EL PASO, Texas, Dec. 3 (UPI) -- Following its third consecutive losing season, Texas El-Paso has fired football Gary Nord.
After a promising start to his reign at UTEP, Nord got worse each year, posting marks of 2-9 in 2001, 2-10 in 2001, and 2-11 in 2003.
Athletic Director Bob Stull called the decision a difficult one, saying Nord, who guided the school to its first Western Athletic Conference championship, was a man of high integrity who made a lot of contributions to the school.
"However, in the last three years, we have defeated only three Division I-A opponents," Stull said. "I do not feel we are moving in the right direction and I felt a change was necessary."
In Nord's first season, UTEP went 8-4, tied for the WAC championship, and earned a bid to the Crucial.com Humanitarian Bowl. Nord was named conference Coach of the Year.
He joined the Miners' staff following stints at Louisville, Oklahoma, and Pittsburgh. He played tight end at Louisville in the 1970s.
