Nevada fires Wilson after pair of 2-win seasons

Nevada fired football coach Ken Wilson on Friday, ending his tenure after only two seasons.

Wilson went 2-10 in each of his two seasons with Nevada, where he had served as an assistant from 1989 to 2012 under Hall of Famer Chris Ault and other coaches. The change was expected, sources said, as Wilson’s buyout dropped from $1.5 million to $1 million on Friday. He had been signed through the 2026 season.

“After an extensive review of the Nevada football program, I have decided to make a leadership change,” Nevada athletic director Stephanie Rempe said in a statement. “I would like to thank Ken for his dedication and service to Nevada athletics and to our student athletes. This is not a decision I take lightly, as I know the ripple effect on so many people with a decision like this.”

Rempe, who has been in her post since June 2022, did not hire Wilson and will now look to make her first football head-coaching hire at the school.

Wilson, 59, had been Oregon‘s co-defensive coordinator and inside linebackers coach before coming to Nevada to replace Jay Norvell, who left for Colorado State after the 2021 season.

The Wolf Pack won back-to-back Mountain West games in October to end a 16-game losing streak that stretched back to last season. Nevada finished the 2023 season by losing four straight games.