Navy Fires Coach Despite Beating Army

The Naval Academy fired Elliot Uzelac as its football coach Monday, two days after his Midshipmen’s last-second upset of Army.

Navy was 8-25 in three years under Uzelac. The Midshipmen were 2-9 in Uzelac’s first season and 3-8 each of the last two years.

Uzelac had lost two games to Army before the Navy rallied in the final seconds Saturday for a 19-17 victory.

Navy Athletic Director Jack Lengyel defended the firing.

“You look at seven consecutive years of losing,” Lengyel said. “Not to downgrade Division I-AA schools, but we lost to six of them in the last three years, including three this season. I certainly don’t think that was indicative of progress.”

Lengyel said that Navy would buy out the final season on Uzelac’s four-year contract.