Mike Stoops out as Arizona coach

It appears a road loss to previously winless Oregon State
was enough to cost Mike Stoops his job.

“We’re appreciative of Mike’s dedicated work for the
Arizona Wildcats,” Arizona Athletic Director Greg Byrne
said. “Coach Stoops had many successes as our head coach
over the last eight seasons. It was a difficult decision
but I feel now is the time for new leadership and
direction.”

The head coach at Arizona since 2004, Stoops accumulated a
41-50 record, 27-38 in conference play.

Stoops’ tenure at Arizona got off to a rough start, as his
teams won just 17 games in the first four years, but
things turned around in 2008 as the Wildcats reached a
bowl game for the first time in 10 years.

The appearance in the Las Vegas Bowl, which Arizona won,
was the first of three consecutive trips to bowl games for
the team, as berths in the Holiday and Alamo Bowls
followed.

However the team was not competitive in its last two bowl
games and, while 1-5 this season, is currently riding a
10-game losing streak to FBS teams.

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