SEATTLE (AP) -- Washington coach Tyrone Willingham was forced to resign Monday, effective the end of the 2008 season.

During Willingham's regular Monday news conference, he and athletic director Scott Woodward announced Willingham would step down at the end of the year.

When asked if this was his decision, Willingham said flatly, "No."

Asked if he ever considered resigning, Willingham added, "No, it's just not in my makeup."

The embattled Washington coach fell to 0-7 Saturday after a 33-7 loss to his former employer, Notre Dame. Willingham and Woodward had been in discussions for eight days over Willingham's dismissal, but they said no decision was reached until Monday morning. The team was in classes at the time of the announcement and only a limited number of players knew of Willingham's pending departure.

"The obvious is here," said Woodward, seated next to Willingham.

Willingham has been under fire for being unable to turn around the Washington program. He is 11-32 overall in his four seasons with the Huskies. Washington currently has a nine-game losing streak dating back to last season, tied with North Texas for the longest in the country.

Woodward has said he did not want to change coaches during the middle of the season. But he said Monday's announcement ends speculation of what is going to happen with Willingham and lets the team focus on the final five games.

"We didn't win enough football games. That's it," Willingham said after be dismissed for the second time in four years, following his firing at Notre Dame in 2004. "Hopefully, we've done all the other things right (and) it's a good strong program for someone to jump into and do things."

10/27/2008 6:55:07 PM

I saw this coming a few weeks ago. At least he gets to finish out the season?

10/27/2008 6:56:41 PM

ahaha where are all the people pissed at ND for firing him???


WHAT SAY YOU NOW JESSE JACKSON???

10/27/2008 7:02:34 PM

i'm sure he had even less to work with at Washington. It does suck he's winless this year though. He probably should have at least an NC State-esque record to keep the hatas at bay. (the OOC schedule didn't do him any favors)

10/27/2008 7:22:23 PM

so the question i have is... will jim mora try and get this job?

10/27/2008 7:43:14 PM

at least they are better than washington state without even winning.

10/27/2008 7:43:58 PM

^lmao

10/27/2008 10:40:37 PM

http://www.thewolfweb.com/message_topic.aspx?topic=539223&page=26

10/27/2008 10:42:14 PM

Quote :

"Willingham has been under fire for being unable to turn around the Washington program. He is 11-32 overall in his four seasons with the Huskies. Washington currently has a nine-game losing streak dating back to last season, tied with North Texas for the longest in the country. "

lord almighty, and we thought John Bunting and Chuck Amato were bad

10/27/2008 11:49:41 PM

i'm not surprised. he's not a good coach.

10/28/2008 6:18:37 AM

Butch Davis to Washington??

10/28/2008 7:20:10 AM

Butch Davis to Washington?? Tennessee...

fixed it for you

10/28/2008 7:45:43 AM

Willingham can't honestly expect a school like Washington, i.e. a school that has won a national championship in football, to keep him around after four years of failure. He should just man up and admit that he is a shitty head coach and needs to go back to being a coordinator.

10/28/2008 8:22:58 AM

Quote :

"so the question i have is... will jim mora try and get this job?"

Are you talking senior or junior? Junior is supposed to replace Holmgren.

[Edited on October 28, 2008 at 9:29 AM. Reason : asdf]

10/28/2008 9:28:47 AM

apparently lane kiffin has called to express interest

10/28/2008 9:40:12 AM

^^ firstly, jim mora is not a junior, but i am talking about the younger jim mora.

when he was w/ the falcons he said on a radio show that he would leave at the drop of a hat to coach at washington and said something to the effect of 'even if we were in the middle of a playoff run'.

10/28/2008 11:29:07 AM

Quote :

"Butch Davis to Washington?? Tennessee... fixed it for you"

As a State and UT fan, this would REALLY be good for me.....

10/28/2008 4:56:20 PM