Florida A&M head coach Alex Wood has resigned from his job after a loss to rival Bethune-Cookman and with a 3-8 record this season. However, a losing record this season or even the prior two seasons may have been the catalyst for Wood losing his job. After the 29-24 loss to B-CU, State Representative and FAMU alum Ramon Alexander called for the firing of Wood because of a failed fake punt the Rattlers ran.
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He tweeted and then deleted this statement about the game:
"It is extremely rare that I will make this type of public comment...," Alexander wrote after the game.
"Coach Alex Wood MUST be fired immediately for the fake punt call in the 4th Quarter of the Florida Classic....and I mean immediately."
He later issued this apology:
"To be very clear my reaction and personal opinions were in no way intended to directly influence the leadership of FAMU to make a specific decision about the future of Rattler Football.
"I was purely and extremely frustrated like thousands of other Rattlers that closely follow our football program and have a passionate vested interest in supporting our student athletes."
While he may not have intended to directly affect the coach's future, his comments certainly could not have helped. Losing a seventh straight game to your arch rival after holding a 14-point lead in the fourth quarter isn't going to help either.
Outgoing Athletic Director Milton Overton Jr. confirmed Wood's resignation. Wood's contract was going to run out next month as well, but it looks like the coach wants out a little early since there isn't a bowl game to play in with their record and he will likely want to get a jump start on a potential next job.
FAMU was on probation due to low Academic Progress Rate scores, but that at least had improved under Wood. Graduation rates rose and players have performed better in the classroom as well. Wood's team went 8-25 over his three-year tenure.
[h/t Tallahassee.com]
