BATON ROUGE, La. (BRPROUD) — Southern University Athletic Director Roman Banks announced that football head coach Eric Dooley will not return as head coach.

According to Banks, the football program needed a change in football leadership.

“After very thorough and continued evaluations of all components related to the Southern football program, I have recommended to President/Chancellor Shields, Board of Supervisors Chairman Myron Lawson, and Athletic Chairman Attorney, Domoine Rutledge, that a change in the leadership of the program was necessary in order for Jaguar football to reach our full potential and expectations of our football program,” said Banks. “We appreciate and thank Coach Dooley for his time here at Southern and wish him the best in his future endeavors.”

Banks is scheduled to speak during a news conference at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 15, at Southern University.

Assistant Head Coach, Special Teams Coordinator and Linebackers Coach Terrence Graves will serve as the interim head coach, while Safeties Coach Sean Wallace will serve as acting head coach for the 50th Bayou Classic.

Graves will be the only coach in the 50-year history of the Bayou Classic to have acted as interm head coach for both Grambling State and Southern University, according to information from Southern University.