GREENVILLE, N.C. (WITN) – Following the loss to Army, Mike Houston has been fired as head football coach at East Carolina University.

ECU Director of Athletics Jon Gilbert made the announcement today

“After a comprehensive evaluation of our football program, I informed Mike Houston this morning that we are making a change in leadership,” said Gilbert. “This was a very difficult decision. Mike has led our program the last five-plus seasons with tremendous class and has positively impacted so many student-athletes. After earning back-to-back bowl invitations, we looked poised for continued success. Unfortunately, we have not seen the results we all want, and a change is needed to move the program forward. We have high expectations and those are not changing.

Defensive coordinator Blake Harrell has been named interim head coach for the remainder of the season. Harrell has ran the defense since 2020.

“We are confident we will identify the right leader for our football program. I believe ECU is a premier job with a passionate fan base, unprecedented support from our Pirate Club donors, and great facilities that continue to improve,” Gilbert wrote, “My hope is Pirate Nation will rally around our student-athletes as they have always done.”

ECU was 27-38 (.415) under Houston since he took the job in 2019. Last year the team went 2-10, and they are currently 3-4 following consecutive blowout losses in their last two games.

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