Tulsa has fired football coach Philip Montgomery after a 5-7 season, athletic director Rick Dickson announced Sunday.
Montgomery had served as the Golden Hurricane’s coach since 2015, going 43-53 while leading them to four bowl appearances. But Tulsa hadn’t won more than seven games in a season following a breakout 10-3 campaign in 2016, though it did play in the American Athletic Conference championship game in 2020, losing to Cincinnati.
“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.”
Tulsa closed its 2022 season with a 37-30 upset of Houston on Saturday.
“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.”
Montgomery had served as offensive coordinator at Baylor before taking over at Tulsa for his first head-coaching job.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.