HARTFORD, Conn. – Connecticut Athletic Director Warde Manuel says he’s looking for a football coach who can bring more excitement, passion and above all wins to UConn.

Manuel fired Coach Paul Pasqualoni on Monday, with his team 0-4 and coming off a 41-12 loss at Buffalo.

Pasqualoni, in his third season at UConn, finishes with a 10-18 record. Associate head coach George DeLeone, who coached the offensive line, also was let go.

“I’m changing now because we have to have different leadership to get different results,” Manuel said. “I’m not comfortable with losing.”

The school said it will pay Pasqualoni $750,000 to buy out his contract.

The Huskies are off this week before hosting South Florida on Oct. 12.

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Offensive coordinator T.J. Weist, whose energetic style is a contrast to the more reserved Pasqualoni, will take over as interim head coach for the remainder of the season.

The 48-year-old Weist, who played at Alabama, came to Connecticut in the offseason from Cincinnati, where he coached wide receivers.

Weist also has worked at his alma mater, Michigan, Southern Illinois, Tulsa and Western Kentucky.

At UConn, he’s overseen an offense that ranks last in the bowl subdivision in rushing, and 119th out of 123 teams in total offense.

Weist said the team is taking the approach that it is starting at 0-0 entering conference play.

“I definitely think I’m prepared for this, and I’m ready for it,” Weist said. “And I want it.”

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TEXAS: DeLoss Dodds, the longtime Texas athletic director, will step down in August 2014 and move into a consulting role at the nation’s wealthiest college athletic program, a person with knowledge of the decision told The Associated Press.

The school is expected to make an announcement Tuesday, according to the person who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Dodds could not immediately be reached for comment.

Dodds is under contract at Texas through 2015 at $700,000 per year, with a $1 million annuity if he’s employed at the end of August 2014.

 


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