Tulsa fired coach Philip Montgomery on Sunday, a day after the Golden Hurricane concluded a 5-7 season with a come-from-behind victory at Houston.
Athletic director Rick Dickson said the school had “decided to make a change” in the leadership of the program.
“This was an extremely difficult decision, one that affects a number of individuals and is never easy for anyone involved,” Dickson said in a statement. “Philip’s dedication to our student-athletes is unquestioned and we thank him for his tireless efforts in leading our young men. He has represented TU with class and character. We appreciate Philip’s commitment to the University of Tulsa, our football program and the Tulsa community.”
Montgomery went 43-53 in eight seasons, leading Tulsa to four bowl games, and his 96 games with the team is third all-time at the program.
“I’m certainly disappointed that I won’t have the opportunity to continue leading this program,” Montgomery said in a statement. “For the past eight years, I’ve given the University of Tulsa, our players, and staff everything I have. I’m proud of the way we locked arms and battled through adversity at every turn.”
Montgomery landed his first head coaching job with the Golden Hurricane in 2015 after serving as Baylor’s offensive coordinator for the final four of his seven seasons on the Bears’ staff.
Tulsa scuffled to a 1-6 record over a seven-game span during the season, losing quarterback Davis Brin. The team did rebound to close the season with consecutive victories behind backup Braylon Braxton, a redshirt freshman.
Ultimately, it was not enough to save Montgomery’s job.
“On behalf of the Trustees, I thank Philip for his commitment to TU,” university president Brad Carson said in a statement. “He and his coaching staff have built a program centered on the student-athlete, both athletically and academically. TU remains committed to those student-athletes through this transition.”
–Field Level Media