Gardner-Webb fires football coach Steve Patton

Steve Patton is out after 14 seasons as Gardner-Webb's football coach.

The school said Thursday that it would not retain the 56-year-old Patton after the Runnin' Bulldogs went 4-7 overall and 2-4 in the Big South Conference.

Vice president for athletics Chuck Burch said a change was necessary although Patton ''has been a positive piece of a successful transition for our football program to the Division I level.''

Patton was 87-66 in 14 seasons at Gardner-Webb, went 51-25 from 1997-2003 and won two Big South titles and league coach of the year awards in 2002 and '03.

He has 117 career wins in 19 seasons that also included stops at Mars Hill and North Greenville.