Fresno State fires DeRuyter after 3 years of decline

Published Nov. 15, 2016 3:21 p.m. ET

Lindsey Foltin

Fresno State has fired coach Tim DeRuyter after the Bulldogs dropped to 1-7 in his fifth season, a person with direct knowledge of the situation told The Associated Press on Sunday.

The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because an official announcement had not yet been made. The school said athletic director Jim Bartko would hold a news conference at noon Pacific to discuss the future of the football program.

DeRuyter is 30-30 at Fresno State, but he went 20-6 his first two seasons and won two Mountain West titles with Derek Carr at quarterback. The Bulldogs won a total of nine games the next two seasons and lost Saturday 38-20 at Utah State.

DeRuyter has two years left on a five-year contract that was worth $7.5 million.

The former defensive coordinator at Texas A&M was hired by Fresno State after he led the Aggies to a bowl victory as an interim head coach following the 2011 season.

With Carr, DeRuyter won nine games in 2012 and then went 11-2 in 2013. The Bulldogs managed to get to a bowl game in their first season post-Carr in 2014 but still finished 6-8.

DeRuyter, 53, made staff changes after going 3-9 last season, but things have only gotten worse. Fresno State's only victory this season is against Sacramento State.