RALEIGH, N.C. (WPTF) — East Carolina University has fired head football coach Mike Houston, six years after he was hired with hopes of returning the Pirates to their former glory.

The decision came just hours after a 45-28 loss to Army, which dropped the team’s record to 3-4 this season. Houston, who was introduced as head coach by athletic director Jon Gilbert in 2018, led ECU to its highest point in 2022, when the Pirates clinched the Birmingham Bowl, capping off an 8-5 season. However, recent struggles have marred his tenure, including back-to-back losses to in-state rivals Appalachian State and Charlotte, as well as a last-place finish in the American Athletic Conference in 2023. Houston finishes his East Carolina career with a 27-38 record.

The search for Houston’s replacement is expected to begin immediately as the Pirates aim to rebuild the program and recapture the success seen under former coaches Steve Logan and Ed Emory.