Rutgers has fired fourth-year coach Chris Ash and offensive coordinator John McNulty, the school announced on Sunday.
The final straw in Ash's tenure was a 52-0 shutout at No. 20 Michigan on Saturday (the team's second shutout of the season), which dropped the Scarlet Knights to 1-3 for 2019. The team's only win has come against FCS opponent UMass.
Tight ends coach Nunzio Campanile will take over as interim coach and offensive coordinator.
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"We appreciate Chris’s dedicated efforts on behalf of our football program, our department and our university,” Rutgers athletic director Patt Hobbs said in a statement.
Ash also issued a statment via Twitter:
— Chris Ash (@CoachChrisAsh) September 29, 2019
NJ.com reported that Rutgers owes Ash approximately $8.47 million as part of his buyout, including $2.3 million for 2019 and $7.5 million through 2022. Candidates the Scarlet Knights may target to replace Ash include former Rutgers coach Greg Schiano, Mississippi State coach Joe Moorhead, Buffalo coach Lance Leipold, Pitt coach Pat Narduzzi and Princeton coach Bob Surace.
Ash, who took over the Scarlet Knights' program in 2016, went 8-40 over three-plus years, never logging more than four wins in a season. He coached Rutgers to a 3-26 mark in Big Ten play, including three winless campaigns (0-9 in 2016 and '18 and 0-2 in 2019).
Through four games this season, the Scarlet Knights rank 123rd in total offense (303 yards per game), 127th in scoring offense (16 points per game), 90th in total defense (414 ypg) and 109th in scoring defense (33.3 ppg).
"Progress has been achieved in many areas, but, unfortunately, that progress has not been realized on the field of play,'' Hobbs said. "As such, it is in the best interest of the program to make a change.''
