Washington coach Willingham out after season

Oct 27, 2008 - 10:00 PM SEATTLE (Ticker) -- Washington did not wait until the end of the season to put Tyrone Willingham out of his misery.

Willingham was fired Monday as Washington's football coach, ending his brutal four-year stint in the Pacific Northwest.

Although Washington already has begun its search for a new coach, Willingham will not step down from his position until the end of the season.

However, Willingham did reveal that the "resignation" was not his decision.

"It's just not in my makeup," said the 54-year-old Willingham, who did not rule out a return to coaching in 2009.

Willingham stated that he opted against an immediate departure in order to maintain "continuity" at a once-proud program that has deteriorated into one of the biggest laughingstocks in the Football Bowl Subdivision.

"It is my desire to complete and finish the football season and do that in the manner that I have done it unwavering in my approach and commitment to my young men," he said.

The embattled Willingham announced the move at a news conference Monday, less than two days after the winless Huskies dropped a 33-7 decision to his former team, Notre Dame.

It was the ninth consecutive loss for the lowly Huskies, who own the country's longest active losing streak.

With the embarrassing home loss, Washington fell to 0-7 this season. The Huskies are one of only two FBS teams - North Texas (0-8) is the other - that has failed to record a win this season.

Following a roller-coaster three-year stretch at Notre Dame, Willingham has struggled mightily since taking the Washington job in December 2004, coaching the Huskies to an 11-32 record in three-plus seasons.

"We didn't win enough games," Willingham said Monday. "That's it. We didn't win football games. But I do believe we put the program in a position where it will be able to win football games."

Washington athletic director Scott Woodward said that Willingham will receive a $1 million buyout. Woodward also stated that the school will immediately begin the process of searching for Willingham's replacement.

After going 2-9 in their first season under Willingham, the Huskies got off to a 4-1 start in 2006. But Washington lost starting quarterback Isaiah Stanback to a season-ending injury and lost six of its last seven contests en route to a 5-7 finish.

The Huskies' woes continued last season, when they won their first two games only to limp to a 4-9 overall record.

Willingham owns a career record of 76-84-1 in parts of 14 seasons at Washington, Notre Dame and Stanford.

Following a seven-year stint at Stanford in which he guided the Cardinal to four winning seasons and a Rose Bowl appearance, Willingham signed a six-year contract at Notre Dame in December 2001.

Willingham received overwhelming praise in his first season at Notre Dame, as the Fighting Irish won their first eight games en route to a 10-2 regular season and an appearance in the Gator Bowl.

But after coaching the Fighting Irish to an 11-13 record in the next two campaigns, Willingham was unceremoniously fired by Notre Dame in November 2004.