UCLA fires Dorrell, to begin search for replacement

Those types of defeats were the major blots on Dorrell's tenure.

"Certainly the issues of injuries came into play this year," Guerrero said. "But the concerns that have plagued us just in a general sense over this period primarily relate to inconsistent play.

"In my mind, it created a scenario that I felt needed to be changed."

Guerrero denied a report that Boise State's Chris Petersen, Texas Tech's Mike Leach and former NFL coach Steve Mariucci had been contacted about the job.

"Neither UCLA, my office, me directly or through any emissaries or third parties have been out there contacting prospective candidates for this position," he said. "That has not been the case. The decision has been made as of today and we will begin that process, our search for a new coach, imminently."

Leach, who was in New York, said he has not been contacted by UCLA.

"I'm just worried about getting first downs against Virginia," said Leach, referring to his team's Gator Bowl opponent on New Year's Day.

Dorrell's best season was 2005, when he guided UCLA to a 10-2 record. The Bruins went into Arizona with an 8-0 record and No. 7 ranking, but they had a meltdown there and lost 52-14. They were routed again in the final regular-season game, losing 66-19 to USC.

Along with the 10-2 record, a high point for Dorrell at UCLA was last December, when the Bruins knocked the rival Trojans out of the national championship game with a 13-9 upset.

Dorrell was under contract through 2011, but it included a buyout clause that would pay him $2.05-million over a two-year period.

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