JACKSON, Miss. -- Sylvester Croom came to Mississippi State with much fanfare, deemed by many a pioneer, the first black man hired to be head coach of an Southeastern Conference football team.
After five seasons he's out, gone for the most basic reason: His team didn't win enough.
Croom resigned Saturday, less than 24 hours after an embarrassing 45-0 loss to No. 25 Mississippi in the most lopsided Egg Bowl in 37 years. He announced the decision in a statement released by the school after meeting with athletic director Greg Byrne.
Croom was 21-38 at Mississippi State with one winning season.
Byrne said it was Croom's decision to resign.
"We talked about a lot of different ideas and coach Croom was open to a lot of different ideas," Byrne said at a news conference. "The final idea was where we landed."
Croom, who took over the team while it was under NCAA sanctions, won 2007 SEC Coach of the Year honors after leading the Bulldogs to an 8-5 finish and the Liberty Bowl. He signed a contract extension in the offseason that paid him $1.7 million this year.
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| Sylvester Croom guided Mississippi State to an 8-5 mark and the Liberty Bowl last season. (AP) |
Croom did not immediately return a phone message left by the Associated Press.
"Five years ago, Mississippi State gave me the unprecedented opportunity to be a head football coach in the Southeastern Conference and to build a program based upon a strong foundation," Croom said in a statement.
"We have tried to build a program the right way that can compete for conference championships. I believe the foundation has been set for those goals to be reached under the leadership of someone else, and it was my decision to resign."
Byrne was scheduled to meet with reporters later Saturday afternoon.
Running backs coach Rockey Felker, who was once head coach at Mississippi State, will run the team while the Bulldogs search for Croom's replacement.
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