This was supposed to be the year of the Golden Lion. The year to take it to the top. The year for names like Wallace, Mallet, Jones and Turner to become shinning stars.
Talk about your peaks and valleys.
A year removed from an 8-4 football campaign after falling short to Alabama A&M in the 2006 SWAC championship game, the Pine Bluff Commercial reports that Arkansas-Pine Bluff head football coach Mo Forte will be fired on Monday by the school as reported by Mike Marzelli.
HOUSTON — The University of Arkansas Pine Bluff will fire football coach Mo Forte on Monday and will buy out the remaining year on his contract, sources close to the UAPB athletic department confirmed Saturday.
Forte is due approximately $120,000 for 2008 under a contract extension he signed in the off-season — money that will cost the university a salaried assistant coach next season and force whoever succeeds Forte to also serve as offensive or defensive coordinator until 2009.
UAPB Athletic Director Skip Perkins is expected to begin a national search for a replacement immediately, although current Golden Lions Defensive Coordinator Monte Coleman has been identified as a strong early candidate for the job.
UAPB has declined comment on its coaching situation until Monday.
Finishing the 2007 season with a 4-7 record, one can only look at the games that got away from Forte and the Golden Lions. There was a 7 point loss to Mississippi Valley, a 2 point loss to Alabama State, a 6 point loss to Grambling (that could have resulted in a win had it not been for a touchdown called back for illegal motion), a 8 point loss to Jackson State, and a 3 point loss to FBS (formerly Division 1-A) member New Mexico State.
[…] It appears the administration at UAPB wasted no time in finding a replacement for Mo Forte who was fired on Monday. […]