Miami Hurricanes Fire Randy Shannon

With championship expectations and mediocre results, the University of Miami unceremoniously fired Head Football Coach Randy Shannon Saturday night, hours after the Hurricanes finished a 7-5 regular season.

In a press release, Kirby Hocutt, 'Canes athletic director, said, "We have made a decision to seek new leadership for our football program. Our expectations are to compete for championships and return to the top of the college football world."

This was a costly decision for the university. Earlier this year Shannon received a four-year contract extension.

He was 28-22 in four seasons at Miami. Inside sources told ESPN that they believe none of the wins were memorable, but all of the losses were. The last one, Saturday's 23-20 loss to the University of South Florida, was, perhaps, the back-breaking straw for Shannon.

On Dec. 8, 2006, when he was named head coach, UM President Donna Shalala said, "Randy Shannon is Miami -- tough, disciplined, smart, caring, passionate, enthusiastic, and no-nonsense. He has been preparing himself for a head coaching position his whole life and I am very happy that the opportunity came at the University of Miami, his alma mater."

Offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland is expected to take over as interim coach. The fate of other members of Shannon's coaching staff is unknown.