ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. - New Mexico State football coach Tony Samuel and his staff were fired Wednesday after leading the Aggies to two winning seasons in eight years.
NMSU has had four winning seasons in the past 35, including the two under Samuel, who ranked third in career victories there at 34-57.
Samuel was one of five black head coaches in 117 Division I-A schools going into the season. Fitz Hill resigned from San Jose State on Monday after his fourth straight losing season.
"We probably wouldn't be having this conversation if we were 6-5, but we were 5-6" this season, Samuel said during a news conference in Las Cruces. The Aggies were 4-3 in the Sun Belt Conference.
NMSU's outgoing athletic director, Brian Faison, acknowledged Samuel's contributions but noted that the team is moving to the Western Athletic Conference next season.
DOG DAYS: Michigan coach Lloyd Carr is upset that Ohio State subjected the Wolverines players and coaches to searches by drug and bomb-sniffing dogs upon their arrival at Ohio Stadium on Saturday. Carr said he wants the Big Ten commissioner to look into what he called harassment by OSU fans who watched police dogs taking a whiff of every player and their personal belongings. The Big Ten office did not return a call seeking comment.
UC QB HURT: Cincinnati quarterback Gino Guidugli broke a bone in his throwing hand when he slipped outside his home, and he might miss Saturday's game at Louisville.
Home for the holidays
TAMPA - USF held a regular Wednesday practice in preparation for Saturday's Conference USA finale against Memphis, but the Bulls will hold drills at 10 a.m. today to allow players to travel home for Thanksgiving with their families. Coach Jim Leavitt said players who live outside the area will spend the holiday with the families of local players.
"Everybody's taken care of," said Leavitt, adding that he'll likely spend today "watching film."
STAYING FOCUSED: USF running backs coach and recruiting coordinator Carl Franks, an assistant coach under Steve Spurrier for 12 seasons at Duke and Florida, said he has not spoken with the new South Carolina coach and hasn't even thought about the prospect of leaving the Bulls should he be offered a position.
"My whole focus is coaching these guys," Franks said. "We still have games to play, and that's the only thing I'm worried about. Our focus is Memphis, and then Pittsburgh, and then recruiting."
Because of his ties to Spurrier, Franks was among the candidates listed by the State newspaper in Columbia, S.C., as potential additions to the Gamecocks staff. Spurrier has retained three assistants from Lou Holtz's coaching staff, wide receivers coach and recruiting coordinator Rick Stockstill, defensive backs coach Ron Cooper and assistant David Reaves.
Times staff writer Greg Auman contributed to this report.
