Connecticut has fired coach Bob Diaco.
The school made the surprising announcement on Monday morning, well after every other coaching vacancy had already been filled.
"I believe a new leader for our program and student-athletes is needed to build long-term success," athletic director Dave Benedict said in a statement. "I am grateful to Coach Diaco and his staff for their hard work and the integrity with which they ran the program and certainly wish them future success. ...
"I know this may come as a surprise to our fans and supporters given the timing of this decision. However, it became apparent to me that a change in program direction is necessary at this time."
The firing will be effective as of Jan. 2.
Diaco just finished his third season with the Huskies, going 3-9. He was 11-26 in his three seasons with UConn.
"This is obviously not the way I had hoped things would turn out," said Diaco. "But I appreciate having had the opportunity to be here at UConn."
Diaco took over at UConn prior to the 2014 season after having spent the previous four years as the defensive coordinator at Notre Dame. After a rough first season with the Huskies (2-10, 1-7), things seemed to have turned a corner last year. The Huskies finished the year 6-7 with a loss in the St. Petersburg Bowl and went 4-4 in conference play. This year saw a dramatic step backward, however, as the Huskies fell to 3-9 and won only one conference game.
The biggest reason for the drop-off was on the defensive side of the ball. In 2015, the Huskies allowed only 19.5 points per game, the best mark in the American Athletic Conference. That number jumped to 28.1 points per game this season. That was simply too much for a Huskies offense that averaged only 15.9 points per game in Diaco's 37 games at the school.
That lack of offense and Diaco's manufactured rivalry with UCF -- The Civil ConFLiCT, which UCF wanted no part of -- will be Diaco's legacy with the Huskies.
