Utah State Fires HC with 2-7 Record

[Lamont_Cranston]

LOGAN, Utah (AP) -- Utah State fired football coach Mick Dennehy after a five-game losing streak and 2-7 start to the season.

Dennehy and athletic director Randy Spetman met Sunday, a day after a 32-25 loss to Louisiana-Monroe, and Spetman told the coach he was being fired, sports information director Mike Strauss said Monday.

Dennehy agreed to coach the Aggies during their last two games of the season.

``I think it is important for his own closure and for the team,'' Spetman said. ``He is an incredible person who has poured his heart and soul into this program. Unfortunately, through some of the things that have come down the line and some unfortunate injuries, we have not had the program that we expect to go into the Western Athletic Conference.''

Dennehy was in his fifth season at Utah State and under contract through next year. After coming over from Montana in 1999, he went 18-36 with the Aggies. His best seasons were 2001 and 2002, when Utah State went 4-7 through schedules that included visits to Nebraska, LSU and Iowa.

``In the end, we didn't win enough,'' Dennehy said in a statement released by the school.

Utah State (2-7 overall, 1-4 Sun Belt Conference) visits Arkansas State on Thursday and closes the season at home Nov. 20 against New Mexico State.