"Winless to jobless: Hofher fired, will coach last two games"

Athletics Director Warde Manuel made the biggest move of his three months at UB on Tuesday, handing a long-expected pink slip to football head coach Jim Hofher.

Hofher was officially dismissed at an Alumni Arena press conference in which Manuel said he is moving the football program in a different direction, effective at the end of the season.

Hofher, who will coach the last two games before being released from his contract, made his lone statement via a press.

"It is with pleasure that I have served UB for these past five years," he stated. "Our players and coaches have battled with commitment to compete on football fields in the (Mid-American Conference). With two games remaining, we will continue to do so."

Rumors have run wild the past few seasons as Hofher has led the UB football program to just seven wins in five years and this year's squad, sitting at 0-9, has the potential to go winless.

"My intention was to wait until the end of the season to evaluate the program but given where we are, I felt it was important to begin the process of searching for the next coach and wanted to be up front with the current staff," Manuel said.

Manuel's announcement comes after the Bulls were thrashed 54-13 on Saturday by Miami (Ohio). But Manuel, a former University of Michigan football player and administrator, said the decision was based on a culmination of events, not just one.

"It was just a feeling that I had ultimately decided that I was going to make a change and talked it over with the president to make sure that I was thinking the right way, that I had his support to do that, but it wasn't one incident, one game, one score," Manuel said.

Manuel spoke with the coaching staff Monday to break the news.

"I talked to the coaching staff yesterday and I got the feeling that they understand the outcome of what is going to happen at the end of the season," Manuel said Tuesday. "They're focused on the job at hand and that is two coach these last two weeks, these last two games and focus on them."

According to Manuel, assistant coaches will have the opportunity to interview with the new head coach once he is hired and it will then be up to him whether they will remain on staff for the 2006 season.

Manuel was also up-front with the players on the team, holding a meeting with them before the press conference. Hofher had already shared the news to the student-athletes before their morning practice.

"We had a team meeting this morning and coach Hofher basically told us that he will not be coaching us next year," said freshman quarterback Drew Willy. "He said that he has two more games left and if we can go out and win those two games, it would be great for the program and the overall morale of this team."

"I was surprised," said junior tight end Chad Upshaw. "Obviously there's been a lot of talk about it. People have been talking about it for as long as I've been here but I was surprised because I've been hearing it for so long and nothing ever happened about it and then to hear something today. I thought maybe if something would happen we'd find out after the season is over."

Reactions aside, returning players hope the decision works out for the best.

"I respect the administration's decision to go with a new coach," Willy said. "I am going to miss these coaches dearly, but hopefully we can have a great relationship with the new coach that comes in."

Initial reactions varied between players, but overall, it seems as if Saturday's upcoming game is the main priority.

"We're pretty much just concentrating on the next game at Kent State," said senior linebacker and team captain Bryan Cummings. "That's all we really care about. This is my last season. He's finishing off with us, so it doesn't really affect me."

"We're going into a situation where since we've been in Division I we've never won a MAC game on the road," said senior cornerback and assistant team captain Gemara Williams. "We have the opportunity to do that and that's making history, UB history."

Manuel said he does not have any replacements in mind, but Division I-A experience is a must.

"I would like somebody who understands Division I-A programs, has been brought up in that, consistently a part of Division I-A and understands what it's going to take to position a competitive and successful team in the MAC," Manuel said.