- N.C. Central athletics
- Mose Rison earlier this season
This season’s drama in local college football coaching circles has been focused on UNC’s Butch Davis and his ability to keep the support of university administrators, trustees and boosters amid multiple scandals.
But the first head coach to lose a job this year is N.C. Central’s Mose Rison. Although a press release from the school employs the euphemistic term “replaced,” the implication is clear: After two straight losing seasons and a 2-4 start to the current one, time has run out on Rison.
Rison began his N.C. Central career in 2007 after starting as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, and went 6-4 that season. But he was done in by two consecutive 4-7 seasons, combined with the shaky start to this, the Eagles’ third season in Division I (FCS) and first back in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) of historically black colleges.
Rison graduated from Central Michigan University, where he had a standout career as a running back. He then embarked on a 25-year assistant coaching career, one that culminated in the top job at N.C. Central. Bullock, his offensive line coach, will replace him in time for this weekend’s home game against Bethune Cookman.
One thing Rison can say, though: He beat arch-rival North Carolina A&T this season, at home in front of 15,173 fans.
He has one year remaining on his contract, and will be assigned to another job within the athletic department.
Release below:
DURHAM, N.C. — Following back-to-back 4-7 seasons and a disappointing 2-4 start to the 2010 campaign, Mose Rison has been replaced as head football coach at North Carolina Central University. Assistant head coach Darryl Bullock will serve as interim head coach for the remainder of the season.
“While we appreciate the passion and commitment that Coach Rison has shown, we feel at this time that a change in the leadership and command of our football program is needed,” said NCCU Director of Athletics Dr. Ingrid Wicker-McCree.
“As we have moved through the Division I transition process, we have established high expectations for our football program to become one of the best in the MEAC,” Wicker-McCree said. “However, we must continue to improve in all aspects of the football program in order to reach those aspirations. We will begin the process to hire our next head football coach immediately, with a goal of having someone in place by the beginning of next year (January 2011).”
Rison will be reassigned to another position within the athletics department. He has one year remaining on his current contract.
Bullock is in his fourth season as assistant head coach and offensive line coach at NCCU.
The Eagles host undefeated MEAC foe Bethune-Cookman University on Saturday (Oct. 23) at 2 p.m.
