NFL

San Jose State University Football Parts Ways with Caragher, Launches National Search for New Head Coach

San Jose State University has launched a national search for a new football head coach.

The university has parted ways with Ron Caragher, who led the Spartans to a 19-30 record during his four years at SJSU, including a 4-8 mark this fall.

“I want to thank Coach Caragher for his hard work and commitment to San Jose State football these past four years,” Athletic Director Gene Bleymaier said in a statement Sunday. “A search for a new head coach will begin immediately.”

There is no question Bleymaier will be under fire if he does not hire a coach capable of pushing the Spartans up the ranks in the Mountain West conference.

Prior to Bleymaier bringing in Caragher, the Spartans football program showed promise under then head coach Mike MacIntyre with its first appearance in the Associated Press top 25 rankings in 2012.

Caragher inherited an 11-win team in 2013, which included top NFL prospect, quarterback David Fales and highly sought after playmaking running back Tyler Ervin.

SJSU started a slow decline from the moment Caragher stepped onto campus

In the university's only trip to the postseason during Caragher's tenure, the Spartans were able to clinch a berth and a subsequent win in the 2015 AutoNation Cure Bowl, but the squad's final season record sat below .500 at 6-7.

This season became the breaking point due to high expectations after a bowl victory and quarterback Kenny Potter returning for his senior season.

Nothing panned out as planned. The Spartans found more ways to lose than win this season. The tipping point came last week in the final game of the season when Caragher and his staff mismanaged the game clock late in the fourth quarter.

SJSU had the lead and chose to pass the ball instead of running the ball to burn the clock, which opened the door for Air Force to go 33 yards to win the game.

Despite the rivalry win over the weekend against a lowly 1-10 Fresno State team, Bleymaier said enough was enough and Caragher was out the door 24 hours later.

Caragher was making $525,000 per year as the Spartans head coach, which was $75,000 more than MacIntyre made per season before he left. SJSU is still on the hook for the final year of Caragher's contract, which was set to expire after the 2017 season.

Contact Us