Southern University will host a press conference on Wednesday at 10:30 a.m. addressing the ousting of Eric Dooley. 

The conference will be streamed on WBRZ+ and on YouTube. 

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BATON ROUGE - Southern University says it has parted ways with Head Football Coach Eric Dooley, ending days of rumors and speculation regarding his future with the Jaguars. 

Southern confirmed the move in a news release Tuesday afternoon, naming assistant Coach Terrence Graves as interim coach. Sean Wallace, the current safeties coach, will serve as acting head coach for the Bayou Classic on Nov. 25.

Reports of Dooley's firing cropped up Monday morning, just two days after the Jaguars lost to Prairie View A&M to fall to 5-5 on the season. 

Dooley was hired in December 2021 after a previous 12-year stint with Southern as an assistant coach under Pete Richardson, which overlapped with the Jags' 1997 and 2003 HBCU titles, as well as the 1997, 1998, 1999 and 2003 SWAC titles.

Read the full announcement from Southern below. 

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 Atty. 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,” Banks said. We appreciate and thank Coach Dooley for his time here at Southern and wish him the best in his future endeavors.”

Athletic Director Roman Banks will speak at a press conference on Wednesday November 15, 2023 at 10:30 a.m. on the third floor of the A.W. Mumford Field House.

Assistant Head Coach, Special Teams Coordinator and Linebackers Coach Terrence Graves will serve as the Interim Head Coach and Safeties Coach Sean Wallace will serve as Acting Head Coach for the Bayou Classic. Coach Graves will have the distinction as the only coach in the 50 year history of the Bayou Classic