San Diego State Fires Football Coach Doug Scovil After Aztecs’ 5-6-1 Season

Doug Scovil has been fired after five years as San Diego State’s head football coach.

Scovil’s firing, with one year remaining on his contract, came on the eve of today’s expected announcement that Fred Miller had been hired as the new athletic director. Miller’s hiring is the anticipated subject of a press conference this morning on campus.

However, a confirmation of Scovil’s status is likely to also be a focal point in a rather pivotal day for San Diego State athletics.

A university source told The Times Monday night that Scovil had been informed Sunday night that he would be released. Scovil’s final game as head coach was Saturday night’s 10-10 tie at Hawaii, which made the 1985 record 5-6-1 and his overall record 24-32-3.

The Aztec players were informed Monday during a layover in San Francisco on the way home from Hawaii.

“We’re a little bit shocked,” quarterback Todd Santos said. “I think everybody’s a little upset and shocked about the news. We’d heard rumors and stuff like that, but we didn’t think there’d be a firing. I think he’s a good coach.”

Scovil came to San Diego State in 1981 from Brigham Young University, where he had been offensive coordinator. He also was head coach Pacific and College of San Mateo and an assistant coach with the San Francisco 49ers and Chicago Bears.