Contrary to some University of South Florida football fans' wishes, Coach Skip Holtz will keep his job, despite USF losing four games in a row and 10 of its last 11 Big East games.
Athletic Director Doug Woolard issued a statement Tuesday supporting the embattled coach, saying: "As has been our practice in the past, we will evaluate the status of each of our 19 programs at the conclusion of their respective seasons. We'll identify where we are as a football program at that time and continue to build from there."
Greg Auman of The Tampa Bay Times reports Woolard did not speak about Holtz at the Bulls' basketball media day Tuesday, only issuing a three-paragraph statement that called the Bulls' recent performance "disappointing to everyone involved with our program," while also saying "We're only six games into a 12-game regular season."
Woolard also addressed his decision to give Holtz an extension in June through the 2017 season, despite the Bulls losing seven of their last games and finishing 1-6 in Big East play. "We are going to provide all the support possible for our football program, including employment contracts that reflect our commitment to success," he said in the statement. "Many factors come into play when considering contract terms, including conditions in the national coaching marketplace. In Skip's case, multiple BCS schools sought his coaching services at the end of both the 2010 and 2011 seasons. As a result, we felt it was important to maintain the stability and continuity of leadership in our football program and extended Skip's contract."
The Bulls (2-4, 0-2 Big East) are off this weekend. Their next game is on Saturday, October 20th, at #18 ranked Louisville (5-0, 0-0 Big East).
