conference he decided to fire Roof on Sunday night and informed him of the decision Monday morning.
"This business is very results-oriented, and when you win four games in four years, it makes you take a hard look at what you're doing," Alleva said. "I felt that we had to make a change because of that. There's nothing else in Ted's character or integrity that would lead to a change here."
Roof's career record dipped to 6-45 after a 20-14 overtime loss to North Carolina, the Blue Devils' fourth straight to their main rival. Duke has lost at least 10 games in three straight seasons, including a winless 2006.
After snapping a 22-game losing streak with a victory at Northwestern, the Blue Devils lost nine straight to end this season. That slide ranks second only to Minnesota (10) among active losing streaks for teams from the six Bowl Championship Series conferences.
The Blue Devils have lost 25 straight Atlantic Coast Conference games and have endured three consecutive winless seasons in league play since they upset Clemson in November 2004.