Clark Atlanta University has announced that head football coach Ted Bahhur will not coach another game at this institution.
The university released a statement saying that Coach Bahhur "was relieved of his duties effective immediately," but offered no further details surrounding the termination, which came after a 31-13 blowout versus Kentucky State University in the homecoming game October 3.
"We had great expectations for the program and right now, I think that they could be doing a better job," Jones told the AJC's Ken Sugiura. According to the same article, she called the Homecoming loss the "tip of the iceburg" in the university's decision to sever the relationship with Bahhur.
Bahhur filed a racial discrimination complaint with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission Friday, which according to reports, will lay the groundwork for a federal lawsuit.
His record, since taking the helm at CAU, was 20-29 over four and a half seasons, a remarkable improvement over the team's 4-39 record prior to his taking the reigns. Last season the team went 6-5, its first winning season since 1991.
Former assistant head coach, Keith Higdon, will take over as interim head coach for the remainder of this season. As for next year, President Brown has "asked Dr. Jones to begin the process for recruiting a permanent head coach," according to the university's official statement.
"The trust that Dr. Jones and President Brown have shown in me to give me the opportunity to run this great football program is humbling," Higdon is quoted as saying in the statement. "I am excited to lead this great group of young men as their interim head coach for the remainder of the season."
Team members have been instructed not to comment on the situation at all, but Winston Thompson, junior starting running back for the Panthers, says that he is looking forward to the rest of the season, and is feeling "comfortable" about the possibility of going 4-0 to close out the season and making a push for the playoffs.
Autumn Jones writes for The Panther, the Clark Atlanta University student newspaper, which originally published this article.