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... after blowing a 2nd half lead in last week's playoff to TX State (50-35).

AD Sam Baker said firing a coach with a .700-plus winning percentage doesn't send the wrong message.

"It sends a message that we want to be successful," he said.

Ga Southern had won half dozen Nat'l Titles prior to Sewak's start in 2001.

Now, there's a committment to excellence.

Geo. Southern fired the ENTIRE coaching staff, not just the HC.

Here's the AP article:

STATESBORO, Ga. -- Football coach Mike Sewak was fired Tuesday by Georgia Southern, which lost in the first round of the NCAA Division I-AA playoffs for the second year in a row.

Athletic director Sam Baker said Sewak was "very surprised" when told of the decision at a morning meeting. Just one day earlier, the coach said he was looking forward to recruiting and had no plans to make changes on his staff.

"This was not a knee-jerk reaction," Baker said at a news conference. "It was not based on one game. It was a feeling in the program itself."

A former offensive coordinator for the Eagles, Sewak was promoted when Paul Johnson went to Navy after the 2001 season. Sewak took over a program that has won six I-AA championships and led it to three playoff appearances in four years, but that wasn't good enough.

The Eagles advanced to the I-AA semifinals in Sewak's first season, then failed to make the playoffs in 2003.

Georgia Southern reached the playoffs the last two seasons, but each time squandered fourth-quarter leads in the opening round. On Saturday, the Eagles led Texas State 35-16 late in the third period before giving up 34 consecutive points in a 50-35 loss.

Sewak's one-year contract wasn't renewed, and the school also cut loose his entire staff.

A telephone call to Sewak was not immediately returned Tuesday afternoon.

Texas State was delighted to help out with Georgia Southern's decision.

To bad he didn't get fired a couple of weeks ago. He could have been K-State's new head coach.