Published: December 01, 2008 10:38 pm      

Texas A&M-Commerce fires football coach Scotty Conley

COMMERCE — Texas A&M University-Commerce has begun a national search for a new head football coach after Scotty Conley was fired on Monday.

In an official release from the university, A&M-Commerce athletic director Carlton Cooper announced that effective on Monday “he has relieved head football Scotty Conley of his duties.”

“We are thankful for Scotty and his contributions to our football program, but as an organization we have decided to go in a new direction for our football program,” said Cooper.

Jamie Critchlow, the Lions’ offensive coordinator for the past two seasons, will take over as interim head coach until a replacement for Conley has been named.

Conley coached the Lions for five seasons, compiling a 24-27 record for a .470 winning percentage.

The 2005, 2006 and 2008 Lions all finished with 5-5 season records.

The 2007 Lions went 5-6 and shared the Lone Star Conference North Division championship with four other teams.

Conley went 4-6 with the Lions in his first season in 2004 after taking over a program that had gone 1-10 the previous season.

A&M-Commerce went 16-14 in LSC division play during those five seasons, including marks of 4-5, 3-2, 3-3, 3-2 and 3-2.

The Lions’ defense ranked among the top four defenses in the conference in each of Conley’s five seasons as head coach, finishing first overall in 2005 and 2006 in total defense, third in 2007 and fourth in both 2004 and 2008 in fewest yards allowed per game.

A&M-Commerce’s offense ranked ninth in the LSC in total offense in 2008, 10th in 2007, 11th in 2006, 11th in 2005 and seventh in 2004.

Conley, who grew up in Winnsboro, received both his bachelor’s and masters degrees from A&M-Commerce.

He was a head coach at Trinity Valley Community College from 1996-99 and served as an assistant coach at the Naval Academy, Howard Payne, Arkansas, Rice, Tennessee, Kansas, Texas and Texas A&M, plus in high school at Mount Vernon and Whitewright.