Purdue Names Ex-Texas Coach Akers; Maryland Hires Krivak

Fred Akers, fired at Texas after the Longhorns suffered their first losing football season in 30 years, signed a five-year contract Wednesday to coach at Purdue.

Meanwhile, officials at the University of Maryland announced that Joe Krivak, an assistant coach at the school, has been selected as Maryland’s new coach, replacing Bobby Ross, who quit after a 5-5-1 season.

Krivak, a 1957 graduate of Syracuse, has been an assistant coach in charge of quarterbacks and receivers since 1982. He also was an assistant under Jerry Claiborne from 1974 to 1976 and an assistant coach at Navy for five years.

Akers, 48, compiled an 86-31-2 record in 10 years at Texas, taking his teams to nine straight bowl games. He was fired Nov. 29 after the Longhorns finished 5-6 this season.

Akers, who will have an annual base salary of $100,000, replaces Leon Burtnett, who resigned after the Boilermakers’ 3-8 season. It was Purdue’s fourth losing season in Burtnett’s five years as coach.