After 14 seasons at Southern Utah, the last six of them as the program's head coach, Demario Warren and the school have parted ways.
The school said in a press release that it would begin “a nationwide search” to find Warren's replacement atop the Thunderbirds' program.
Warren seemed to have the Southern Utah program on an upward trajectory in his second year, when Warren led the Thunderbirds to a Big Sky Conference title, Football Championship Subdivision Playoffs berth and an overall 9-3 slate.
But the Thunderbirds could not sustain the momentum from that season, and they won just 6 of their next 40 games.
Southern Utah was just 2-15 in the past two seasons, with all 15 losses coming in this calendar year. The program joined in the 2021 FCS spring season and finished 1-5 before a 1-10 close to this season was completed with last Saturday's 62-0 loss to Weber State.
Southern Utah is preparing as an institution to the Western Athletic Conference in all sports beginning July 1, 2022.
"Coach Warren has been a cherished member of this institution and community for the last 14 years,” SUU Athletics Director Debbie Corum said in a statement. “He has elevated the football program in many ways and has positively impacted the lives of hundreds of young men. Always putting the program ahead of his own desires, he has made a decision that it is time to step aside and make room for another coach to lead the team, and I support him in this decision.
“Demario has laid a strong foundation and we will begin work immediately to find the right person to continue building a successful program as we enter the Western Athletic Conference."