Fresno State Bulldogs Dismiss Football Head Coach Tim DeRuyter

Written by Ryan Wright

Twitter: @HogManInLA

Fresno State athletic directior Jim Bartko announced on Sunday that the university had parted ways with football head coach Tim DeRuyter after a 1-7 start to the 2016 season.

DeRuyter’s tenure at Fresno State started out great winning 20 games with six losses in his first two seasons notching 11 wins in 2013. The wheels started coming off the winning ways in 2014 with a 6-8 finish that included a defeat in the Hawaii Bowl. The frustration for the fan base stirred up with a 3-9 end to the 2015 schedule building to a 4-16 mark over his last 20 contests.

Bartko explained DeRuyter’s dismissal stating, “We have informed Coach DeRuyter that he no longer will be our head football coach. Tim and his family have been great ambassadors for this university and our football program. Coach DeRuyter is a true man of character and a leader of great student-athletes and he was great (on Sunday).

“Over my tenure, (Univ. President Dr. Joseph Castro) and I both felt that on the field that it is not up to the standard that the Valley needs. We haven’t had the success as expected, anticipated by many including myself and the president and many in this room and watching on TV.”

Fresno State still owes DeRuyter $3.1 million dollars in salary with contracted salary earnings of $1.5 million in 2016, $1.55 million in 2017, and $1.6 in 2018.

DeRuyter is a defensive minded coach playing linebacker at Air Force in the early ‘80’s. He started his football coaching career as an assistant with the Falcons serving as a defensive coordinator for Ohio, Navy, Ohio again, Nevada, and then back to Air Force. He took a step up in competition level being named the defensive coordinator at Texas A&M in 2010 becoming the interim head coach for the Aggies in 2011 before the hiring of Kevin Sumlin. DeRuyter was hired as the Bulldogs head coach for the 2012 season.

Eric Kiesau, the Bulldogs’ offensive coordinator, will serve as interim head coach over Fresno State’s final four games of the season. Fresno State can build some momentum with wins against Air Force, Colorado State, Hawaii, and San Jose State to end the 2016 schedule. Fresno hosts Air Force Friday night with a 10:30 p.m. ET kickoff with coverage provided by ESPN2.

Photo credit: fresnobee.com; Tim DeRuyter on the Fresno State sidelines.