In an announcement Monday afternoon, Morgan State University has released head football coach Fred T. Farrier from his contract.

Bears defensive coordinator Ernest Jones will serve as the team’s interim head coach for the 2018 season while a search for permanent head coach is in the works.

“After having an in-depth opportunity to fully assess all aspects of our football program for the past year, we have decided to go in a new direction,” said Morgan State Athletic Director Edward Scott.“We are confident that Coach Jones and the remaining coaches on staff are committed to serving the scholar-athletes in our football program throughout this period of transition.”

While under the interim tag, Farrier conducted a 3-8 overall record and a 3-5 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) record. In his first full season after having the interim tag removed, Farrier was unable to build on the three wins he posted in the previous season posting a 1-10 record, finishing last in the MEAC. Farrier, who has been with the program since 2014, was as a member of former head coach Lee Hull’s coaching staff and was promoted to the full-time position in December 2016.

The Bears this season went 0-3 before the MEAC portion of the schedule. They were not able to score a point in the first three games as they were outscored by their opponents by a combined 101-0. Granted, two of those games came against stronger competition. The Bears were able to pick up their lone victory of the season on homecoming weekend against Savannah State University. They would go 0-5 for the remainder of the season.