South Fla. fires Holtz as coach

TAMPA, FLA. — Skip Holtz was fired as South Florida’s football coach after two straight losing seasons in which the program regressed.

Athletic director Doug Woolard made the announcement Sunday after meeting with Holtz individually and then accompanying the former coach to a gathering with players. A search for a replacement will begin immediately, with no definitive timetable for naming the successor.“It was a matter of just not having the production that we needed to have over the last couple of years on the field,” Woolard said.

The son of former Notre Dame coach Lou Holtz went 16-21 at the Big East school, concluding a three-year run with the worst season in school history. The Bulls lost nine of 10 to finish 3-9, 16 in the conference, following a 2-0 start.

The firing came a year after Holtz, 48, was given a contract extension through 2017 despite going 5-7 in his second season. He will receive a $2.5 million buyout paid over five years.

USF has lost 14 of its past 16 against Big East opponents and were 516 overall in league play under Holtz.

Holtz is 88-71 overall in 13 seasons at Connecticut, East Carolina and USF.

Vanderbilt gives extension to Franklin: The Commodores (8-4) rewarded coach James Franklin with another new contract for leading Vandy to its best record in 30 years and to consecutive bowls for the first time in school history. Franklin also helped post three sellouts on campus for the first time since 1996.

Vanderbilt does not discuss contract details, but athletic director David Williams called it a “longterm” contract that will keep Franklin here “a number of years.”