Davidson fires football coach Nichols

(STATS) - Davidson fired football coach Paul Nichols on Monday after he spent five unsuccessful seasons trying to turn around his alma mater's program.

The 36-year-old Nicholls was 7-49 with the Wildcats, but only one of the wins was against a Division I program. This year's team was 2-9 overall and 0-8 in the Pioneer Football League.

"Change rarely comes easily, and this step is no exception," athletic director Jim Murphy said. "During Paul's time as head coach, we saw alumni support grow and a strengthening of the resources and facilities available to our players."

Nichols was 31 when he took over the struggling program in December 2012. At the time, he was Division I's youngest head coach.

As a player at Davidson, Nichols was a record-setting quarterback before graduating in 2003.

The school said a national search for the next coach will begin immediately.