St. Aug’s fires football coach

RALEIGH, North Carolina -- St. Augustine’s football coach Michael Morand, who had been placed on administrative leave two weeks into the season, has been relieved of his duties, the school announced Wednesday.

Contacted by phone, athletic director George Williams would only say, “We have decided to go in another direction. We will open up the job at the end of the season, and (interim) coach (Tim) Chavous is welcome to apply for it at that time.”

Morand took over a St. Augustine’s football team in the midst of a crisis.

Thirteen-year coach Michael Costa had just been released after the first game of the 2014 season, and several of the players’ relatives had gone to the national media to protest “unsafe travel conditions and inadequate food.”

Morand, who was the offensive coordinator at the time, was named interim head coach for the remainder of the season.

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