UW Terminates Contract of Football Coach Jim Lambright
December 30, 1998
Seattle, WA -- Washington athletic director Barbara Hedges announced today that head football coach Jim Lambright's contract has been terminated. Lambright has been the head coach of the Huskies since the 1992 season.
"As I do every year, I reviewed the football program in every way: leadership, success, failure, attitude, personnel, student athlete welfare, and most importantly, the long-term outlook for the program. I reached the conclusion that a change needed to be made."
Lambright had three-years remaining under his contract that was extended last January. Under the terms of his contract, Lambright will be paid one year of his current base salary ($176,000) and will receive the final two payments of a $200,000 annuity. "The search for a new head coach will begin immediately," Hedges said. "With recruiting visits resuming in the next week, I want to move as expeditiously as possible. We will find a quality coach to lead our program and accomplish our goals. We will have that person in place in time for prospective student-athletes who have verbally committed to Washington or who are interested in the University to make their evaluation."
A 57-year-old native of Everett, Wash., Lambright completed his 30th year of service on the Husky coaching staff in 1998. Prior to taking over as head coach, Lambright served as an assistant coach for 24 seasons. He graduated from the University in 1965 after lettering for the Husky football team during the 1963 and 1964 seasons.
During his six-year tenure he led Washington to a 44-25-1 record, including a 31-16-1 record in Pacific-10 Conference play. The Huskies appeared in bowl games in each of Lambright's last four seasons, compiling a 1-3 record in those contests.
Lambright's best record came during the 1996 season when Washington posted a 9-3 mark that included a 33-21 loss to Colorado in the Holiday Bowl. His 1995 team shared the Pac-10 Championship with a 7-4-1 record. The conference tie-breaker placed USC in the Rose Bowl and the Huskies played in the Sun Bowl, losing to Iowa 38-18. This year the Huskies posted a 6-6 record, marking the first time in 22 years the program did not produce a winning record. Washington lost to Air Force 45-25 on Christmas Day in the inaugural Oahu Bowl.
Lambright's win total (44) ranked him sixth on the Huskies' all-time coaching list. He was the fourth alumnus to coach the Washington program.
The current Washington assistant coaches will remain on salary until June 30.
Lambright's Head Coaching Record
Overall Pac-10 Pac-10 Bowl
Year Record Record Finish Game
1993 7-4-0 5-3-0 Ineligible
1994 7-4-0 4-4-0 Ineligible
1995 7-4-1 6-1-1 1st, tie Sun Bowl Lost to Iowa 38-18
1996 9-3 7-1 2nd Holiday Bowl Lost to Colorado 33-21
1997 8-4 5-3 4th Aloha Bowl Defeated Michigan St. 51-23
1998 6-6 4-4 5th Oahu Bowl Lost to Air Force 45-25
Totals 44-25-1 31-16-1
