Dec. 12, 2000 SportsLine.com wire reports

TOLEDO, Ohio -- Tom Amstutz, who has spent 21 years as an assistant football coach at Toledo, was hired Tuesday as head coach of a Rockets team that went 10-1 this season.

He succeeds Gary Pinkel, who took the coaching job at Missouri. Amstutz, 45, and seven other Toledo assistants had followed Pinkel to Missouri and already had started working there.

Amstutz, a former offensive guard at Toledo, was assistant head coach the past two seasons.

"Tom has been a big part of the success of our program for many years," Toledo athletic director Pete Liske said. "His appointment keeps the continuity and momentum of the program going strong."

Despite a 10-1 record, Toledo was shut out of a bowl game because the Rockets didn't win the Mid-American Conference championship.

Amstutz has worked for four head coaches with the Rockets and became the defensive coordinator in 1995. Toledo's defense this season ranked third in the nation in total defense and scoring defense, giving up just 11 points a game.

Amstutz is a top recruiter, helping bring in more than 20 all-conference players, including top tailback Chester Taylor.

Taylor, who has rushed for more than 1,000 yards the past two seasons, has said he might return to Toledo for his senior season if Amstutz became head coach.

Offensive coordinator Dave Christensen was a candidate for the Toledo job. Liske also interviewed Virginia Tech offensive coordinator Rickey Bustle last weekend.

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