AP Source: Cornell picks new football coach

Published Jan. 26, 2010 2:53 p.m. ET

foxsports

A person familiar with the negotiations says Cornell has hired Mississippi offensive coordinator Kent Austin as its new football coach.

The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Tuesday because Cornell had not yet announced the hire.

The Ivy League university has scheduled a news conference for Wednesday regarding a replacement for Jim Knowles, who resigned in December to become defensive coordinator at Duke.

Knowles was 26-34 in six seasons and Cornell was 2-8 in 2009, the school's worst record since 2003.

Austin is a former Rebels quarterback. He was the offensive coordinator at his alma mater for two seasons. Austin helped guide the Rebels to back-to-back, nine-win seasons for the first time in nearly 50 years.