Autry Denson, the former record-setting, All-American tailback at Notre Dame and long-time collegiate coaching veteran, will not return to his post as head coach at Charleston Southern, multiple sources tell FootballScoop.
The Buccaneers are just two days from wrapping up a disappointing 2-8 campaign featuring six losses by double-digits, including dropping five consecutive games to start the 2022 campaign, Denson’s fourth at the helm.
After being hired away from his alma mater following the 2018 season, during which Denson helped coach the Fighting Irish into the College Football Playoff, Denson guided Charleston Southern to a 6-6 ledger in 2019 – his first-ever time as a collegiate head coaching following stints at Bethune-Cookman, Miami (OH), South Florida and Notre Dame.
The Bucs closed out Denson’s opening season with four-straight Big South Conference wins and then, after the COVID-19 pandemic pushed all Football Championship Subdivision seasons into spring 2021, the Bucs split their four-game mini-slate.
But despite numerous close losses, Charleston Southern finished each of its past two seasons below .500 in Big South play.
CSU nearly delivered Denson and the program a signature win early in the 2021 season, when the Bucs led 14-0 after the first quarter at East Carolina and had a chance to tie or win the game if it could have recovered a late onside kick in a 31-28 loss to the Pirates.
In addition to twice participating in the NFL’s Bill Walsh Minority Coaching Fellowship with both the Indianapolis Colts and Miami Dolphins, Denson also is well-regarded for his philanthropic efforts off the football field, including his work to organize youth bible studies, helped chair a national flag football league and having launched a youth non-profit called P.O.I.S.E. (Perseverance, Opportunity, Intelligence, Sacrifice and Effort) that worked with underprivileged youth in South Florida.