RALEIGH, N.C. -- North Carolina State coach Chuck Amato was fired Sunday, a day after the Wolfpack lost to East Carolina 21-16 -- their seventh consecutive loss to finish the season.
The former Wolfpack linebacker had a 49-37 record at the school and led the team to five bowl games. But his squads were 25-31 in the Atlantic Coast Conference and never finished higher than fourth.
Amato had three years remaining on his contract.
"No Wolfpack fan can question the excitement and enthusiasm that Chuck Amato brought to the NC State football program when he came here in 2000," NC State athletics director Lee Fowler said in a statement. "His dreams have become our dreams and that has translated itself into our great new facilities, record ticket sales and five bowl appearances in seven years.
"However, because the results on the field in two of the last three seasons have fallen far below where we feel our program should be at this point, we have decided to take the program in a new direction."
The Wolfpack finished with a 3-9 record, 2-6 in the ACC, and lost consecutive games to Akron and Southern Mississippi. The Wolfpack failed to score more than 24 points in any game in 2006. This season, North Carolina State finished with a losing record for the second time in three seasons since quarterback Philip Rivers went to the NFL.
"This is obviously a disappointing decision for me, but I would never do anything to hurt North Carolina State University," Amato said in a statement released by the university. "This season was a big disappointment but I'm very proud of what I accomplished during my tenure."
The former Wolfpack linebacker had a 49-37 record at the school and led the team to five bowl games. But his squads were 25-31 in the Atlantic Coast Conference and never finished higher than fourth.
Amato had three years remaining on his contract.
"No Wolfpack fan can question the excitement and enthusiasm that Chuck Amato brought to the NC State football program when he came here in 2000," NC State athletics director Lee Fowler said in a statement. "His dreams have become our dreams and that has translated itself into our great new facilities, record ticket sales and five bowl appearances in seven years.
"However, because the results on the field in two of the last three seasons have fallen far below where we feel our program should be at this point, we have decided to take the program in a new direction."
The Wolfpack finished with a 3-9 record, 2-6 in the ACC, and lost consecutive games to Akron and Southern Mississippi. The Wolfpack failed to score more than 24 points in any game in 2006. This season, North Carolina State finished with a losing record for the second time in three seasons since quarterback Philip Rivers went to the NFL.
"This is obviously a disappointing decision for me, but I would never do anything to hurt North Carolina State University," Amato said in a statement released by the university. "This season was a big disappointment but I'm very proud of what I accomplished during my tenure."
